Tag: baking

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #23


Happy Friday friends! I hope you all had a wonderful week. This was a busy, but good week, so I was very happy when the weekend arrived.Ā 

As the colder temperatures settle in, I have been spending more time indoors. I still have been trying to get outdoors for fresh air and exercise, but it can get tricky. This weekā€™s Friday Favorites is a mix of indoor and outdoor fun. Hereā€™s a few things Iā€™m loving this week as I link up with Ā ErikaĀ andĀ Andrea.

Winter Walks– I took advantage of the mild weather last week and got in a two mile walk on a day off. Thankfully, the wind wasnā€™t too horrible and I bundled up, but it was so good to get in a nice long walk, have good conversations and get an extra workout in. Iā€™m hoping to make it a habit on days with mild winter weather.Ā 

Just Feed Me– I really enjoyed taking up cooking and trying new recipes last year, but have been slipping due to busy schedules. I got Just Feed Me by Jessie James Decker for Christmas and have been loving looking for new recipes to try. I made Jessieā€™s Chicken Noodle Soup last week and it was so good. I made a big batch with plenty of leftovers for lunches. Iā€™m looking forward to trying more recipes this winter and in the spring and summer too.Ā 

Warm soup for a cold day.

Knives Out: Glass Onion-After seeing lots of previews for Knives Out Glass Onion, I couldnā€™t wait to watch it. I enjoyed the first movie and really enjoyed the second. I liked the ensemble cast, the surprise cameos and most of all, the mystery of ā€œWho Done Itā€. There was lots of twists and turns and right when you thought you figured it all out, there was another curveball. 10/10 recommend watching it for your next movie night on Netflix.

The People We Hate at the Wedding– Another movie, but a different genre I enjoyed watching was ā€œThe People We Hate at the Weddingā€, you can find this on Amazon Prime and itā€™s the perfect rom-com. This movie follows two siblings and their mother who travel to England for their half-sisterā€™s wedding. Thereā€™s a few bumps to get to the big day, but itā€™s filled with lots of family drama, laughs, love, and the movie wraps with a happy ending.Ā 

Apple Devices Charging Station-I got a new charging station for Christmas and itā€™s been one of my new favorite things. First, I love that you can charge your phone, watch and airpods (if you have them) all in one spot. My cords would constantly be getting tangled and itā€™s much more convenient to have everything charging in the area. I also love the white color (it matches my room and is very sleek). Lastly, I appreciate how it doubles as a stand for my phone too. This has been a practical and fun Christmas gift.

Thatā€™s just a look into a few things Iā€™m loving this week. I Hope you have a wonderful, winter weekend. See you on Wednesday!

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Fabulous living

Winter 2023 Bucket List

Hi everyone!

Happy Wednesday! I hope your week’s are going well as we settle into January. As we make our way through winter months and spend more times indoors, I’m always on the look for different activities that are fun and inexpensive.

This makes the cold, winter months a little more bearable. If you are looking for some fun, winter date ideas, look no further since I have you covered.

Here’s my Winter Bucket List for 2023

-Go Skiing

-Bookstore Date and Coffee Shop Date

-Go Ice Skating

-Read by the Fire

-Winter Walks

-Go to a Museum

-Go to the Movies

-Try a New Recipe

-Board Game Day

-Go Sledding

-Go to a Hockey Game

-Declutter my Spaces

-Enjoy Hot Cocoa

-Try a New Outdoor Activity

-Tackle a Project

-Bake Something New

-Entertain Friends

These are just some suggestions of things to do on those gray, gloomy days. I am always looking for things to do for fun that don’t break the bank and that don’t take up a ton of time. If you are in need of some winter fun, I hope these ideas help. What’s on your winter bucket list?

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #20

Hey hey! Happy Friday and happy day before Christmas Eve! I hope you are able to slow down and enjoy the next few days with family and loved ones. I absolutely love this time of year, after all the anticipation and build up, we can all (hopefully) enjoy some time to slow down and reset with family and friends. 

