Cozy Chronicles-- Fall & Halloween Traditions
It's just about that time for another link up with Jen and her Cozy Chronicles tomorrow. This month we're talking all things Halloween and fall, the cozy traditions and bucket list things we do each year.
I almost didn't come up with a post for this month because I wasn't really sure what traditions we had regarding this season! They've all changed so much!
When the boys were little we did pick out costumes and "go" trick or treating though since we live out in the middle of nowhere trick or treating often meant that we loaded them up in the car and driving to each of the grandparents and great grandparents houses. By the time we visited each of them the night was done.
Once the boys were a little bit older we started going to either my mother or my sister's neighborhoods where the houses were close together and we could walk and have a more traditional trick or treating experience.
But that only lasted a couple of years before all my boys decided they were too old to trick or treat. We then had a handful of years where we watched movies and ate candy/ice cream instead. That too is no longer a tradition; but since I never really liked Halloween I don't mind that these came to an end.
Most falls we visit the apple orchard; we used to go a few times to pick apples, attend some of the orchards fall fests and enjoy all their yummy treats and cider donuts. Now we just pop in, pick up some apples, and maybe a treat or two but we are in and out in minutes.
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| I swear Ian was at the orchard with us too but he never liked having his photo taken! |
We still make apple pies, caramel apples, apple crisp, etc. (and when I say we I really mean me. We used to do a lot of these things as a family but I'm pretty much the only one home nowadays).
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| the last year everyone helped... |
We used to take photos of the boys each fall but the year Ian turned 18 he told me that was the last year he was cooperating... and while I had every intention of still doing those photos with each of the boys until they turned 18 that just hasn't happened.
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| last fall photo of the boys... ever! |
We do still do a lot of hiking in the fall though admittedly more and more it's just my husband and I hiking. Evan and I do still hike during the school week but I know this is probably our last year for that as he will be starting work and "real" school within the next year or two.
We also used to carve pumpkins and go through a corn maze each fall.
Traditions do change over the years, don´t they? Enjoyed reading about yours and how some traditions have come and gone. All of your pictures are really good! From the yummy fall foods to your boys´ smiling faces, I would say that you ¨falled¨ well and are continuing, too, with the traditions and memories that you are making with your husband.
ReplyDeleteThey sure do! Thank you.
DeleteI think New England is the best place for fall festivenss and fun- we are lucky right? Love the pics of the boys :)
ReplyDeleteI think so too!
DeleteAs our kids grow up and fly the nest we have to adjust expectation (not an easy thing for me) and create some new traditions, or maybe tweak the old. We have in-laws in the mix now too which adds another layer to anything holiday related. I bet you get some beautiful fall hikes! We normally hike a lot this time of year but most of the woods around us and for sure in the mountains are still a bit hazardous from Helene so we'll give it some time to repair. The lake is pretty in the fall too and I enjoy it a lot this season. Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteWe have had some really lovey hikes this year.
DeleteSo fun! There's nothing better than holidays as a kid. I'm looking forward to starting some traditions next year.
ReplyDeleteAw, I bet!
DeleteSuch fun fall traditions with your boys and your scenery can't be beat!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWe used to go apple picking and to the pumpkin patch every year but now we stopped. But my boys went apple picking with their friends these past two years!
ReplyDeleteWe never really visited the pumpkin patch; though most of our orchards have a pumpkin patch too.
DeleteIt was so fun to go down memory lane with your photos! Our traditions have changed a lot as well. I still decorate for fall and Halloween. I hope to find an apple orchard near us this year because I do like picking apples. I'm not much of a pumpkin carver but I love to roast the seeds. I'm looking forward to Halloween at our new house because we're in a much busier neighborhood and hopefully we'll get lots of trick or treaters. We always had to drive our girls to other neighborhoods too!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! We have never lived in a neighborhood that got any trick or treaters.
DeleteWe have left our fall tradition fall by the wayside the last couple of years. We used to pick apples, go hiking and such. We still go biking but that is about it. Maybe I can convince the fam to go apple picking one weekend this month!
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Good luck!
DeleteThat is a beautiful puzzle.
ReplyDeleteHalloween and Thanksgiving are two of my favourite holidays. My boys are older now too. The youngest still goes out trick-or-treating. I've dressed up with them every year and walked around; I love it. During COVID we dressed up and had a Halloween candy hunt in the house.
