Fall Fun

It is that time of year again, the crisp cool mornings that warm up slightly as the day passes by and the filtered sunlight invigorates us and urges us to be outdoors. The evenings cool down quickly and the smell of Autumn is in the air. The trees are freckled with colored leaves adorned in deep reds, golds and browns and the sound of the crunching leaves and damp grass under our feet brings flashbacks of many fun days in childhood running through piles of raked leaves on a sunny afternoon.

With the emergence of fall or Autumn as it is best known comes the fun of many festivals for families and activities that bring us all together. Here in north Georgia we are in the midst of the annual Apple festival in Gilmer county. There is one more weekend for the festival and it is worth the trip and the time to visit.

A family favorite for us is a visit to Yahoo Farm to spend a dusky evening with a camp fire roasting marshmallows and the dull thudding pop of the corn cannon as children giggle and laugh at such a simple activity. Climbing into the wagon when dark finally covers the evening and riding along on a spooky haunted hayride is a must do as well as getting our flashlight and map of the darkened corn maze that takes quite sometime to get through. Finding our way out of the maze means it is time for a piping hot cup of cocoa and for each person in our family to pick out their pumpkin to take home for carving. Our family each sits down and carves their own intricate pattern on their pumpkin and we light them all together and have a contest. The talent and skill is revealed in each pumpkin no matter the age of the artist. We then get together and cook all the pumpkin and prepare it to freeze so that we have plenty of pumpkin goodies throughout the rest of the year. There is so much family fun during the Autumn months for parents and kids of all ages to enjoy.

Another great activity is to visit a haunted house. Most big cities have an attraction that is put on for a larger fee, but local smaller towns usually put on a decent haunted house for a family that is affordable and fun. In our town the local Lionsgate Mortuary is a big hit and everyone has a great time being scared during the month of October.

What is October without a fun filled Ocktoberfest? A trek to Helen will bare all sorts of fun activities for a family and the entire town makes Ocktoberfest something memorable and incredibly exciting with good music and great fun and wonderful people.

One thing about Georgia is that there is never a moment that you cannot find something fun to do with a family. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter bring all sorts of activities that are easily accessed with a short drive and a car full of excited people ready to make memories and create traditions together.

How about a great activity with the kids to kick start fall fun? Try making candied apples together. Be sure to supervise young children with this recipe because the hot sugar can be very dangerous!

More exciting recipes for Halloween and Autumn can be found on the internet. Try this site for easy recipes for kids. There is a great recipe for caramel apples to make with the family.

Are you looking for great templates to help you carve amazing pumpkins? There are sources on the internet that you can use to print them off. Try having a pumpkin carving competition with your family. It is a family favorite with my kids and a long standing tradition now.

Enjoy fall fun with your family and start new traditions with your kids. There is nothing better than sharing great memories with those that you love.