Here’s a few things I’ve been loving this past week for this week’s Friday Favorites with Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites:

Cleveland Trip: My boyfriend and I took a day trip to Cleveland last week and had the best time. From ice skating to walks around the park and dinner and a show. It was the best way to celebrate the Christmas season in a different city. A truly spectacular Christmas gift!

Christmas in the city!
The best Christmas gift from my boyfriend.

Christmas Snack Mix: I have been in the Christmas spirit since the day after Thanksgiving and it hasn’t slowed down at all. The holiday displays at the front of stores always suck me in to try new things. I picked up this holiday snack mix from Giant Eagle and have been loving it. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty and holiday cheer. If you are looking for a sweet snack for a holiday party, this is it!

The best Christmas mix

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies: Speaking of Christmas cheer, I tried this peppermint flavor mix in a batch of chocolate chip cookies and loved how they turned out. I have been doing lots of holiday baking over the past few days, from new recipes to classics, it’s been so fun to do some holiday baking.Ā This cookie mix has the perfect blend of peppermint and chocolate. There was also mini marshmallows and chocolate chips in the mix too. Yum!

The start of baking season.

Long Sleeve Blouses: I am always on the hunt for new pieces to add to my wardrobe and found this long sleeve blouse by Ralph Lauren at Marshall’s for a great deal a few weeks back and couldn’t wait to try it.  There’s so many things that I love about this top, first the colors, I adore the classic blue and red. Second, I love the cut and style with the sleeves and the bow at the top. Lastly, I love that it’s long-sleeved. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more tops like these.

I love a good long-sleeve blouse

Christmas in Paris: Just in the nick of time, I finished another Christmas book. I loved this story about a young woman who calls off her wedding and retreats to Paris. The description of Paris in the winter is beautiful. I loved the character development and it was so interesting to see this young woman find herself and love again. Christmas in Paris gets 5 stars from me.

That’s a look into my Christmas-filled week. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day and I will see you back here next Wednesday for my 2022 Recap!

Merry Christmas!

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Fabulous living

Christmas Bucket List

Hello everyone! Happy December!! Itā€™s officially the holiday season and I am here for it. From the Christmas movies, to decorations, to the gift buying. I love spending the next few weeks seeing friends and family and celebrating Christmas and New Yearā€™s!Ā 

Today Iā€™m sharing my Christmas Season Bucket List. Iā€™m a girl who loves a good list and loves crossing things off of it even more. Iā€™m using this bucket list as a guide of things I want or hope to do. Iā€™m hoping that this gives me inspiration for date ideas and activities to do with friends or family. If you re looking for something fun to do during December, I hope this gives you inspiration or ideas.

Hereā€™s my Christmas Bucket List:

Decorate 

Watch the Santa Clauses on Disney Plus 

Watch the new movie Spirited

Bake Cookies 

Make a Gingerbread House

Christmas Shopping

Get a Christmas Tree and Decorate it

Exchange Gifts with Friends 

Play in the Snow

See Christmas Lights

Enjoy Hot Cocoa and a Hot Cocoa bar

Watch Classic Christmas Movies

Watch Hallmark Movies

Mark Christmas Bark

Do a new Christmas Activity

Read Christmas Books

Play Christmas Music

Board Game Night

Read by the Fire

Ice Skating

Celebrate Christmas and New Years

Thatā€™s just a few ideas for some fun Christmas fun! Tell me what are your favorite Christmas traditions or things to do over the holidays?

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Currently

Currently #35

Hello everyone! Itā€™s the last day of November. I donā€™t know about you, but Iā€™m already in the Christmas spirit. Iā€™ve already started to decorate and I have my holiday bucket list ready to go, Iā€™ll be sharing that next week.

Iā€™ve really enjoyed November. Itā€™s been a mix of a flurry of activities and slow days at home. With that being said, Iā€™m looking forward to the next month of holiday fun! Let me give you a recap in this month’s currently. 

