Guest Blog by Sara Sophia
“I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
– L. M. Montgomery
I don’t know if you’ve felt it in the morning breeze yet; if it has you tugging a flannel shirt from the back of your closet, lingering near the aisle of pumpkin scented candles, or if your eye has caught the slight flutter of leaves from trees – but fall is definitely tip toeing into Georgia.
I know it is because I have the same butterflies of excitement I find myself with every year come late September. I have been breathing deeply as we hop into the car each morning, searching for the hint of autumn in the air. Perhaps I over-romanticize but, quite simply, I live for this time of year.
The time of year when we’ve just left the season of pencil bouquets and crisp notebook pages and are far from the flurry of summer’s end. It seems to me October is full of ample room to celebrate family and tradition; to dive headfirst into the sensory explosion that comes with the change of seasons.
Here is my checklist for fall magic:
1. Pumpkin Shaped Cookies
Making your own is a wonderful tradition but so is stopping by our local Panera for a whimsical after school snack. (And it keeps the kitchen a lot cleaner)
©Sara Sophia, 2015, Used with Permission.
2. Plan a Family Fall Movie Night
In our house the first of October means watching Harry Potter and old reruns of The Munsters, courtesy of Netflix.
Choose something that is special for you and your little ones.
3. Halloween Socks
Cheesy I know, but you can’t beat the family-wide solidarity of holiday themed socks. (Especially when they range from $1-$3 a pair at Target.)
©Sara Sophia, 2015, Used with Permission.
4. Flannel, Plaid and More Flannel and Plaid
Well, flannel and plaid and boots. It will be what everyone else is wearing to the pumpkin patch but who cares, its cute. (and homey and festive… the list goes on)
5. Substitute Your Usual Seasonings with Fall Spice
Whether shaking a little cinnamon into barbeque sauce for pork chops, or stirring pumpkin and nutmeg into your pancake batter… get adventurous with your spice cabinet. Small hands will be happy to help with the sprinkling.
6. Take a Family Hike
Enjoying our beautiful Georgia fall is as easy as a quick weekend drive to Pine Mountain. My little ones love stopping for candy sticks and Harry Potter chocolate frogs at The Country Store (not always in stock, but when they are there we snap them up!).
7. Add Edible Googly Eyes to Baked Treats
Whether you make homemade muffins or a quick batch of rolls — adding these will have little ones thinking you are the most magical cook in the land. We found some cute edible eyes in the Hobby Lobby baking section right beside the sprinkles.
8. Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere
If going crazy with fall décor is not your thing, it can still be fun to place a pumpkin someplace unexpected. Sitting one next to your dining room bouquet or on a bookshelf has been known to result in contagious smiles from the entire family.
©Sara Sophia, 2015, Used with Permission.
This is such a magical time of year and I can’t wait for the cooler weather and all the holidays headed our way. So whether you choose to pick from this short list of my favorite things to do at the cusp of autumn, or simply read a fairytale while wrapped in a cozy blanket, I hope you have the best fall ever.
Sara Sophia works as the creative lead for handmade gatherings around the country. You can find her locally consulting for independent businesses; assisting artisans and boutiques in the art of whimsical marketing. She spends her days off searching for faeries in her herb garden and blogging her life as a mother of four and renegade poet. Follow her on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
