Ready for Fall! My Favorite Autumn Things

It’s almost time! I’m ready for ALL of the Autumn things. Are you?Â

I live in Buffalo NY. Our winters are brutal, our summers are beautiful, but those seasons in between are where the real magic happens. My whole life, I’ve always loved Fall. I love the colors. I love the way the air smells. I love the temperatures that require just a heavy cardigan to be comfy – not a coat. If I need to wear a coat it’s winter, not fall!Â

Cardigans are my favorite wardrobe item. I have about 50 of them. I’ll never not love cardigans. I’ve got my eye on this one right now:

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I purposely got married in the fall so that my decor could include orange and brown and my cake could have autumn leaves on it. Enjoy this little wedding collage. 2008 was a great year for a fall wedding.Â

September is upon us now, and as I’m cleaning up my house from the dozens pool parties we’ve had this summer, I’m ready for the slight slow down that happens when fall starts. There will be more cozy, snuggley nights with my kiddos and husband. There will be hearty dinners cooked slowly in a hot oven. There will be boots and leggings, and pumpkin spice lattes and apple picking and jack-o-lanterns!Â

I can’t wait!Â

Here’s what I’m looking forward to this fall, and a few of my favorite autumn things.Â

Thanksgiving

Probably my favorite holiday of the year, followed closely by Halloween. Our favorite thing to do in November is to host a Friendsgiving party – which is like thanksgiving, but without any family drama. Click through to read my tips for a low-stress Friendsgiving celebration.Â Â Any excuse to roast a turkey and eat it with potatoes, gravy, and stuffing is OK with me.Â

Cozy Clothes

I mentioned before my love of leggings, boots, and cardigans, right? Fall is the perfect season to add these staples to your wardrobe. I prefer to shop online while cozied up on my couch, and the great part about buying leggings is that you don’t have to try them on! I love these supersoft leggings from express. I have like three pairs in black!

Getting Autumn Things Organized

There’s something about September that makes me want to organize my life. Maybe it’s the kids starting back at school, and the fact that there are planners and calendars popping up everywhere. Maybe it’s just that life is slowing down a bit and I want to make sure i don’t miss anything. Whatever the reason, I like to sit down and fill out a planner for the whole year. I add in all of the school holidays, PTO days for my husband and I, and planned vacations and events. THEN, I like to daydream about new vacations, and maybe do some research to fill in any gaps in the schedule.Â

Filling out a planner makes me feel responsible and accomplished. I definitely recommend this as a fall activity.Â Treat yourself to a fabulous new planner. I recommend the Erin Condren Monthly planner if you’re really serious about getting organized.

Hot Drinks

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE some iced coffee during the warmer months, but I also love the switch to warm drinks. I don’t really discriminate either. Chai latte, pumpkin spice latte, spiced apple cider. It’s all amazing and it warms my soul.Â

My Happy Light

We get less sunshine once fall hits and the days get shorter, so it’s important for my mood to keep vitamin D levels up. I do this by taking a quality vitamin D supplement, and I also use a Happy Light from Verilux to give me that sunshine-y feeling that i can’t get outside anymore. These lights are relatively inexpensive, and amazing to keep on your desk at work or near where you enjoy your morning coffee.Â

Christmas Gift Shopping

I think of myself as a very thoughtful gift giver. I like to give gifts that are meaningful to the person I’m giving them to, and I like to take my time choosing these gifts. You won’t find me buying Christmas presents at the end of December. I start now and slowly build up a nice pile of gifts. This also lets me spread out the expense over a couple of months, which is great for my budget! Amazon Prime is my friend here. They literally have everything!Â

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Apple Picking and Pumpkin Patches

Another one of my favorite autumn things is visiting the local farms and getting some fall produce! Find a farm in your area here. A few years ago my husbands grandmother, Nana, gave me her apple pie recipe. This is not a single pie recipe, but a method of making multiple pies that you can freeze and bake later. I make at least 12 pies after apple picking so that I can have one per month throughout the year. Maybe some day I’ll share the secret pie crust recipe with you all, but for now, try this one from Pillsbury which uses pre-made crust.Â

Essential Oil Blends

I change up the oils I’m diffusing based on the season. In the fall I like warm, earthy scents mixed with an uplifting citrus. I’ve recently started using all YoungLiving essential oils in my home, and I love mixing them up and creating new blends! My fall blend is:Â

4 drops Orange + 3 drops Cinnamon + 3 drops Clove + 2 drops Lemon

I put these in a large diffuser and my house smells amazing for hours!Â