What I’ve Been Up To: The month started with lots of time outdoors, from walks, to collecting leaves and time indoors with lots of baking. I enjoyed baking brie, peanut butter cookies, banana bread and soup. I canā€™t wait to start baking Christmas cookies. The month ended with celebrating Thanksgiving and getting ready for Christmas.

Hello fall walks!
This month was filled with lots of baking.
Thanksgiving with my Family.

What I’m Wearing: Nothing too exciting on the clothing front, itā€™s been colder and we have seen snow, so I have been wearing more long sleeves and layers. I scored a great deal on some jeans at Old Navy. I have been hunting for a pair of straight jeans and found them at Old Navy. If you are looking for a variety of styles and cuts, consider looking at Old Navy.

Layers have been my go-to. Also a look at my new jeans from Old Navy.

What I’m Reading: Iā€™ve been on a roll with good books. Iā€™ve read some mysteries, some thrillers and a handful of love stories. Here are a few of my favorites.

The Last Mrs. Parrish– The Last Mrs. Parrish is a suspenseful book with a touch of mystery and intrigue. It follows the story of a young woman who wants to befriend a wealthy woman to get close to her husband. The first half of the book is told from one point of view until it switches to another character’s perspective, and you see the story through an entirely different lens. This book will make you angry at some of the characters, but you won’t want to put it down at the same time. 

The Younger Wife– The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth follows the story of a heart surgeon who decides to remarry even though his wife is still alive and has dementia. His grown daughters aren’t on board at first, but come around to the idea, that is, until they uncover some secrets about their parents. From the father and mother, to the young bride to be, and the grown daughters, it turns out, everyone is keeping secrets. 

One True Loves– This is another Taylor Jenkins Reid book. It follows the story of a young woman who loves her husband when his flight goes missing, it takes her a while, but she moves on and meets someone else, she’s happy and engaged until her husband is found and returns home. It’s up to her to figure out who her one true love is. This story is about love, loss, growth and finding yourself. I breezed through this book in four days. In fact, I finished the last hundred pages in one sitting. A cute, love story with a twist.

My goal is to just read Christmas books for the next month, Iā€™ll let you know how it goes.

What I’m Watching: I finished watching season 5 of the Crown and LOVED It. I already canā€™t wait for the final season, but I don’t want it to end. I also have been watching Gilmore Girls in my free time, but I know Iā€™ll be watching lots of Christmas movies soon. 

What I’m Loving: Iā€™ve been loving everything that gets me in the Christmas spirit. Stores are already decked out with holiday displays, Christmas music is playing, snow is falling, these are just a few things that have me excited for next month. 

Fresh snow doesn’t hurt either.
Getting into the holiday spirit.

What Inspires Me: Iā€™ve really been enjoying the quiet time before the busy season. Iā€™ve read a lot of good books, Iā€™ve enjoyed time with friends and lots of cooking and baking.  Leaning into some of my hobbies has centered me when things get busy or hectic.

The beautiful sunset as I was running errands last week.
I’ve also been enjoying lots of baking…here’s some pre Pumpkin pie mixture.

What I Accomplished: Despite the cold weather, I still managed to get in some outdoors walks when I could. I know I will have to rely on my indoor activities like yoga or more time at the gym, since I wonā€™t be able to get out as much in colder temperatures.

My sweet pup after a morning walk.

Goals from Last Month: I really enjoyed slowing down and celebrating Thanksgiving with my family and some traditions. I also made my list of who I need to buy for Christmas, which makes me feel ahead of the game.

Enjoying some snacks with family.

Goals for this Month: I canā€™t wait to enjoy all things holiday and Christmas. My brothers will be home from college and I canā€™t wait to spend some family time with everyone. I also want to get a lot of my buying done early, so Iā€™m not rushing around at the end when Christmas is here.

Hello holiday cheer!

Thatā€™s a look into life recently.  A mixture of work, hobbies, family time, traditions, and holiday cheer! I canā€™t wait to see what December brings.

