Leaf and Steel

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Thanksgiving Traditions to Start with Your Kids this Year

Thanksgiving is the time to create family traditions!

I love the holidays and I love traditions.

Since I had my daughter, I’ve had a newfound focus on creating a family culture and making the most of each holiday.

I write down what we do for that holiday (even if it’s something small, like the first day of fall) on an index card and tape it to the inside of a cabinet so I don’t forget for the next year.

Traditions don’t have to look perfectly the same every year, and they don’t have to include just family.

To me, Thanksgiving is all about warmth, giving, and gratitude. And sometimes the food.

Keeping the focus on principles rather than material goods is a strong habit to foster in children, no matter their age.

So, here are some family traditions you can start this year to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Take a family walk

Taking a family walk together every Thanksgiving can be a great memory to make! Whether it’s before or after the big feast, it’s a great way to make room for some extra pumpkin pie! Have your kids pick up leaves, pinecones, and acorns along the way.

Bake the dessert together

It might be too much to have little ones help with the chaotic prep of Thanksgiving dinner, so let them help with a dessert! Bake a pumpkin pie, apple crisp, or whatever your sweet tooth is yearning for. Kids love to help and feel needed, so this is a wonderful way to include them in the festivities.

Give to those less fortunate

I love this one! Create a family culture of giving. There are countless families in America that will not be enjoying a delicious, hot meal in a cozy house this year. Donating a turkey, a few jars of gravy, your time at a food bank – any of it helps. Teach your children the spirit of giving young, and it will stay with them a lifetime. Check out more from Feeding America.

Create a family gratitude list

Sitting down and creating a family gratitude list also re-instills w

hat the holidays are all about: taking a moment to count your blessings around family and friends. Gratitude lists are another fantastic way to teach your children that they probably have more than they could ever want and need. Another way to do this is to go around the table at dinner and have everyone say one thing they are grateful for – a practice that can be incorporated into every dinnertime conversation!

Decorate Thanksgiving cards

Decorating Thanksgiving cards together can be so much fun! Using materials like feathers, rhinestones, and stickers can add to the creative spirit. Make cards for each other, veterans, family, or neighbors.

Create a Thanksgiving feast

This one is for younger kids, but create a Thanksgiving feast for the stuffed animals or dolls! Cut out paper turkey legs and mashed potatoes and let your children prepare their own “meal” for their toys. It’ll get them out of your hair for a little while and inspire their creativity!

Check out my other Thanksgiving posts, 10 Thanksgiving Decorations Under $10 , The Best Thanksgiving Books for Infants and Toddlers, and Thanksgiving Gifts for Babies!

What are your family Thanksgiving traditions? Do you do any on this list?

Let me know below!

O.

Simple Autumn Pumpkin Pancakes

Here are 4 ingredient, simple pumpkin pancakes for autumn!

pumpkin pancakes

All you need is:

  • Pancake mix
  • Almond milk
  • Canned pumpkin
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon

All you do is mix equal parts pumpkin, pancake mix, almond milk. Then add a sprinkle of cinnamon and cook in a shallow pan!

Let cool and freeze for up to 3 months.

The Most Romantic Autumn Date Ideas

It’s the most romantic time of year!

The leaves are falling. The humidity has left us (at least here on Long Island).

The air is cool. The pumpkins are out on the doorstep.

Everything starts to quiet down.

There’s no better time than fall to date.

Want to know why?

Things are about to get crazy busy.

It starts with Thanksgiving week and ends after New Year’s.

What better time to reconnect with your spouse or partner than now?

All of these are outdoor date ideas for a reason. Not only is it safer in 2021, it’s a wonderful way to enjoy the nice weather before winter.

Autumn is the best season for dates because the changing leaves, crisp air, and early sunset make everything feel just a little bit more romantic.

This list isn’t just made for couples. These could all be done with a best friend or kids!

OR even by yourself!

The best way to experience the perfect autumn date is to put your phone away, be yourself, and fully immerse yourself in the moment.

These ideas can be made into a whole day, or squeezed in before sundown on a weekday.

Here are 7 romantic autumn date ideas!

1. DIY Bonfire Marshmallows

Don’t tell my husband, but I have this one planned for this weekend!

