Fall for Fall

Maybe it’s just me, but it sure feels like of all seasons, fall goes the fastest. It’s already the middle of October and it feels like I was just soaking up the rays at the beach, summer has come and gone and the winter gloom is starting to loom. But don’t worry, there’s still time to fall into fall! But where to start where to start, should you go to that football game on Saturday or should you carve your jack-o-lantern? Whoops! The weekend is over and you did neither! I understand that “adult” responsibilities exist and life isn’t always a playground, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it your playground for a few hours here and there!

But I asked you, where do you start? It wouldn’t be very polite of me to ask you that question and not have an answer myself now would it? So without further adieu, here’s my top-10 fall to-do list!

1. Go to a haunted house: A haunted house at the top of the list? That seems a tad aggressive, right? That’s why it’s at the top of the list! Fall is a sprint, not a marathon. It’s a lot like testing the water before jumping in the pool. If you don’t just jump right in, odds are you won’t. I’m not a dare devil by any sense of the imagination, but sometimes you need to step outside your comfort zone and just go for it. Find your friend, find your family and go conquer a house of horror together. After all, the only real danger you’ll be in is letting people hear just how high your screams & squeals can be!
2. Visit an apple orchard: Alright, you just went to a haunted house, you earned this. Treat yourself to some warm cider & donuts that melt in your mouth. Calories don’t count this time of year, indulge in your choice of sugary sensations. Let the laughs of the sugar mustache you just grew be your exercise for the day. You’ll get quite the core workout!
3. Go on a hayride: Number three is really two B, but it deserves respect and that’s why it’s coming in at number three on our list. After (or during) scarfing down your cider & donuts, hop on the horse-drawn wagon and take a trip of serenity through the colorful countryside. This is a peaceful escape and a great way to take in the turn of the season.
4. Take a foliage voyage: Pack up the car, snag some snacks and bring a carefree attitude! See where the road winds and keep an eye out for peak foliage. Track your local foliage here! But don’t wait too long, it seems like the leaves a changing color by the day so don’t let this activity pass you by, before you know it you’ll be raking them up in preparation for the winter months. Enjoy them while you can!
5. Go on a hike: When you’re on your foliage voyage, take a hike, literally! Driving around to these hot spots is a great start, but don’t you want to get up close and personal with the beauty that you’re admiring? Find the best local trails and get some exercise (I know I said the donut calories don’t count, but maybe this could cancel out any residual calorie casualties).
6. Tailgate a football game: High school on Friday, college on Saturday and the NFL on Sunday. Football awaits! Whether you’ve got tickets or not, get to the game and take in the atmosphere that’s sure to absorb you. Enjoy some great food, drinks and even better company. Toss the football (don’t forget to stretch) and gear up the grill, can’t you smell the burgers and brats now?
7. Organize a touch football game: Whether you’re having a family outing or just a neighborhood get together, everybody loves a little touch football (DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH, I cannot stress this enough). Nothing beats a little backyard ball on Thanksgiving day before you inevitably scarf down entirely too much food. If you haven’t caught on yet, I’m including activities with exercise involved in an attempt to offset all of the food I’m recommending you eat, don’t even get me started on Halloween candy!
8. Run a race: Speaking of being active, an activity that some (emphasis on some) people enjoy is going for a run. If your family is anything like mine, you’re already signed up for a family 5k that you had no plans of participating in. Each year when my family and I reconvene for the holiday, I’m forced to run a “Turkey Trot” on Thanksgiving morning. Again, it helps with not feeling guilty for the amount of food that I inhale. I view it as a fair(ish) trade off!
9. Host a bonfire: Alright, enough exercising. By my math, we’re even on our food to exercise ratio. Kick your feet up, relax, toss a blanket on, put some wood on the fire and enjoy. Nothing beats the smell of a bonfire in the crisp fall air. Sip some warm cider & coco, maybe enjoy a s’more or two and let the stress from your hectic life disappear.
10. Have a camp out: When your fire starts to die down, maybe you’re not ready for the fun to end. Pitch a tent or build a blanket fortress in the backyard! Bundle up, tell scary stories and enjoy the stars shimmering overhead.

Now that you have a list of 10 great ways to take advantage of the remaining…shall we say bearable weather, it’s time to unplug and step away from your devices for a while. Get lost in the season and fall for Fall! Maybe you don’t have time to check off all 10 of these ideas, but try a few. Make a list that suits you and follow through!