All the Fall Things

Well, hey there. Things have been a little hectic around here. We've had a sickness lingering in our house for over a week now. Jonathan had it all of last week and I felt it coming on as I headed off for a friend's bachelorette weekend at the beach. By the time I made it home Sunday, it had hit me full force and I've been in bed the last two days trying to get rid of it once and for all. You'd think with all this downtime, I'd be writing up a storm, but I've been feeling less than inspired and cold meds don't exactly make me want to do anything that requires effort or thought.

The good news is that I'm starting to feel normal again which is good because we have a productive and fun weekend planned. I mentioned before I feel like once October comes, our lives kick into high gear with so many exciting things going on. With so much to look forward to about the next few months, I thought I'd share my Fall to do list today.

Carve pumpkins. I'll admit when I'm up to my elbows in pumpkin guts I wonder why I chose this activity for myself, but it's been a few years and Jonathan and I have never carved pumpkins together so it is absolutely on my to do list this year.

Make a pie. I have a confession. I've never made a pie before. From cobblers to cookies, I've made a lot of delicious treats but it's time I finally baked a pie and there isn't a more perfect pie making time of year than the Fall, right? I'm not just planning on making any pie, I'm planning on conquering this beauty of a pie crust I stumbled upon recently.

Host an adult field day. I'm planning this for my sister's birthday at the end of this month and if the weather is as perfect as it's been lately, it'll be the best day of fall fun all in celebration of my sweet sister. I'm still working out the details, but kickball and a three-legged race are on the agenda and of course, beer and lots of shenanigans, I'm sure. We'll follow up our day of competition with a bonfire at our house to continue the celebrations.

Treat myself to some yummy fall flavors at Starbucks. In the last few years, I've significantly cut down on my Starbucks visits and these days, I usually stick with a regular coffee with a pump or two of vanilla. With that being said, I have every intention of treating myself now and again to a Pumpkin Spice Latte and the new Toasted Graham Latte. Yum.

Give our outdoor space a total makeover. We've spent so much time perfecting the details inside our little home and now that we're pretty satisfied with what we've done inside, it's time to turn our attention to the outdoors. We decided a while ago once Jonathan's busy summer season was over, we would lay new sod and clean up the yard and by we, I obviously mean he. Don't judge me. I help in my own way by offering love and support and Chik-fil-A for lunch. Not only are we going to give our landscaping a huge makeover, but we're finally going to put the finishing touches on our back patio. We've been getting by with random furniture back there since we got the patio built over a year ago. We're ditching all of the random furniture and getting the most magical farm table built for the space. Between that and our hammock out there, I'm pretty sure it's where I'll spend every free minute over the next few months. There couldn't be a better time to do all this since the weather around here will be just perfect for enjoying our happy new outdoor space.

Our farmhouse table is a work in progress, but I can't help but share this little preview we got today. I might have squealed when I caught a glimpse of this beauty.

Treat myself to some yummy fall flavors at Starbucks. In the last few years, I've significantly cut down on my Starbucks visits and these days, I usually stick with a regular coffee with a pump or two of vanilla. With that being said, I have every intention of treating myself now and again to a Pumpkin Spice Latte and the new Toasted Graham Latte. Yum.

Watch a scary movie with my husband. I typically have zero interest in watching horror movies. I think the last time we watched a scary movie together, our breakers kept popping and the electricity was going in and out at which point I shouted "that's enough!" and turned the movie off. Jonathan loves them though and no matter how many times he tries to convince me to watch with him, I insist on something more like Pitch Perfect 2 and we meet somewhere in the middle. But the thing is, I love that guy and there's no better time to suck it up and watch a scary flick with him. Just one though because I'll probably regret this 5 minutes in.

Not dress up on Halloween. I'm glad we decided early on to have a night in with some friends on Halloween. All I've wanted to do the last few years is make sure we're somewhere we can sit in the driveway, drink a few beers and hand out candy to the neighborhood kids. We've done this the last few years at my in-laws and it's been the perfect low-key way to celebrate. Any year I've committed to going out in costume and getting crazy, I've always regretted the decision the minute I step in the costume section of any store. I immediately feel overwhelmed at what to be, what to do, where to go, how much money I'm about to waste on a costume. It feels good to not participate in the costume nonsense and just use Halloween as an excuse to have a fun night with some friends and also indulge in some sweet treats.

There you have it! I have to be honest and say how relieved I am this list isn't all food-related because for a minute I was worried in might go in that direction.

Now tell me...

• What's on your Fall to do list this year? 
• How are you planning on celebrating Halloween?

13 Different Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day - you either love it or hate it. Sure, it's a "Hallmark holiday" and sure, you should make an effort to show love throughout the whole year, not just one day. This is all true, but there's no need to completely disregard it! Valentine's Day doesn't have to be about chocolates and roses and creepily large teddy bears. There's plenty you can do to celebrate that doesn't include over-the-top romance.

We typically keep Valentine's Day pretty simple and I like it that way. There's no pressure or stress, we just decide how we want to spend the day together and try to be intentional about doing little things to show our love.

(one) Use it as an excuse to bake (and indulge) in one of your favorite treats. When I was single, I used to make Red Velvet Cupcakes every year just because. It was the one time a year I would make these so it was something I looked forward to! Plus, it was really fun to give them out to friends/family/coworkers. 

(two) Do something together that you usually can't fit into your schedule. For us, it's going on a long bike ride. We love taking a bike ride on a Saturday afternoon and maybe definitely stopping for drinks along the way, but we usually aren't able to squeeze it in. I'm so looking forward to this tomorrow!

(three) Make brunch together at home and enjoy while watching your favorite show on Netflix. Any other Saturday, you might feel guilty staying in bed all morning drinking champagne but it's Valentine's Day so cheers to mimosas and knocking out a whole season of Friends on Netflix!

(four) Spend the day volunteering together. You'll enjoy the quality time and feel good about making a difference in your community.

(five) Avoid the crowds and cook dinner together at home. Valentine's Day is a good excuse to switch it up and try a new, fancy and/or more challenging recipe to cook as a team. 

(six) Show kindness to strangers. Pay for the car behind you at the drive-thru, leave a $10 gift card to Target in a random cart, make an effort to compliment people you encounter throughout the day. 

(seven) Love yourself. Use this day as a chance to do something for yourself - massage, pedicure, reading on the porch - whatever you've been wanting to do for yourself but haven't, do it today!

(eight) Send flowers to a female friend or family member

(nine) Learn how to make your favorite cocktail. Find a cocktail you've been wanting to make at home (for me this would be a Moscow Mule). Go out together to pick up the ingredients and spend the night at home drinking and chatting - no TV or electronics - just quality time together.

(ten) Game night with a group of friends or with your significant other. I love a good game night!

(eleven) Get active. Go on a hike together, play kickball with your friends, attend a group fitness class with a friend or your significant other, try a new workout. Whether you're alone or with someone, you'll be glad you did something good for your body (and soul)!

(twelve) Skip the roses. If you want to buy flowers for your significant other, why go with red roses when you could give them something more personal like their favorite flower or even a bouquet of the same flowers used in your wedding?

(thirteen) Have a dance party. There really is never a bad time to have a dance party. 

How are you spending your Valentine's Day? What other ideas would you add to my list?

Linking up with Sarah and Helene today!