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #15

Hello everyone! Happy Friday! Can you believe we are less than a week away from Thanksgiving and Black Friday? I can feel the holiday spirit creeping in. I haven’t started watching any holiday movies yet, but I have done some holiday browsing, it’s hard to resist the temptation when so many stores have their displays up and gifts out. As always, I’m linking up with ErikaĀ andĀ Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites. Here’s some things I’m loving this week.

The Crown-Although I started season 5 last week, I didn’t want to list it as a favorite until I finished the season. Wow, this season was so good, It felt different than past seasons since it was getting closer and closer to current times. I loved the fashion, the plot lines and the casting. I think they were spot on with the casting, especially when it comes to the mannerisms. It also felt a bit different watching this season compared to ones in the past since Queen Elizabeth is no longer here. Now the waiting begins for season six, the final season of The Crown. If you are craving more Royal or Crown insight, be sure to follow Elizabeth Holmes on Instagram. I’ve mentioned her on here before but she is great for fashion insight and royal background.

The Younger Wife– Another week, another book. I have been doing all the reading this fall. The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth is my latest read. I saw other bloggers write about it a few months back and decided to give it a try. It follows the story of a heart surgeon who decides to remarry even though his wife is still alive and has dementia. His grown daughters aren’t on board at first, but come around to the idea, that is, until they uncover some secrets about their parents. From the father and mother, to the young bride to be, and the grown daughters, it turns out, everyone is keeping secrets. I enjoyed this book thoroughly; I only wish it didn’t end. It was definitely worth the read and will have you wanting more once you finish.

Chocolate Covered Ritz Crackers-I mentioned that I haven’t been watching any Christmas movies or shows yet, doesn’t mean I haven’t been getting into the holiday spirit in other ways. I was at Target and saw some festive treats and had to try them. My first purchase was these chocolate covered holiday Ritz crackers. They are the perfect mix of sweet and salty. You don’t need to have many until your craving is satisfied. I know I will definitely be buying them again ahead of the holidays. These would be perfect for an appetizer night.

Ā 

Leather sneakers– We have been experiencing very fall like weather with chilly but dry days, that was up until this week when we saw snow. When it hasn’t been snowing, I have been putting on these sneakers to wear out and about, whether it’s to the store, a quick walk or out to dinner. I got this pair by Steve Madden from DSW, but I have seen similar styles at Target, Marshall’s and T.J. Maxx. I love how they can dress up or down an outfit, they are sporty and comfortable. Definitely a good fall shoe and can be worn to transition between seasons.

Banana Recipe Help!- I’ve been doing a lot of baking lately, from cookies to breads and muffins. Baking, reading and walking have been my fall hobbies.Ā Bananas are such an easy thing to eat and bake with, but I’m looking for more recipes to try besides just breads and muffins. If you have a favorite banana muffin, would you mind sharing? I’ve been searching on Pinterest but am always looking for new things to try especially with the holiday and baking season approaching.

That’s just a look into some of the things I’m loving this week. Tell me how are you getting into the holiday spirit? Let me know in the comments below! Happy Friday!

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Let's Get Cooking

Fall Eats

Hello all! I hope you are all having a great week. As I mentioned before, I love the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving as a time of rest and recuperation before the busy time of the holidays. As the days get colder and shorter and sometimes gloomier, I like to remind myself of all the warm and bright things going on and things to look forward too.

Over the past few weeks, Iā€™ve really enjoyed baking on my days off. From soup, to cookies, appetizers and desserts, itā€™s been so fun to try new recipes. If you are looking for new things to try, Pinterest is a great place to start or you can check out cookbooks at the library too.

Hereā€™s a few recipes I enjoyed making:

Baked brie-I enjoy brie for a tasty appetizer before a meal or on its own. Whether you enjoy it by itself, cold with crackers, apples or grapes, or warm, thereā€™s so many ways to enjoy it. Hereā€™s one recipe I found on Pinterest. You take a sheet of crescent dough and place your brie inside and then add jam on top of the cheese. I prefer raspberry jam, but you can do whatever you enjoy. Once you add your jam, wrap the rest of the crescent around it and bake at 350 degrees until the crescent is golden brown (about 15-20 mins). Add some pecans and honey for flavor on top and serve! I enjoy serving mine with crackers, bread, or apples.

