Fall Family Fun: Apples, Bows, and Getting Ready for Halloween

There’s just something about fall that makes life feel extra cozy – the cool mornings, colorful leaves, and all the family activities that fill up our weekends. This season has been full of sweet, simple moments for us, and I wanted to share a little peek into what we’ve been up to lately.

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Apple Season at Home & the Orchard

We’ve been heading to the apple orchard almost every weekend – not for the apples, but for the fun. Our three-year-old loves the bouncy houses and ninja courses. Our one-year-old is obsessed with the tractor rides and bubble stations. And we all love petting the animals and getting a treat or two! We always end up with sticky fingers and big smiles (after a meltdown or two, of course).

At home though, is where the real apple magic happens. Our backyard Honeycrisp apple trees have been producing like crazy this year, so I’ve been making batch after batch of homemade applesauce. Check out my blog post here for the recipe! It’s one of my favorite fall traditions – simple, delicious, and toddler approved. The girls love it warm with a spinkle of cinnamon, and the smell fills the whole kitchen with that perfect fall feeling.

Halloween Crafts: DIY Bat Bows

If you know me, you know I love to use my Cricut Maker 3 to make all things holiday related. This year I wanted to make something special for the girls to wear leading up to Halloween so I pullout of my Cricut Maker 3 and got creative with these adorable bat bows.

They turned out even cuter than I expected – sparkly (a must for a three year old girl), a little spooky, and perfect for both everyday wear and Halloween events. Here’s how I made them:

Materials:

• Cricut Maker 3
• Glitter faux leather sheets (I used these – they worked so well!)
• Bat bow SVG file – I got one from Cricut Design Space, but there are a lot of free options online.
• Hot glue gun – I’m obsessed with my cordless glue gun.
• Hair elastics – for babies, we made one for my 9 month old neice.
• Alligator clips – these are great quality.

Directions:

• Upload the SVG file into Cricut Design Space and resize to your ideal size – I made mine about 4 inches , perfect for toddler pig tail bows or baby headbands.
• Cut the faux leather on a StrongGrip mat using the “faux leather (paper thin)” setting. You will want to make sure your cutting blade is nice and sharp.
• Layer the pieces – bat wings underneath, glitter bow on top.
• Glue everything together, wrapping a small strip around the center to secure the layers.
• Attach to an elastic headband or alligator clip, and let it dry completely.

The end result is a sparkly little bow that’s equal parts festive and fun. I love that it adds a touch of Halloween without being over the top – and the girls absoluetly love wearing them.

Halloween Costume Plans

Our three year old decided she’s going to be Elsa this year, and she’s made it very clear that her one year old sister must be Olaf – which honestly feels very fitting for their personalities. She’s already practicing her “Let It Go” twirls, and I can’t wait to see them all dressed up.

I bought these hair extensions to give her a real life Elsa braid, I can’t wait to see how it turns out!

We’re planning to do a family trick-or-treat night around the neighborhood with friends and then come home for cocoa and a Halloween movie. It’s one of those simple traditions that make this season so special.

I’d love any suggestions on how to make the cocoa Halloween themed and fun snack ideas!

Our “No Candy” House Tradition

We’ve officially become that house on the block – the one that doesn’t hand out candy on Halloween. Instead, we go for fun, light-up surprises that kids actually love! This year, we’re giving out glow sticks, glow-in-the-dark tattoos, and Halloween stickers. I try to think of things that kids will actually enjoy and use, not just toys that will create clutter around the house.

It started a couple of years ago when we wanted something toddler friendly that wouldn’t add to the sugar overload, and now it’s kind of become our thing. Blake helps me bag everything up in these cute bags, and we love seeing how excited kids get when they realize they’re getting something a little different. Plue, it keeps the night fun and mess-free – a total win for parents too.

Last Thoughts

Between orchard weekends, homemade applesauce, Cricut crafting, and prepping for a candy-free Halloween, this fall has been full of sweet moments and plenty of sparkle. I love how these cozy family traditions keep us grounded and connected – even in the busy season.

Here’s to soaking in every bit of this fall – one apple snack, bat bow, and Elsa song at a time.