I have been struggling to come up with an Autumn bucket list this year. I usually like to add a few new things to the list to mix it up, but I struggled. I have a few new items on the list and some of my favorites from year to year. I reserve the right to add new ones along the way, and maybe drop a few off the list. It is October 1st so I need to commit. I also decided to do a separate Halloween list for reasons I cannot fathom.

• Autumn themed homemade soup
• 4 autumn themed dinners
• Read an autumn book
• Hang Autumn garden flags
• Put in Autumn scent wallflowers
• Hang Autumn kitchen towels
• Read autumn poem
• Watch All the Hallmark autumn movies
• Bake pumpkin bread
• Make new Spotify Autumn song list
• Burn fall scented candle or do simmer pot
• Cross stitch autumn theme project
• Make autumn donuts
• Make Autumn Chex mix
• Get new autumn teas
• Change backgrounds on phone and iPad 
• Hot apple cider
• Buy autumn themed fancy floss
• Take pictures of trees turning colors
• Drink fall themed coffee (pods from Aldi)
• Hang autumn fairy lights to create the mood
• Autumn bedding and blankets

I am not sure why I added a second list just for Halloween, but we will just go for it this year.

• Decorate porch for Halloween
• Hang Halloween Garden Flags
• Get Halloween pajamas and slippers
• Read scary book
• Watch new (to me) scary movie
• Watch old (repeat) scary movie
• Get out Halloween mugs
• Watch the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
• Cross stitch Halloween themed item
• Change backgrounds on phone and iPad
• Make Spotify Halloween playlist
• Finish piecing Halloween Mystery Quilt
• Buy Halloween themed fancy floss

Check back to see what I have accomplished!

Thanks for peeking at my blog.

So there is only one more item on the list and it was a Watch Party with the girls for a Halloween Movie. Well we ran into a snag, the watch party requires you use a computer and not a phone or laptop.

One of the girls, Kelli did not have a desktop computer. So we are going to wait until we get her rehired at work.

But hard to believe I finished everything on the list! Yahoo! Until next year.

There are so many wonderful things to cook during Autumn. From soups, to pastas to yummy meats and autumn veggies. I could have done so much more, but here are the top five.

I am always so excited to pay fun shaped pasta but usually have no clue what to do with it. Aldi has released so many fun things for Autumn and I could not resist the Halloween pasta.

So I found a great recipe on Pinterest to make a Easy Taco Pasta Salad. With corn and cheese and sour cream plus taco seasoning to name a few this was a great dish. It is probably better for a summer pool party but was very good and very autumn inspired with the cute Halloween shapes.

Aldi also makes the cutest themed pizzas. Here is their Jack O’Lantern pizza.

I was surpised it was pretty good. I was anticipating some cardboard taste but the sauce was good and it was a quick Friday night meal.

Continuing the Aldi theme, I tried their One Pot Sauce – Beef Stroganoff. I also tried thier Chicken Pot Pie one. This was vary flavorful and I would probably buy again next season.

Made some noodles and a dolap of sour cream and I was having a nice autumn themed meal.

I had bought this Gilbert Fig & Feta chicken Sausage from Target and it seemed so autumn like. At Aldi was the Butternut Squash Blend.

Wow-za! What a great meal. I am not sure what they put in that butternut squash Blend but it was so flavorful and was the most “Autumn” inspired meal of the season.

Can you tell I have a thing for Aldi. The next meal was an Aldi Priano Bolognese Pasta Bake. The weird thing is they never tell you what size pan to use so next time I will do a 8×8 dish, but don’t get me wrong, this was really good. Some hamburger meat and parmensan cheese and this is a winner. I would definitly buy this again.

I am sure I did a few more meals but these were the 5 that I planned.

All were great meals, and thank you Aldi for the great inspiration.

So last year I started this somewhat simple scarf, and of course, did not finish it. I figured since I am working from home I can crochet during long boring meetings. And boy that was the trick, I finished the scarf and it is so warm and comfy.

I found the pattern on Pinterest and the lovely designer put the pattern on Raverly for free but I think she charges now, but well worth it for this awesome pattern. I would recommend it for a first time crocheter as it was fast and easy. That is if you have long conference calls. LOL

Click on the photo below to get to Raverly for the pattern.

