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15 Fun Fall Activities on the Cheap | Day 15 of #30DaysOfBlogging

· LIFESTYLE

15 Fun Fall Activities on the Cheap | Day 15 of 30 Days of Blogging

September 23rd is the First Official Day of Fall!

In honor of making it to day 15 of the #30DaysOfBlogging challenge AND the first day of fall, I'm bringing you 15 fun fall activities you can do on the cheap this season. I've been counting down the days until today, so I'm very excited to get a jump on all the fall fun!

Whether you're looking for inexpensive date ideas, family friendly activities, or a fun outing with friends, this list will inspire a season of fall festivities. Now get out there, enjoy the cooler temperatures and warm colors, and celebrate the best season of them all!

 

Take a Hike!

Find a local nature reserve and lace up your hiking shoes for an afternoon hike. Early October is the perfect time to enjoy the foliage, and what better way to do so than to get lost in the trees at your local nature reserve or arboretum?

 

Have a Bonfire

Cool evenings are perfect for cuddling - so snuggle in a little closer to the fire and roast a s'more!  There's nothing better than swapping stories and eating gooey, golden-brown marshmallows while enjoying the changing seasons.

 

Get Lost in a Corn Maze

Drive out to the country and be prepared to get lost! If you're looking for a fun outing with friends or a playful date night, navigating your way through a corn maze is the perfect solution. And if you love a good scare, check out a haunted corn maze for an extra dose of spooky!

 

College Football Watch Party

Okay, so going to the big game isn't exactly cheap, so why not host a game day watch party of your own? Complete with nachos, burgers, cold drinks and backyard games, you can enjoy the tailgate festivities without the price of the ticket.

 

Check Out Your Local Fall Festival

Parades, vendors, live music... these are all sights and sounds you can find at a fall festival. Celebrate the season by supporting local businesses and taking the kids out for some family fun.

 

Oktoberfest

Don't be confused by the name - Oktoberfest is a German celebration that begins late September. You can expect traditional German food, music, dress, and of course, beer! It might just be the perfect way to kick off the fall season!

 

Watch an Outdoor Movie

Why not enjoy your next date to the movies outdoors? Find a local drive-in theater, a pop-up movie in the park, or host your own in your back yard with a projector screen!

 

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

What better way to enjoy the season of pumpkin everything than to take the family out to the pumpkin patch? You can find the perfect pumpkins to decorate or carve, plus it's the perfect way to enjoy the weather and changing colors.

 

Check Out a Local Winery

Vineyards are beautiful at this time of year! Enjoying a glass of good wine is even better while enjoying it in a beautiful landscape. Get dressed up and enjoy a sweet date night with your significant other!

 

Go to the Farmer's Market

Support local farmers, vendors, and artisans while also enjoying new seasonal products at the farmer's market! I love discovering seasonal veggies, flowers and foods at the market, then going home and making fall goodies with my market finds!

 

Visit a Cidery or Orchard

Pumpkins can't take all the credit for fall flavor! Visit a local cidery or orchard to pick your own apples and check out all the best apple delicacies of the fall season. A nice, warm cider on a chilly afternoon just might be the best comfort drink of all!

 

Have a Spooky Season Marathon

Fall is spooky season! For some, that means haunted houses and scary movies. For others (myself included), spooky season means watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown or having a marathon of every Halloween episode of The Office. Movies can be a great way to spark tradition!

 

Make Your Own Caramel Apples

Who needs all that candy when you can make a sweet treat of your own? Skewer a Granny Smith apple, cover it in homemade caramel, and coat it in melted chocolate and toppings! DIY caramel apples make for a fun family activity or a perfect date night in.

 

Search for the Perfect Couple's Costumes

If you've got a costume party coming up, finding the perfect costumes can be challenging - and expensive! Head to your local thrift store to try to create your own costume. Sometimes, stores like savers will put together costumes from thrifted items for you. Whether you're going with a date or flying solo, there are plenty of ways to create your own costume on a budget and have fun doing it!

 

Host a Friendsgiving Party

Friendsgiving is a relatively new tradition, but it's one that's here to stay. Gather your friends and host a potluck, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and other goodies. It's the perfect way to get the whole gang together while also celebrating the season of Thanksgiving.

 

 

Happy fall!

