25 Family Friendly Fall Activities and a Yummy Apple Cider Recipe

Ugh I'm dying here! The days are still long and hot, it's not quite Fall, but I can feel it coming and I can't wait. I love everything about the season and all of the fun family activities that happen during the Fall. I decided to put together a small bucket list of some of my favorite Fall activities, along with a fun recipe for home made apple cider.

 Visit a pumpkin patch

 Roast pumpkin seeds

 Carve or paint pumpkins 

 Jump in the leaves

 Attend a high school football game

 Make a bon fire

 Bake some Pumpkin cookies

 Get lost in a Corn Maze

 Go on a hay ride

 Burn Fall scented candles

 Go apple picking

 Bake some apple pie

 Open the windows to let the crisp air in

 Make apple cider

 Roast smores

 Donate to your local food bank

 Make some chili and cornbread

 Create a giving tree and talk about what you’re thankful for

 Watch Hocus Pocus

 Go to a haunted house

 Decorate for Fall

 Go for a drive in the mountains to look at fall leaves

 Make caramel apples

Go apple picking

Make a scare crow

Homemade Apple Cider

Ingredients:

12 apples (6 granny smith & 6 red delicious)
1 orange
1 cup brown sugar
One whole nutmeg
4 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves

Things you’ll need:

Stock pot
Strainer
Potato masher
Cheesecloth

Wash and cut your fruit into fourths and add to pot. Add brown sugar and chop and dice nutmeg. Lay your spices into the cheesecloth. Wrap it up tight into a pouch. This provides all the flavor without any bits and pieces. Cover with water. Bring to a boil, covered for a least an hour. Mash up your softened fruit in the stock pot. Simmer for two more hours. Once finished allow to cool completely. Line a bowl with strainer and cheesecloth. Ladle in the strainer than squeeze out all the goodness from the cheesecloth. Serve warm.

What are some of your favorite Fall bucket list activities? Comment below with your family favorites!

12 Simple Ways to Bring Peace into Your Home

She dropped by unannounced.

And I couldn’t help cringing somewhat. Ever-so-slightly mortified.

You see, she was an author, something of a celebrity, and now a personal friend.

So, of course, I was thrilled to see her, but was also deeply concerned about the impression we were making. Suddenly self-conscious of the layer of dust on the piano and the ridiculous pile of dirty socks by the front door.

I faintly whispered to my husband, “Oh, what must she be thinking??”

And his helpful response, “That we live here.” (Thank you, Dear).

But we soon lost ourselves in conversation and enjoyed a lovely time of catching up on each others’ lives. Ignoring the young boys rollerblading through the entryway and the teens crooning love songs while cleaning up the lunch dishes.

Our own happy kind of chaos.

The hour passed quickly and our glamorous friend got up to go. Before leaving, however, she turned to say something. Then stopped. Clearly something was on her mind.

“I don’t know quite how to say this….,” she began.

Oh dear. Here it comes.

“But you know what I’ve noticed whenever I’m in your home?”

The dust? The heap of shoes on the porch? An impressive amount of loud noise? Some of my silent guesses.

“It’s the peace that I find here.”

Hubby gave me a slight nudge.

Well.  What d’ya know.

Where I saw mess and mayhem, she saw joy and contentment.

A peaceful home.

Maybe there’s no easy formula, but here are 12 simple things that can help bring peace into your home:

52 Questions in 52 Weeks: Writing Your Life Story Has Never Been Easier

Few people would argue the value of creating a story about a life lived. In fact, it’s really quite a noble idea to create a story of your life for your descendant. From it, they will likely learn something valuable and endearing from the things you experienced and will get to know you as an individual.

Many people believe that it takes a lot of time and work to write their life story and feel that the task is just too big. Because of that, they never start. But sharing memories of your life does not have to be a big, involved effort. Imagine how much easier the task of writing about your life might be if you were to focus on writing about just one topic each week. It doesn’t matter if you write a few paragraphs, a single page, or several pages. The important thing is that you write something. Anything is better than nothing at all.

Now imagine if someone provided you with one question to write about each week for 52 weeks. At the end of just one year you will have created your own life story to share with your children and your future posterity. You will never be forgotten because your own life story will bear witness to your existence. Add some pictures, and you can make it even more inviting to read.