I was given a Bonfire + S’More’s Kit from City Bonfire from a relative for our recent wedding anniversary. It comes with a portable “bonfire”, marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate. I plan on setting up the little bonfire in the backyard, putting on some of our favorite music, and turning on the bistro lights for a romantic evening under the stars.

2. Walk in the Park + Picnic

What could be more classically romantic than a walk in the park and a picnic? Don’t be intimidated by organizing a picnic. Make it easy and buy pre-made sandwiches and sides.

3. Apple Orchard

I love this idea! Bonus points if you can find an orchard that actually lets you pick the apples (they’re surprisingly harder to find). We pick up a peck from our local orchard, pull down the hatch on the pickup truck and enjoy our fresh apples and cider.

You can also take the apples home and bake an apple crumble or an apple pie!

4. Pumpkin Patch

Grab some pumpkins at the local pumpkin patch and head to idea #7! Or, don’t buy any at all and just walk around! Most pumpkin patches near me make it a whole event with corn mazes, food stands and farm animals.

5. Fall Foliage Train Ride

This one might require a bit of regional research. We took a scenic train ride in Lancaster, PA. I find them so magical and peaceful. There’s no better way to see fall foliage then by train. Most areas have some sort of “fall train tour” where you can just buy a ticket and hop aboard. Some even have dining cars where you can be served a full meal or open air cars, which would work on a warm day.

6. Scenic Drive

This one is a personal favorite, and so easy to do when you don’t feel like spending money or putting in too much effort. Turn on a this autumn playlist, pic a road with some changing leaves and just go!

7. Carve Pumpkins

This one is harder than it looks! All the scooping, scraping and carving takes a lot of elbow grease but is sure to be a lot of fun!

What’s your go-to fall date? Have you tried any on this list?

Let me know below!

O.

Autumn 2021 Bucket List

There are two things I love in life: autumn and a good list. That’s why I took a moment to write down my autumn bucket list for 2021!

I have been so busy lately and I feel like there isn’t any time left to do all the fall things! Even though the leaves are just starting to change, I feel late.

Since having my daughter, I feel an immense sense of responsibility to celebrate every holiday and make everyday special.

At the end of the day, all my 10 month old really wants is to sit in the backyard with her books and read!

I want to pass on to her some of the wisdom that I’ve learned in my long 27 years. I want her to remember that experiences and being together are way more important than things.

I was in the Target Bullseye section the other day, you know, the one with the $1 and $3 tchochkies and felt like I had to buy her all this crap to celebrate fall.

The girl loves to play with wooden spoons and her carseat manual.

No $3 pumpkin from Target is going to help her appreciate fall.

Taking a fall walk and showing her how to crunch leaves is what she needs to be doing.

So, this year I’m taking the experience route. We’re on our way to checking off our fall list, one by one!

Autumn 2021 Bucket List

  1. Bake a pie
  2. Visit a pumpkin patch
  3. Build a leaf pile
  4. Decorate the front porch with mums
  5. DIY Halloween costumes
  6. Take a scenic drive with this playlist
  7. Drink apple cider
  8. Bake leaf cookies for friends
  9. Take a fall walk
  10. See the harvest moon
  11. Do a fall photoshoot
  12. Make apple crumble

What’s on your autumn bucket list?
Is there anything special that you’ve already done to celebrate the season?

Let me know below!

O.

7 Things to Do in Cooperstown That AREN’T Baseball Related

It seems like every list on the internet for “Things to Do in Cooperstown” is filled with baseball, baseball, baseball. Cooperstown has so much more to offer! This quaint upstate New York town has plenty for couples, kids, and those just passing through for a hot cup of coffee.

So, if you don’t really care about about the Yankees or the Orioles, but are planning on visiting Cooperstown in 2021, keep reading!

Stormy skies clearing up over the Cooperstown area.

Every time my husband and I say we’re heading up to Cooperstown, someone mentions the baseball hall of fame. We have to clarify that we go for the breathtaking scenery that surround the small town and the old school Catskill-charm that enchants the little village.

One of my favorite things about taking road trips upstate is winding through cornfield after cornfield, dense woods and backroads and then all of a sudden coming up on the fringes of a small town. I love the old Victorian architecture, the brick, the main streets…these towns are still frozen in the past.

There was a time when the Catskills were the place to take your family summer vacation. These old “resort” towns all seem to have a motel, complete with 1970’s signage, an ice cream shop and mini golf.

