All Things Fall! All things fall is what I’m covering in this week’s blog. My favorite coziest drinks to warm up with, goodies we make with our apple haul, my love for autumn decor (with links), where it all started, and of course, the best time for fall photos!

My husband always jokes with me that I ‘loved fall before it was cool’ he’s not wrong! It’s true, I have always loved this season! I use to break out my burlap and faux colored leaves the minute September hit. People thought I was nuts decorating for a ‘season! Ah . . . and now . . . I feel validated, ha!

My Jersey roots have a lot to do with my love for the fall season. ‘The garden state’ is known for its abundant amount of dense tress. So many beautiful color changing trees, leaves everywhere crunching under each step, pumpkin patches with homemade cider in every town, what’s not to love? My Aunt Camille use to take me to the sweetest little apple orchards and pumpkin patches in New Jersey every year. She would treat us to apple cider doughnuts and do the corn mazes and hay rides- and I looked forward to it every time October rolled around.

Now, many years later- I get to carry on these traditions with my own kids. They love it!! I love it! We start out season off as early as possible. Once September hits and we start getting ready for the new school year, it’s time to get out the pumpkins and candles! We do a ‘fall decorating’ day at my house, usually a Friday. I make a fresh batch of my favorite apple cider (recipe below), we clear the shelves and start the decorating.

My decor is from all over- Etsy (check out my favorite fall wreath and dough bowl candle), local second hand stores, Home Goods, Marshalls, Target (of course), plus a few Amazon finds! Of course, my all time favorite- hobby lobby! I don’t buy anything I don’t love and have a spot for. Clutter is not my jam- see why here! The kids are in charge of outside- they grab the haystacks, our scarecrow- Jack, pumpkins, fall signs, etc . . . And make it look awesome on our patio!

We have a few more fall traditions that I’m excited to share about. First- Apple picking! Because . . . All Things Fall! We get a LOT! 80-120lbs of fresh apples! Towards the end of September we load up our reusable bags, throw on some boots and head to our favorite local orchard! (Check out some spring sessions I’ve done here when the blooms are out!) Then, we start our favorite apple recipes: Applesauce, apple dumplings, apple pie, apple crisp, roasted apple cider chicken, apple cider slushies, and Pork loin with rosemary apple sauce! I just bought a food dehydrator and am going to try an easy quick way to make homemade apple chips!

Pumpkin picking: Another favorite! Our middle daughter’s birthday falls right in the middle of October so we often will go to the pumpkin patch for her birthday! We have some really awesome local pumpkin patches in town where you can roast marshmallows, visit the farm animals, pick out a pumpkin, grab a hotdog and some cider, and find your way out of the corn maze. It’s the perfect fall day no doubt. We then spend an afternoon carving jack-o-lanterns and painting the extra pumpkins. We love roasting the pumpkin seeds too! On Halloween, we make all the fun halloween foods and start our trick or treating early enough so we can get back and pass out candy!

Fall walks: We always enjoy walks as a family- but the fall is our favorite time to adventure. Our little kids love doing fall scavenger hunts- here’s a printable you can download for your kids! They love gathering leaves and doing leaf rubbings at home. Another favorite is collecting pinecones and making them scented in their favorite fall scents! Then, when the Halloween decor comes out my youngest daughter loves to walk by the houses. Checking out their spooky skeletons and haunted house set ups is her favorite.

Meals: My husband use to make fun of me for this- but after 16 years- he will be the first one to tell you that he wouldn’t want it any other way! I have some meals I only make in the fall/winter. Here are some of my favorites: Chicken pot pie, Autumn sheet pan dinner, tomato basil soup, cheesy ham chowder, and harvest chicken skillet. I also love our homemade apple cider recipe!

Our fall days are spend living our best life. We spend lazy Sunday’s slow roasting a pot roast while watching football. Our neighbors let our kids gather extra leaves and they take turns jumping in the leaf piles. They love making silly halloween foods, going to our local harvest festivals, take enjoying all things fall.

Of course, one of my favorite aspects of this season is the photos! I’m a sucker for the color changing and the golden early sunsets. I prefer the slightly softer feel of the fall colors so I love when they begin to turn before they get to their really deep tones. Usually for my area that is late September/early October. So many variables go into when exactly is the best time- everything from cold spells, to how much moisture we’ve had matter. When you start to see the first trickle of color throughout the trees keep an eye out- usually about 3-3 1/2 weeks from that, is near perfect!

All Things Fall, might be one of my favorite blogs I’ve ever written! It’s a time that brings me extra joy and I am really excited to share that with you all! Enjoy your fall season- here is your sign to slow down, light a maple scented candle, grab yourself a pumpkin spice latte, and breathe in this beautiful time.

“Fall is proof that change is beautiful”