The only real issue I had, was that both ends of the skein was the same color. I had quite a struggle trying to get a different color in one of the strands. But I did ok, except I wish the tassels had more dark colors in them but otherwise I love it.

The Mandala yarn is awesome and has such beautiful colors. I was able to find this at Wal-mart for a great price. I know you can order from Michaels and I think Joanns carries it also.

Since you use three strands to crochet the pattern, it really does go fast.

Finding a recipe was a bit of a challenge. I scoured Pinterest until I found something easy and interesting. I really did not want to make a big deal out of some soup.

So I ended up making potato cheese soup that you make from hashbrowns.

It took forever but the soup was good. However it is MUCH easier to open a can. LOL. Seriously there are so many great canned soups out there. And considering I live by myself, there was way too much soup. But I did check it off my bucket list.

Being it took a whole pound of bacon, this is a tad bit expensive to make. But it would be awesome if you had guests and some warm hot bread.

I just wanted to finish posting my autumn lists. I ran into Christmas and it snowballed from there. So even though it is January, I want to finish up posting my autumn bucket list items.

I enjoy changing my bedding to match the season. It helps set the mood when you are stuck inside the house thru the whole season.

I ended up throwing on a couple of autumn colored (mustard gold) throws as the season got colder. God I love this season. You sun people can keep your blazing hot sun and sweat. I will take a cuddle in my warm blankets any day.

This year it was a bit difficult to find fall foliage. First of all we really do not have season and secondly, with Covid I am not really driving around out there. Currently we are in the purple stage which is very restrictive.

But I did take some pictures from my car and by my house.

This street has beautiful autumn trees on both sides. I am always in awe when I see the full autumnal colors.

This was right around the corner from the house. Look at all the leaves on the lawn.

This tree is in my front yard by the side of the driveway. I love all the yellow/gold colors. Considering this poor tree almost died, I love that it has come back beautifully.

From my driveway I can see this beautiful tree down the street. Not only is it a large tree, it is in full autumn bloom.

I have always wanted to live somewhere with a real autumn. I see pictures of back east and feel a sense of great satisfaction looking at them. I try to imagine walking down a lane with a carpet of leaves, pumpkins on porches and a brisk autumn breeze.

Food seems to show up on my bucket list quite often. I usually try to add a new recipe every year. Some stick around in future years. Others seem to just fade away in memories.

I decided to try a caramel apple from Aldi. Yup, another Aldi find.

I am not a huge fan of caramel apples. Not sure why, it has apples that I love and caramel that I love, you would think the two would be a marriage made in heaven. It was ok, but at least I gave it a try. Funny because I like apples dipped in caramel. Maybe it was the kind of apple they used.

The 2nd items was fried apple poppers. I bought a can of fried apples from Aldi and decided I would use these instead. Although the recipe was easy to do from scratch.

Check out the recipe on the link below.

Yummy apple bomb recipe from Dixie Crystal Sugar

You use biscuits from a can for the dough and it makes it so simple to wrap them up and bake them.

Sprinkle a lot of butter and cinnamon sugar on top and it is warm yummy goodness.

They were very tasty. However the recipe does say that it does not set well over time so this recipe is food when you have a small group.

I always add a little spa treatment on my autumn lists so that I make sure to pamper myself.

The first one was a nice face mask. I got this one from Bath and Body Works.

Just being a little goofy while the magical mask did it autumn goodness to my face.

The 2nd treatment I did was my nails in a autumn color.

I have never had long wonderful nails so it always looks a bit funny when I wear darker polish.

This nail polish was a little old and is already chipping off but I did like the autumn color with a bit of glitter.

There were two breakfast related items on the bucket list.

The first one was the Pumpkin Spice Breakfast rolls which I bought at Aldi. Got to love Aldi. Easy peasy, pop in the over and then you have breakfast.

A little yummy roll on an Autumn morning with a cup of hot coffee is the perfect way to start the day.

The 2nd Breakfast item was a bit more of a challenge. I bought one of those cute Dash waffle makers from Target. One side was a waffle imprint and the other side was a pumpkin.

I bought some pumpkin spice mix from Wal-mart and spent a good hour or two cranking out pumpkin spice waffles.

With the extra left over pancakes, I decided to freeze them so I will have toaster waffles next week.