What more does one need?

That brings us to Cooperstown in beautiful Ostego County, New York! It’s best known for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And so, each year it draws thousands of baseball fans looking to delve into a world of bats, stats and balls.

Main Street

When should you visit Cooperstown?

The best time to visit Cooperstown is between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s when everywhere seems to be open and the town is in full swing.

I wouldn’t recommend going in the winter, because it gets c-o-l-d cold up there. But hey, maybe that’s your thing.

Some tips for visiting Cooperstown:

  1. Bring a raincoat. Upstate New York has these quick moving storms that will have it pouring one moment and sunny the next.
  2. Call ahead for dining times. Some places aren’t open on Sundays, and some places aren’t open at all in the “off season” (Labor Day to Memorial Day). If you’re from a populated area you might not be used to restaurants closing at 9pm, so call ahead!
  3. Doubleday Fields has public bathrooms. They aren’t by any means nice, but they’re available.
  4. Bring money for parking. Parking fees are enforced, even on weekends.

7 things to do in Cooperstown that have NOTHING to do with BASEBALL:

  1. Grab a cookie or doughnut from Schneider’s Bakery. The corner bakery has the best cookies and amazing lattes! They also have delicious bread and other baked goods.
  2. Visit Ostego Lake. At the base of Cooperstown is beautiful Ostego Lake, also known as Glimmerglass Lake. Stay at the Lake Front Hotel and take a tour on the Glimmerglass Queen.
  3. Barnyard Swing Golf. More than just mini golf! There’s also a family fun center with laser tag, ice cream and room for a picnic.
  4. Eat at Mel’s. Mel’s at 22 has something for everyone at reasonable prices, just make sure to call ahead to see if they’re open.
  5. Coffee at Stagecoach. They also have a full menu of panninis and breakfast sandwiches.
  6. Take a tour of the Farmer’s Museum. The Farmer’s Museum has a 36 foot carousel in addition to tens of thousands of artifacts showcasing farm life in the 19th century.
  7. Walk around the charming main street. Sometimes that’s the best part of visiting a old town. Walk Cooperstown’s brick lined main street, pop into a few stores and take pleasure in small town life.
My “IDK” cookie from Schneider’s Bakery
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A note about Fly Creek Cider Mill…

You will see it on every list of “things to do in Cooperstown”.

You will pass signs for it.

You will see brochures for it.

I write this with the heaviest of heavy hearts…. Fly Creek Cider Mill is closed.

BREAKING NEWS: FLY CREEK IS OPEN

RIP to the best apple cider

The home of the best apple cider, the best doughnuts, the big chair, the honking geese and catchy “apples and cider, apples and cider” jingle has closed.

So, you’ll have to wait for it to be purchased and visit when it reopens. Or if you have a cool 2 million you can just buy it yourself!

Have you ever been to Cooperstown? Interested in taking a trip there? Would you add anything to this list? If you’re planning to take a road trip to Cooperstown with an infant, check out my packing list here.

Let me know below.

O.

30 Rainy Day Project Ideas!

Rain, rain go away! Today is a very stormy and blustery day. I wanted to make a list of 30 project ideas that I do or will be doing. We all have those projects that we’re saving for a rainy day. I hope this list inspires you to have a productive and fulfilling rainy day!

Rainy days can be a drag, but they also provide the perfect opportunity to tackle some indoor projects. Whether you’re looking for something to do alone or with the family, we’ve got you covered with 30 rainy day projects that are sure to keep you busy and entertained.

Read more

Game Changer: Gratitude List

If you’ve ever done a quick Google search for the search for happiness you’ve probably heard of a gratitude list! It’s a quick, easy way to boost your mood and cultivate joy in one’s life. This simple tool has proven itself over the years to be an effective way to become a better you.

What is gratitude?

Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. It can be saying thank you for the the good or valuing those uncomfortable life lessons. In my experience, gratitude is a conscious understanding and  acknowledgement of life’s gifts.

What is a gratitude list?

A gratitude list is an inventory of appreciation for your life. It’s a physical list of whatever blessings come to mind. Very simple. Here’s an example:

  • I am grateful for a warm bed.
  • I am grateful for health insurance.
  • I am grateful for the help of friends.
  • I am grateful for clean water.

