I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about dreams and goals lately. (Okay, I do this a lot anyway, but they’ve been even more on my mind of late.) Last month, I made a list of “100 Dreams” (originally suggested in 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam) which is a like a bucket list of sorts: 100 (or more, in my case) things I wanted to learn, adventures I wanted to have, places I wanted to go. Sometimes the ideas came quickly, sometimes it was days before I could think of something else to add, but it was a fun exercise, and I highly recommend it as a way to get back on the track of seeking joy in your life. Inspired by that list, I decided to make a “Fall Bucket List” for the coming season.

This fall, I’ve been presented with a unique opportunity. Since I was five years old, (four if you count pre-school) I’ve been going off to school in the fall, and the stresses of the beginning of the school year always took over the enjoyment of the season for me. Last year, I wasn’t working, but I had only just given birth, and the exhaustion of the first few weeks, coupled with healing my body and caring for my son, meant that I didn’t take the time to appreciate the season.

I love fall. I love the cool, crisp weather, the beautiful foliage, the flavors and scents of apple and pumpkin, the impending rush of the holiday season. If it wasn’t always linked to the start of the school year, it would be my favorite season by far. So this year, while I’m still out on maternity leave, and with a one-year-old instead of a newborn in tow, I’m going to take full advantage, and enjoy the heck out of fall!

Here are some fall activities I want to savor:

1. Take a walk on the Walkway over the Hudson when the foliage is at its peak (hopefully, I’ll do this more than once).

2. Go apple picking and enjoy apple cider at my favorite local orchard.

3. Buy some mini-pumpkins and gourds and arrange them on my dining room table for a centerpiece I’ll enjoy all season long.

4. Bake pumpkin bread. (Done! I did that last night.)

5. Make homemade applesauce with just-picked apples.

6. Take Edwin to the annual Halloween Bone-anza costume concert for children at my district’s high school.

7. Go shopping for new fall clothes. (Sweater dresses and boots, hurray! I actually desperately need new clothes, since I was a good 30 pounds heavier- and basically living in sweats- last fall.)

8. Take a lot of pictures on our annual Schroon Lake trip over Columbus Day weekend. The leaves in the Adirondacks at that time are usually spectacular.

9. Have a date night with my husband where we can sit in a cozy booth and forget about being parents for awhile.

10. Sip hot tea and cider while watching the new fall TV shows. (I’m looking forward to the Michael J. Fox Show, in particular. And of course, I can’t wait for Modern Family and Parks and Recreation to return.)

It’s not a particularly adventure-packed list, but I know all of those things will make me happy and increase my enjoyment of this beautiful season.

What’s on your bucket list for fall? Do you have a list of 100 Dreams?