Our Family Fall Favorites

What better time to get cozy with your family than fall. This post is dedicated to all things cozy and homey. We hope to inspire you to soak in the new season, start a new tradition and warm up with the autumn colors.

How To Get Your Home To Smell Like Fresh Baked Pumpkin Bread?

I love the smell of candles. But did you know that most candles are petroleum derived and burning them releases carcinogens? I've tried to limit our candles to battery operated ones, however recently I was dreaming of the yummy scents of fall, so I simmered some spices instead. Within minutes the house was filled with the aromas of fresh baked pumpkin bread and cinnamon rolls. Here is how to spice up your fall home...

• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp. pumpkin spice
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 tsp. cinnamon 
• Simmer until desired aroma is achieved.

Start Some Fall Traditions With Your Children

Although children often look for the newest toys or games, they also relish stability in their lives. Holiday traditions help to give children grounded security, and create a touching stone in their lives. Traditions engrave upon their hearts the essence of family and foster a sense of continuity and comfort. The thing about traditions that is so wonderful is that you can create your own, any way you'd like. Before I even had a child I was given an adorable miniature Department 56 Halloween house from my Mother. Every year we take it out of storage and place it on a hutch, my son adores seeing it light up, and insists on showing it to all who come through our door. It's a special little decoration. It's more magical because it's something we do together every year. We also have a collection of fall/harvest books that I pull out every Autumn and put in a big basket. From October through Thanksgiving we read only these seasonal ones. We also make a trip to the book store to choose a new one each year. 

Here are some of our current favorites.

Don't Throw Away Those Seeds

What fun it is to head out to the pumpkin patch to choose and carve your very own. My favorite part is scooping out the insides. We love toasting pumpkin seeds. Did you know that they contain many B vitamins, along with vitamins C, D, E, and K. They also are rich in calcium, potassium, and phosphorous. Here is a fast way to toast those often forgotten gems.

• Collect seeds from pumpkin and rinse off pulp.
• Pat dry with a paper towel
• In a pan use a wooden spoon and stir as they are toasting to prevent burning.
• When the pumpkin seeds begin to get golden and start to pop open, they are done.
• Sprinkle hot toasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. 

Favorite Fall Book for Grown ups

I love reading to my little pumpkin, but my very own favorite fall tradition is getting out my Susan Branch Autumn book. This adorable book is chock full of sweet illustrations, quotes, poems, recipes and everything you need to get into the mood for the season. It's best read when the house is quiet, along with a hot cup of tea. Ahh, bliss. 

For those of you who enjoyed our post on the planting a miniature garden, we wanted to give you an update on it's current condition and fall face lift ;-) 

Check out our guest post by Gina at Simply Life for some yummy Curry Carrot Apple soup to warm you on this fall day.

Please share with us the fall traditions or recipes that mean the most to you and your family.