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15 Fun Fall Activities on the Cheap | Day 15 of 30 Days of Blogging

How to Decorate Your Home for Fall | Day 10 of #30DaysOfBlogging

· LIFESTYLE

How to Decorate Your Home for Fall | Day 10 of 30 Days of Blogging

Fall is quickly approaching, and it's time to decorate!

Even though it's technically still summer, my home is already decorated with fall hues. I like to enjoy it for as long as I can!

This year and last, I've collected a few pieces from Hobby Lobby and Kirkland's that I really love. I don't care for super orange-y fall decor - my house has lots of honey oak trim and orange brick as it is! These stores have provided plenty of neutral options and cool tones to help even out the overuse of orange in fall decor.

So today I'm sharing a few snapshots of my fall decor, as well as links to shop these looks from the comfort of your couch. Happy fall!

Fall Home Decor Neutrals

Garland is an Easy Way to Decorate

Something about buffalo plaid just works with every season - even on pumpkins! I bought this garland a few weeks ago for my mantle. The neutrals and greens are perfect for early decorating. However, if you do prefer more traditional fall hues, here's a second option I really like. Even though it still incorporates cream and green tones, it's a little more gold and can coordinate easily with traditional harvest color schemes.

 

Stacked Pumpkins in Neutral Tones

These little pumpkins were two of my favorite Homegoods finds this fall. The neutral tones and geometric patterns fit the style of my living room decor perfectly, and they make quite a statement!

Unfortunately, I couldn't find links to these, but here is a comparable stacked pumpkin statue and a cute textured pumpkin at Kirkland's. Perfect for indoor or outdoor fall decorating!

Stacked Pumpkins Fall Decor
three tier basket stand fall decor

Perfect Filler Pieces

I actually bought this three-tiered stand on Facebook Marketplace, but this three-tiered wire basket stand is similar and is the perfect solution for any dead space you may have in your home.

To decorate my three-tiered basket for fall, I incorporated eucalyptus and cotton stems and basket fillers similar to these. I find that I use these pieces in almost every season, so find them on sale and make sure you stock up!

I've also added a few fall accents like a pumpkin arrangement and a cute little word block. (I bought both of mine last year, but these options are very similar!) Again, I went with more neutral and earthy tones and linked to similar hues for you to shop!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

Kirkland's has the cutest little pumpkin fillers! Of course I got the buffalo plaid set, as well as the neutral and blue-toned fillers. I placed mine in a crate centerpiece with a few cattail stems underneath.

If you don't have a container that would work for these fillers, this centerpiece would be a great alternative.

fall pumpkin centerpiece

Most of these items are on sale now, so that makes this the perfect time to shop! Enjoy the season of pumpkin everything!

 

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How to Decorate Your Home for Fall | Day 10 of 30 Days of Blogging

Low Carb Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze

· FEEL-GOOD FOOD

Low-Carb Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze

Happy fall!

This past month has been crazy busy, but I wanted to share something extra sweet with you! If you're a pumpkin lover, you'll love this pumpkin muffin recipe. And what could be better than topping them off with a sweet cream cheese glaze? Personally, I can't think of a better combo.

What I love about this recipe is that whether you enjoy eating low-carb or not, you'll love these muffins because of their density. The texture is so satisfying due to the moisture of the pumpkin and the density of the almond flour. The only drawback is that this recipe contains some ingredients that may not be in the average baker's pantry. But if you're willing to venture into the health market (or follow the links to buy those ingredients on Amazon), you'll be all set up for future carb-conscious baking as well!

Be sure to store these muffins in the refrigerator for up to a week to keep them fresh. Give them a try, and let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

 

Ingredients:

Muffins:

  • 15 oz can of pumpkin (or 1-2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree, if you're fancy)
  • 1 cup granular sweetener (I use erythritol)
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 2/3 cup coconut flour
  • 1 T pumpkin spice
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Glaze:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare your muffin pan with liners or nonstick spray. Set out your cream cheese to soften.
  2. In an electric mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetener, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until the texture is light and fluffy.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the muffin ingredients. Add slowly to pumpkin mixture, until fully combined.
  4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. While muffins are baking, combine all glaze ingredients in an electric mixer until fully combined.
  6. Allow muffins to cool for about 5-1o minutes. Spoon a dollop of glaze onto each muffin while still warm so that the glaze is slightly melted.
  7. Cool completely and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

 

Enjoy, friends!

-Rachel

Low-Carb Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze

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