Apple Crisp-Another tasty fall dessert to make that is super easy and as a bonus, your home will smell divine. Simply slice apples and put in a slow cooker for a few hours with some cinnamon. I typically put it on high for three hours and then let it simmer. Once you are ready to serve add a scoop of ice cream. A warm and tasty dessert thatā€™s perfect for fall.

Apple Crisp

Peanut Butter Cookies– If you are looking for a quick and tasty dessert that doubles as an activity, then baking cookies is a perfect solution. Hereā€™s my go-to recipe for peanut butter cookies. If you want to add some extra sweetness, consider putting a chocolate kiss or part of a Hershey bar on top.

Peanut butter Cookies

ā€‹ā€‹Ingredients

Ā½ cup of peanut butter

Ā¼ cup of shortening

Ā¼ cup of butter

1 1/3 cup of flour

Ā½ cup of sugar

Ā½ cup of brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Ā½ teaspoon of baking soda

Ā½ teaspoon of baking powder

                     Directions

1) In a bowl beat peanut butter, shortening and butter with an electric mixer until softened.

2) Add half the flour, the Ā½ cup of sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda to peanut butter mixture. Then stir in remaining flour.

3) Shape dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Use fork to add sugar and make crisscrosses.

4) Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

5) Serve!

These are just a few recipes that are great for fall. From desserts to appetizers, consider trying one of these for your next weekend project. What have you been enjoying cooking or baking recently? Let me know in the comments below!

Happy cooking!

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Let's Get Cooking

Let’s Get Cooking: Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! I don’t know about you, but there is something so sweet about baking in the fall and trying new recipes after a nice long walk!

Happy Fall!

After doing some apple picking, I couldn’t wait to search Pinterest for some new recipes to try. I made this Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread a few weeks ago and it was a hit. Although it is a bread, it’s so sweet and flavorful, you can serve it as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream or on its own.

Without further ado, here’s a look at this tasty apple recipe.

Ingredients

1/3 cup of brown sugar

2  teaspoons of cinnamon

2 medium apples

2/3 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons

1 stick of butter

2 large eggs

1 Ā½ teaspoons of vanilla

1 Ā½ cup of flour

1 Ā¾ teaspoons of baking power

1 teaspoon of salt

Ā½ cup of milk and 3 tablespoons

1 cup of powered sugar

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 pan with cooking spray, place parchment paper and then spray.

2) Mix brown sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

A look at your dry ingredients

3) Toss chopped apples with 2 tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon and set aside.

Apple mixture

4) Beat butter and 2/3 cup of sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one and a time and vanilla.

5) Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl, add to cream mixture and blend. Mix Ā½ cup of milk until smooth.

6) Pour batter into loaf pan, add half of the apple mixture, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top.

7) Continue to layer and swirl the mixture once complete.

8) Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes and check with a tooth pick.

9) To make glaze: mix powered sugar with milk and pour on top of bread once cooled.

10) Serve!

This recipe was so easy to make and so tasty! I know I will be making it more this fall season. You can eat it for breakfast, lunch, a snack or dessert.

Tell me: What are some of your apple recipes?

Categories
Currently

Currently #33

Hello all! 

September flew by, from the end of summer to the beginning of fall, it’s been a busy month. It’s time for another Currently, a glimpse into life over the past few weeks. 

What I’ve been up to: This month has been filled with saying goodbye to summer and hello to fall! I started the month with some end of season baseball games and ended the month with the start of fall walks and drinks. I created my fall bucket list where you can check out here. It makes me excited for the new season and the new adventures it brings. 

Saying goodbye to summer by enjoying some summer walks
And baseball games
My first Cleveland Guardians game happened this month!

