Mommy Mondays: Tis the Season

Most people get really excited about the winter holidays, but me?  I love the fall.  And with a toddler, it seems like I'm rushing to cram as much fall fun in the short time I have.  Part of our issue is the fact that fall is also made up of birthdays and Jewish holidays, which cuts against the time we have to get out and take advantage.   Here are some of my favorite fall activities with kids:

Apple Picking - Every year I swear we're going to go earlier, and every year we end up scrambling to find an orchard that's still open when we can go.  This year was especially bad because of the drought this summer.  The apple season was exceptionally short.  By the time we went, there was only one orchard still open.

But that's specific to us.  For you, get thee to an apple orchard!  They're perfect for kids.  Great space for them to run around; they can pick apples right off the trees, and at least Thatbaby gets a big kick of being able to eat as many as he likes.

Apple Cider -  I love apple cider in the fall and Thatbaby seems to be following suit.  Cider is the perfect fall drink: it's warm and made from the best fall has to offer.  And it's a great transition from summer's lemonade to winter's cocoa.

Street Fairs - Harvest Festivals, Street Fairs, Craft Shows, fall seems to be filled with them.  And its a great time to pick up some unique holiday gifts for the upcoming season. 

Pumpkin Patch - I loved going to pick out pumpkins before Thatbaby was born, but it's just so much more fun with a kid.  They get so much out of it.  Seeing hundreds of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, corn mazes, hay rides, trains, and petting zoos - pumpkin patches are a whole day of fun.

Community Halloween Events - I really like taking advantage of these.  Many downtowns have Halloween events like store to store trick or treating, or costume contests or parades.  Since they're usually during daylight hours, they're especially good for little guys.  And you can ensure a safe environment with willing participants.  Plus, who doesn't love another chance to dress up in costume?

Trick or Treating - This is a given, right?

Pumpkin Carving - We make a big production of this.  We watch Halloween movies while we carve and it becomes a great family affair.  It's great having some quality family time and makes the holiday even more special.

Family Pictures - Crisp fall leaves, perfect sunlight hours, and nice cool weather.  This is the perfect time of year for family photos.  Whether you're doing them for Christmas cards, or just to have a yearly picture, this is the time to start finding and booking a photographer.