Intentionality when things get busy!

It’s that time of year when we start seeing all of the lists – fall bucket lists, 800 things to make with pumpkin, autumn memories every family should make, how to have the most instagram-worthy fall – you know you’ve seen them. There’s a lot of pressure to do ALL THE THINGS. To be fair, a lot of these fall “things” are really fun. I love an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, and fall festival. But just because all of these things are a ton of un doesn’t mean that we have to do them all every single year. Life is busy, being intentional during those busy seasons makes a huge difference!

Trying to do every fun seasonal activity turns these into something to check off a list, instead of moments to be present in the memories. It’s stressful to pack our days full of events, and it often means that the things we enjoy most get lost in the rush. I like to chose the events that truly are the most meaningful for our family and make sure that we get to enjoy those fully. I love the way the house smells when I’m making homemade applesauce, but I don’t necessarily get the same joy from a visit to a bee-infested orchard. For me, that means that I just pick up an extra bag of apples at the grocery store.

A fall camping trip is another family favorite, but our schedules don’t always allow for a whole weekend away. If that’s the case then we make sure to have one or two campfires in the back yard to really soak up those same vibes. There’s one local fall festival that is truly above the rest, so that’s the one that we make sure to attend every year – we get all of the best vibes, without trying to rush to every single one.

Take time to focus on the memories that you want to make – not the ones that others tell you to make. It’s empowering to lean into what’s most important to you!