What I’m wearing: I’ve started to bring out the leggings and jeans for the fall and winter season, but they have been paired with short sleeve tops. In addition to bringing out the pants, I’ve also been pairing shorts with long sleeve tops for days that may start out cool and turn hot or vice versa.

A fun transitional outfit. My new top from Old Navy paired with leggings.

What I’m reading: I’ve been on a roll with good books as summer winded down. I read the Perfect Couple which was a new to me book. I really loved the mystery aspect and the description of Nantucket. As we make our way into October, I’m looking forward to lighting more candles and cozying up with a blanket and reading more. Any fall books I should dive into?

A new favorite author!

What I’m watching: Fall TV is back! I’m excited to catch up on some of my favorite shows that are either back or will be coming back soon. I’m a big fan of Grey’s Anatomy and that returns next week (!!), I’m excited to see what this season has to offer and some of the changes that are expected to come along with it too! I’ve also been making my way through Sweet Magnolia’s. I didn’t watch too much tv or movies in the summer since I try to be outside as much as possible. We’ve had a few rainy days and evenings, so I’ve been watching some older movies. I watched When Harry Met Sally and it was the best way to spend an afternoon. 

A new favorite show!

What I’m loving: Iā€™ve been enjoying spending lots of quality time with friends. Over the past month, Iā€™ve gotten dinner or caught up via facetime with all my local friends and some of my out of town friends. It was so good to get some quality conversations and time with my friends. Whether it was a local dinner, traveling half way to see a friend or a facetime from hundreds of miles away, spending time with friends is so important and something Iā€™ve been loving over the past few weeks. I’ve also been enjoying baking and fall walks!

I made snicker doodles for the first time. yum!

What Inspires me: As the temperatures drop, Iā€™ve been loving lots of cooking and baking. Hereā€™s some of the recent things Iā€™ve made.

I’ve made homemade pizza this month
A new chicken salad with chicken, celery, grapes and pecans.
Homemade banana muffins
Cherry tomato chicken and pasta

What I accomplished: This past month, Iā€™ve spent lots of time outside, time with friends and time with my favorite hobbies. From reading to walks and time with my family. Itā€™s been a great month.

The sweetest treat after dinner with friends.

Goals from last month: I got a lot in from wrapping up summer and starting some fall fun and crossing things off my fall bucket list. Plus, I got in a few day trips, including Cleveland, with a day to the zoo and a baseball game.

Goals for this month: This month I look forward continue to enjoy fall, from leaves to walks, and football. I canā€™t wait to try some new fall recipes, especially with apples and fall veggies. Iā€™m also working towards some new fitness goals, by eating healthier and working out more.

Enjoying a sushi spread while soaking up the last bit of warm weather.

Thatā€™s just a look at life right now. Tell me, what are some of your highlights from the past month!

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Bucket List 2022

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great week as we make our way through September. Since we are now at the halfway point of the month, I figured it was time to break out the fall bucket list.

I love lists! I love laying everything out in one space, I love the satisfaction of crossing things off when they are completed, I love seeing my to-do list in front of me. It should come as no surprise that I love seasonal bucket lists. These lists serve as a way to get ideas for weekends activities, time with family or even dates. I carried some items from my summer bucket list over to my fall bucket list that I didn’t accomplish yet.Ā 

Without further ado, here’s my Fall 2022 Bucket List!

Winery

Apple Picking

Coffee/Book store date

Brewery

Fall Walk

Collect Leaves

Apple Recipes

Clean Cars for fall and winter

Fall Festival

Get Pumpkins

Decorate for Fall

Bonfire and S’mores

Enjoy Candy Apple

Fall Drive

Try a New Soup Recipe

Enjoy Hot Apple Cider

Celebrate Halloween

Make a Candy Corn Recipe

Watch a Halloween movie

Try a new Pumpkin Recipe 

Curl up and Read a Book

Celebrate Thanksgiving

If you are looking for ideas or inspiration for fall fun, may consider checking an item or two off this list. I would love to hear what’s on your fall bucket lists too! Feel free to share them with me below!