I cannot believe it’s already fall. Not that I’m complaining. I love this time of year. From farm-fresh apples and pumpkin spice treats to cooler weather and cozy sweaters, Fall is probably my favorite season. Since I created bucket lists for spring and summer, it only makes sense to make one for Fall. Reviewing my summer bucket list is a good idea too. It was a little hit or miss, but I’m hoping my fall bucket list will be more successful.
Summer Bucket List Review
1. Eat As Much Fresh Summer Fruit as Possible
I always do a good job at this. Summer brought loads of strawberries, plums, cherries, and peaches to our house. The last sweet grapes of summer are still being enjoyed, and now it’s time for apples. Does anyone else have a fruit sweet tooth?
2. Spend More Time at the Beach
I wasn’t too successful with this one. Although the beach is less than a hour’s drive away, I spent a grand total of three days there this summer. But we still have some hot weather coming, so I may squeeze another trip in. That’s the beauty of autumn in California. It’s like an extended summer, but with nicer weather.
3. Create a Better Blogging Routine
This was a total failure. In fact, I spent my summer getting distracted from my blog. Back to work this Fall.
4. Lesson Plans
I’ve got my fall semester fairly well planned out. My students and I are taking a journey west on the Oregon Trail in our history class. After three sessions, we’ve had a lot of fun. In art class, we’ve been working on pop art and collective art. Loads of fun there too.
5. Summer Reading
When I wrote my summer bucket list, I was a little over halfway to my goal of reading 50 books this year. I’ve now read 61. So I’d say I smashed this goal to bits. I wonder if I’ll have time to reach 70 by Christmas?
6. Celebrate 25 Years
My hubby and I celebrated 25 years of marriage in August. We had a nice dinner with the family. Our big celebration comes next month with a trip to Vancouver, B.C. I recently realized that we haven’t taken a week long trip with just the two of us since I was pregnant with daughter number one. She turns 21 in November. I’d say we’ve earned this one.
7. Fix My Family’s Favorites
This was a fairly successful item. I did a lot of grilling this summer to keep the house cool. My family loves grilled chicken skewers and macaroni salad. We also drank a lot of lemonade and ate a lot of ice cream. It was a hot summer!
8. Learn about Obedience
Epic fail on this one. My rescue doggies have yet to attend an obedience classes. They are getting better at behaving though. We’ve taught them “sit” and “stay” this summer, so there’s has been some progress. Maybe this fail isn’t entirely epic after all.
9. Ride the Rocket Boat
Another fail. I think it’s too late for this one. The Rocket Boat is a seasonal adventure so I’ll have to wait until May for my chance.
10. Escape the Heat
I tried really hard on this one. I HATE hot weather. Unfortunately, California had a major heat wave a few weeks ago. I got desperate and found myself a nice, air-conditioned hotel room one evening. BEST. THING. EVER. We don’t have A/C in our home, so after 5+ days of 110+ weather, I needed to find some place cooler. After living through 17 California summers without A/C, I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner. I was less than 2 miles from home, but it felt like a mini vacation!
11. Take it Slow
I excelled at this one. Maybe that’s why I failed at some of the others. And that’s okay with me. As I get older (and hopefully wiser), I can see the value of slowing down and smelling the proverbial roses more often.
My Fall Bucket List
My Fall bucket list going to be a little shorter than Summer or Spring. Life has gotten busy lately, with school starting up and so on. I want to put things on my list that I really value doing. My time is valuable and I want to enjoy it.
1. Care Packages
My middle daughter leaves tomorrow for her first year of college. She will be living only a hour or so away, but I still plan on sending her care packages. Years ago, when I was away at school, my mom would send packages. It was a reminder that I was loved and cared for, and that people back home were thinking of me. It might be cheaper to drive the package over on my own, but I will send them in the mail so she has something fun to open after a tough day in class. Doesn’t everyone love getting fun surprises in the mail?
2. Vancouver Adventures
In two weeks, my hubby and I are going on a Canadian adventure. We will be spending a week in Vancouver and taking in all the sites, sounds, and fun we can. I have been searching for fun things to do on line. If you have any suggestions, please share them in the comment section. I’d love to hear more about your Vancouver experiences. What are your Vancouver Must-Dos?
3. Comfort Food
It’s time to bring out my slow cooker and make some chili, stew, and soup. One of the reasons fall is my favorite is because I love comfort foods. I try to make them healthy and am always searching for another great recipe. So if you have any great recipes to try out, let me know.
4. Nature Walks
Now that the weather is cooling down, I plan on getting outdoors and enjoying nature a little more. And while the leaves turn a little late here in California, I love seeing the changes that Autumn brings.
5. Taking Good Care of Myself
I have had some health struggles in the past few months and taking care of myself is definitely high on my priority list. I took my first ever yoga class this week. LOVED IT. I will be making that a regular part of my week. I also need to get my meditation schedule back on track. My migraines took over too many summer days, so I’ve been working with my doctor on some new treatments. The summer heat was really bad for them, so here’s hoping the cooler weather helps on that front.
6. Preparing Early
Yes, I’m talking about Christmas. I hate it when I go into a store in August and find Christmas decorations already up, but I hate it even more when December first rolls around and I’ve done nothing to prepare for the holidays. So this year, I will get some of my shopping done early. Can’t wait to see my Winter bucket list to see if I actually accomplish this one.
7. Photography
Along with the cooler weather and seasonal changes comes the opportunity to take some beautiful photos. Now that I can bear being outside, I want to take more pictures. I’m thinking a photo challenge is what I need. Does anyone know of a good one to try out?
8. Gratitude
I think of Fall as the Season of Gratitude. It’s not just Thanksgiving (although I love a good feast with family and friends). It’s seeing the end of the year approaching and being grateful for all the blessings that have come in the past twelve months. I write a lot about gratitude. It is such a power for good in our lives and in our world. Looking for things to be grateful for can truly change your life. If you’d like to read more about it, look here and here.
What is on your Fall bucket list? Is there something I should add to mine? Why make a bucket list in the first place? Because it’s a fun way of setting some goals and reflecting on what was accomplished. Also, breaking wishes and goals down into smaller segments helps me accomplish them. At least, that’s what I tell myself.
Thanks for reading and please share.