Below are 52 questions. Each week for one year, take one question and write as much or as little as you want. Don’t worry about how much you write for each question, but do write something. Questions do not need to be answered in any special order.

Read full article here.

30 Days of Thankfulness in November - Day 17

Day 17 - Today I am grateful for my parents! I have the most loving, kind parents in the whole world. They would literately give you the shirt off their back if you needed it. My parents have taught me to enjoy life and love others. I am so thankful that they are my parents. I had a great life growing up and they are the best examples ever of Christ like love. Love you Mom and Dad!

30 days of Thankfulness in November - Day 15

Day 15 - Today I am so thankful for this sweet little girl, my squishy! After we had our fourth child and it was a girl we were happy and thought that we were done having kids. For a while I was just fine and happy. My family was complete. However when Kaylee was about six months old I started to feel like there was someone missing. And here she is. Kierstin is the caboose for our family and we just wouldn't have been truly complete without her. She is my chunky little monkey and such a happy little girl.

I am so grateful to have this little girl in my life. She has brought so much joy and happiness during hard times. I love this little girl!

30 Days of Thankfulness in November - Day 12

Day 12 - Today I am thankful for this little man! Where to begin with this one..... He is my middle child. Nuf said. Ashton is a ball of energy and a softy, however he doesn't like people to know that. He is the child that if someone starts crying or gets hurt you automatically think he had something to do with it. He is one tuff cookie. Ashton is also my sick child. He has Reactive Airway and gets Croup all of the time. I hate it, it is not fun watching your child suffer and have a hard time breathing.

I am so grateful that Ashton is mine. He might be ruff around the edges, but he is all boy and he has the best personality! I love this kid with all my heart! He will always be my baby boy!

30 Days of Thankfulness in November - Day 8

Day 8 - Today I am thankful for my siblings! There are six of us total, but eight if you count my sister-in-law and hubby. Yes that is me on the end large and prego, I still had four months left to go! I am the oldest of six kids, I have three brothers and two sisters. It was always fun growing up. There was always someone to play with and we were all buds.

I love my siblings and I am thankful that we all grew up together!

30 Day's of Thankfulness in November - Day 4

Day 4 - Today I am thankful for my faith. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and I am proud of that! I am so grateful that I can be part of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the Earth today. I take great comfort in knowing that our families can be together forever and that keeps me going on the not so good day's. I know that our Prophet Thomas S. Monson is called of God and that he leads our church today. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it was written by prophets of God. I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to restore the church to the Earth in this dispensation. I know that our Heavenly Father loves me and wants what is best for me. He is a loving, kind, and just God.

I am so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!

30 Days of Thankfulness in November - Day 3

Day 3 - Yes you counted that right. I have five kids and today I am so thankful for each and everyone of them! I am so grateful that I get to wake up everyday and be the mother to these five beauties. I couldn't think of anything else that I would rather be doing then to be their mother. Being a mom has brought so much joy and happiness to my life and that is all because of these five smiling faces.

It is amazing how different each of them are, yet how they are all the same. They can brighten the sad days and put a smile on my face. I love all of their innocence and most of all watching them explore this world and learn new things.

I am so grateful to have each and everyone of them in my life and I am so thankful that they are mine!

30 Days of Thankfulness in November - Day 2

Day 2 of my thankful journey this month! I don't think that I could start off this month of thankfulness without having my hubby right there on the top of the list! Yup that's him the one and only! And I think that it is fair to say that there is one and only one Travis like mine out there. 

I have been so blessed to be married to my best friend in the whole world for fourteen years. It seem like just yesterday we met and here we are fourteen years and five kids later and still going strong.

Fourteen years ago I was on a date with another guy hiking up Bell canyon and we ran into Travis and his brother who were also hiking the canyon. So we decided to all hike together and enjoy each others company. Well one tricky slip of the phone number (so my date didn't notice), and two weeks later, we were engaged! Yup you heard that right. After two weeks of knowing each other and dating we decided that we were meant for each other and we should tie the knot. So five months later we got married for time and all eternity in the Jordan River Temple.

I am one lucky girl to have Travis in my life and I thank my Heavenly Father every single day that I get to be his wife. It is not always easy, but it is always worth it! I love you so much Travis!