Bucket List

At the beginning of every season, I get a certain itch.  It's a list-making sort of itch.  Do you know the one?  It comes from a Type A sort of place.  I feel this sudden ache, this need, to write down all the wonderful things I want to do in order to fully enjoy the season.  During the Winter, this list includes seeing Santa and A Christmas Carol at Ford's Theater.  During the Spring, it's all about the cherry blossoms, baby.  And during the Summer?  Well, I gotta eat crabs at Cantler's and go to Yards Park on a Friday night for their free outdoor music.

You get the drift?  Well, Fall is no exception.  In fact, I think Fall might have more bucket list items than any other season for me.  The DC area has so many amazing ways to enjoy the Fall season.  It kind of blows my mind.  Take a short drive outside the city, and there is a whole world of farms and Fall festivals laid out before your feet.  The only problem becomes picking and choosing.  Which ones to visit...and when is the even bigger question.  Like most everyone with young kids, we are busy people.  We have a lot going on most weekends.  So finding the time to complete my bucket list is often a real problem.  But never fear!  I have taken to putting our future jaunts onto our shared Google calendar so we are sure to reserve time for them.  This delights Conor to no end!  Haha.

Think that's bad?  I recently recruited Conor to paint a wall of our kitchen with chalkboard paint so I could keep track of my seasonal bucket list.  I think it turned out kinda cute.  Plus, it serves as a chalkboard for Fionny who has begun to write his name!  (So it's backwards and only I can tell what it says...still pretty awesome!)

I might be too much of a planner for my own good, but I get the end result I want.  A season full of memories.  Some bad, of course.  But mostly good.  And some are downright precious.

Is it just me or does my son look like he's 8 years old in this picture? Freaks me out!

For me, here are some Fall must-haves.  As you probably already guessed, apple picking made the list this year.  It was actually our first time to go with the kids.  But I think it will make the list every year from here on out.

We went to Homestead Farms in Poolesville, Maryland, and we just loved it.  Beautiful scenery, delicious apples, not too crazy-crowded.  What I didn't love was Fionn's attitude that day.  Terr-i-ble.  "I don't wanna pick apples.  I want to go hoooooooooome!"  (Annoying).  But it was still a nice morning with friends.

And when it comes time to pick pumpkins, you gotta hit Cox Farms.  I've included it in this blog every year for a few good reasons.  First of all, it rocks.  Fionn has an absolute blast.  And, of course, it always makes for some great photos.

Most of our pictures are all about just catching the kid in the midst of having an awesome time.  The plethora of giant slides usually provides pretty good fodder.  Doesn't take anything but getting the camera ready and waiting for the right moment.  Like so.

Other shots are little more orchestrated.  Such as this photo op that we created on top of these enormous bales of hay.  Yeah, it's a little cheesy.  But with the beautiful Fall leaves and his orange shirt...can you really blame us?

I don't want you to think we forgot our littlest pumpkin picker.  He was there alright.  Just patiently waiting for his brother after every slide.

Other things on my bucket list this year that did not yet receive photo documentation: going for a hike, making chili, watching football (or at least having it as background noise while I do other things), raking leaves (hey, I didn't say it was all fun stuff), trick-or-treating, and making pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread.  As I type this, I realize that we've scratched most of these things off our list already.  Aw, man.  I guess I gotta get to working on my Winter Bucket List.