This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving. So, the boys and I are making pumpkin crisp and pumpkin pie.
Have a great weekend. Thanks for your coffee share.
Thank you so much! I love Thanksgiving but I have never really liked Halloween at all. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
DeleteWhat fab costumes! It sounds like you and your boys had some great Halloweens and I love the sound of your trips to the orchards.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteAs always, your fall/nature photos are stunning! I grew up across the street from an apple orchard, and it was one of my favorite traditions going to pick apples (a few times in the season) and then my mom or dad making an apple pie.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you!
DeleteYour fall pictures are so beautiful! My favorite parts of fall are the changing colors and the cooler weather. When the kids were little, we loved going to the pumpkin farm together.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
DeleteI loved seeing the older photos. Even with just Rob and I, our traditions change over time.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Jodie
Thank you! I'm not great at keeping traditions going as I tend to get bored with them..
DeleteVery nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteTraditions do tend to come to an end, don't they? But I think a corn maze sounds like fun! I can't remember the last time I did one of those! Hmmm. Those boys look so cute in the apple orchard! Time flies!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! It sure does.
DeleteI enjoyed reading about your fall traditions! It’s so sweet how you’ve adapted as the boys grew up. Making apple pies and hiking together sounds cozy! Rediscovering your love for puzzles is a great way to enjoy the season too.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIt's so nice you have these photos to recall the traditions you had. I'm sure we had some, but I've forgotten them over the years.
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
Thank you! The blog sure comes in handy for jogging my memory.
DeleteIt's interesting to see how traditions evolve over time. From those early trick-or-treating adventures to cozy movie nights and now hiking, each phase brings its own charm. Even if the traditions change, the memories and the essence of family togetherness remain.
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Such wonderful traditions. Love seeing pictures of the boys growing up. We haven't been apple picking in a long time.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteBeautiful photos! You're great at doing activities as a family and adjust as your sons grow up. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteBeautiful photographs. When we first moved to Portugal there were no trick or treaters where we lived until other nationalities with children moved in. I envy your apple orchards.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks! I do LOVE fresh apples from the orchards. They taste so good.
DeleteI love horror so much, but here we don't do Halloween. Such a pity.
ReplyDeleteUgh and I can not stand horror! LOL. I hate being frightened or grossed out which is one reason why I have never been a Halloween fan. You would definitely love Halloween. My brother in law is a huge horror and Halloween fan; it's his favorite holiday!
DeleteLovely traditions and lots of memories to look back on.
ReplyDeleteLove that you've made some time to enjoy puzzles. I have got a couple of wintry ones to get stuck into. :)
Thank you!
DeleteFun traditions! It's always so much fun looking back on memories. 😊
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteHello! I so enjoyed sharing your traditions with you! We had many of the same. My kids are grown, with one left in the nest, my baby. Somehow she is fourteen! My older kids enjoy dressing up and being here for a small Halloween party for her to experience Halloween like they did. Time sure passes quickly. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy "baby" is 17! The time really flies by.
DeleteTo be honest, I don't really have any fall traditions because I didn't have a kid for a long time. I guess trying and reviewing different kinds of seasonal lattes in the fall could be a tradition. When my husband was alive we did visit a lot of holiday lights every month in December since there was no army drill that month.
ReplyDeleteThat could definitely be a tradition!
DeleteJoanne, this was such a wonderful post. I enjoyed going down memory lane with you and seeing all of the traditions for fall as the boys were growing up. Their photos when young are so cute. Things change and so do we. Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you!
DeleteWhat a fun post and photos. Those caramel apples look amazing. It's hard when our kiddos get older and our times with them are fewer. :(
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteOh my goodness, you know I love all of those throwback photos! It's amazing how quickly your boys have grown!
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! It really does fly by and at some point in the teen years it feels like I blinked and then they were grown.
DeleteI've never been a big fan of Halloween myself. The kids like to Trick-or-Treat with some friends in a town a bit from us but that's about it. Our traditions are fading now too that my oldest will be 18 in a few more weeks. I don't like traditions coming to an end. It makes me very sad. I'm struggling a lot with that right now.
ReplyDelete