I was taught that it’s not supposed to be this big, daunting list meant to minimize whatever you’re going through – it’s just a way to consciously say “thank you”. I usually start with the big ones like my family, my house, etc. and then I’m moved to writing down most mundane parts of my life, those little things like a pillow or unspoiled food. In my experience, that’s the hit: finding gratitude in things I’m blind to on a regular basis.

The power is not simply in the list itself, but also in the action of writing it on down. Once it’s on paper, it’s hard to continue to tell yourself that you have nothing or that the world is against you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a bullet point list or a flow of sentences. There is no correct or incorrect time of day or time of life to write one! They can be as long or as short as needed.

Why does it matter?

We all get down in the dumps and have days where life seems so unfair. Ever feel like the world is against you? If you’re anything like me, you get caught up in comparisons – who has a bigger house, a fancier car, the usual. One of my favorite quotes about comparison is “jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own”. We are often caught up in this, especially today with the rise of social media and the elusive “perfect life”.

“Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.”

Here’s a link to a Forbes article from 2014 that lists the perks of the article. To summarize, here are their 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude,

  1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships.
  2. Gratitude improves physical health.
  3. Gratitude improves psychological health.
  4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression.
  5. Grateful people sleep better.
  6. Gratitude improves self-esteem.
  7. Gratitude increases mental strength.

So, it’s easy to see how gratitude can play a necessary part in improving our lives.

…

Taking a few moments out of the day to give thanks can yield great results. It’s an active step towards practicing gratitude in the real world, like keeping in touch with loved ones or holding the door for a stranger. When we are kind to the space and living things around us, we receive that kindness back.

So, do you have experience with a gratitude list? What’s something you’re grateful for today?

O.

30 Snow Day Activities for Adults!

I don’t know about you, but I’m still excited by snow days! I find delight in pulling back the window and seeing a world of fresh snow. I love the silence of the usually busy side road. I love the rush of the crowded grocery store (weird, I know). All of it! Maybe it’s because it reminds me so much of Christmas…

Anyway, snow days usually mean my fiancé stays home too. I work from home right now, but all my focus goes out the window when he’s home. In the past, I’d spend the day anxious and restless and filled with cabin-fever rage. Now, with some more peace in my life, I’m excited by the stretch of a long day with no expectations.

I wanted to make a list of fun things I’ve done and want to do this winter. So, I’ve compiled a list of 30 snow day activities for adults that don’t suck! Here it is:

  1. Bake. I like to go through my cabinets and see if there’s anything that’s nearing it’s expiration date and go from there.
  2. Complete that task you’ve been avoiding. You know, that closet you keep saying you’ll clean out or that abandoned junk drawer.
  3. Write someone a letter. On paper! Crazy concept, but it will feel more authentic and meaningful.
  4. Write a gratitude list! Here, I’ll start you off: heat, power, shelter…
  5. Start a blog! Or, write a blog post!
  6. Create a vision board for the next year.
  7. Create a Pinterest board for summer!
  8. Plan a vacation, even if you don’t plan on actually taking it. Only requirement? No snow.
  9. Wash ALL the bedding.
  10. Sell some of your clothes! I use Poshmark and eBay.
  11. Review your calendar for the next month and see if any changes need to be made. Go over it with your partner, if you have one.
  12. Make a spring cleaning checklist.
  13. Clean. As much or as little as desired.
  14. Collect all the coins in your house and put them in different jars for different savings.
  15. Shovel for a neighbor!
  16. Make a meal plan list.
  17. Organize your cabinets.
  18. Take a bath with essential oils.
  19. Write down where you want to be on this day, next year.
  20. Make a restaurant list. “There’s nowhere I want to eat” is a common one-liner of mine. I keep an extensive list so I can bust this lie!
  21. Research local politicians.
  22. Make a bucket list!
  23. Take a walk in the snow. Bonus points if you have snow shoes.
  24. Rearrange a room – this can be so refreshing!
  25. DIY spa day, anyone?
  26. Research a different religion – educate yourself.
  27. Practice an indoor exercise like yoga (or just stretch).
  28. Plan a party!
  29. Try and build an igloo. Always wanted to build one, always too scared to try.
  30. Add 30 things to this list!

There it is! I’ve done four of these today and now I need a nap.

How do you like to spend your snow days?