It’s almost finally fall: sweatshirts, sun, and a chill in the air!

It’s half-way through August, but the sun is going down earlier and earlier each night and the other day there was a chill in the air. And I already saw Christmas cards at the store, so it’s time to switch seasons.

Because of COVID, no one has any idea what Kindergarten will look like this year, I’m running out of TV shows to watch with no hope of new shows on the horizon, Michael’s birthday plans have been re-tooled over and over again, and our weekends will now be football-free, much to Brandon’s chagrin.

So I’m going to focus on something near and dear to me: the changing of the season and our fall bucket list.

Make our scarecrow. I’ve had the stuff since 2018 and this year we’re finally going to make it!

Decorate for Halloween. Michael is taking after me and loves Halloween too! With COVID what it is now, I don’t think trick-or-treating will happen, but we’ll still buy some candy and indulge. I think Michael is going to be Martin Kratt of the Wild Kratts for Halloween, since he will already have a costume. (He’s having a Wild Kratts-themed birthday in mid-Sept. and will receive a Creature Power Suit)

SPOOKY!

Boo! These cheesecloth ghosts were a new addition last year.

Apple picking! Maybe we’ll have weekdays free. Maybe we’ll visit on a weekend. Who knows. It will be a fun time, regardless. So far this year we’ve picked strawberries and blueberries.

Visit a pumpkin patch. There are so many farms here. We’ve visited Greg’s U-Pick Farm for the past three Falls, so we will be there again to take a photo of Michael in this pumpkin house. Maybe we’ll even go on a socially-distant hayride! I usually go for the imperfect, warty pumpkins. I don’t see that changing this year. After a visit to a really cool corn maze in Ohio last October, Michael is really excited to find more mazes here too.

Three years at the pumpkin house!

I prefer the unique, warty pumpkins.

Carve our pumpkins. Maybe Michael will even help de-gut them this year? We can roast the pumpkin seeds, eat pot pie, all of the things.

PUMPKINS!!

Bonfires! We just bought a Solo Stove and I can’t wait to use it for a toasty fire and s’mores!

My birthday! I don’t have plans yet, but it’ll likely involve some corned beef (my favorite!), one of these big cookie cakes, a great bottle of wine, and some quality time at home.

I’m planning on one of these for my birthday… plus a few years!

It’s only right that I memorialize (mourn?) some of our favorite Fall traditions that aren’t COVID-friendly: 

• School? Who knows. Our school district is such a hot mess.
• A really big birthday party for Michael and a visit from Grandma & Boppa.
• College (& NFL?) football.
• Trick or treating
• Hockey lessons
• A night on the town to celebrate our anniversary (#9 this year!!)

Pumpkin picking at the pumpkin patch

Read our 2018 list here… WARNING: it’s pretty similar.