The Best of Fall Favorites in the Great Midwest!

When I was little I was raised in Alabama for the first part of my life. Once I turned nine we moved up to Iowa, and it was a weather shock. We moved up here in the spring in a snowstorm, so first impression was quite interesting. Then we hit summer and that was enjoyable due to less humidity. I will say the biggest shock of all was the fall season, especially Halloween. In the south at Halloween you could pretty much wear whatever you wanted. It was still warm, there was no snow, it might have been a little windy but that’s about it.

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and having the freedom to dress up as whatever you wanted. Celebrating this holiday in the Midwest is a bit different and can be unpredictable. Lets just say I was not thrilled when it was for one cold on my birthday, which is at the beginning of October, and two when it was snowing on Halloween. Over the years I have learned to just pick a warm Halloween costume and always be prepared for the unpredictable weather. Iowa does not have a clue what kind of weather it wants to present this time of year. As much as I love to talk about Halloween, that’s not what this post is about, we will save that for a later one. I’m here to talk about the fall season in general.

Fall is my favorite season for so many reasons. The changing of the leaves is absolutely beautiful and make a stunning background for family pictures. Also, this is the beginning of comfort foods, warm beverages, oversized sweaters and extra cozy snuggles on the couch with a good binge-worthy show or movie marathon. We love food just like everyone else in the world and an easy casserole or crockpot dinner is always a winner in our household. The easier it is to prepare the less stressed and chaotic the house is.

I have fallen into a soup phase! I love a good creamy soup and its even better with a sandwich like grilled cheese or a slider. I’m always looking forward to a good soup and slider night. This year I have also taken up homesteading and it has opened so many opportunities to make the comfort foods we eat healthier and taste better. Sourdough bread is something I have been trying to master, and people make it look easier than it is, but I am hoping to make little sourdough bread bowls to put some yummy soup in this fall!

Along with comfort food comes the warm beverages. Love me a hot cocoa topped with whipped cream and cinnamon, warm chai latte or a steaming cappuccino. It got to the point where it was a daily part of my routine for a while. I have tried to dial it back a bit, oh but it is just so good. My kids have also learned to love it as well. James not so much, he is not much of a warm beverage kind of person. Every once in a while I can get him to have one and cuddle with me on the couch in front of the fireplace. He is a furnace himself so its not often, but I soak it in when I can and love every minute of it.

During the fall and winter time we always have movie marathons and choose one or two shows to binge over the cold months. Most of the time in late fall we will spend a couple weekends watching all the Harry Potter Movies. Most of our family really loves the Harry Potter movies, and they get quoted throughout the whole year. Some of the shows that we have binge watched in the past years are Sons of Anarchy, Lucifer, The Witcher, Game of Thrones and Greys Anatomy just to name a few. We try to stay somewhat active and try to do things with the kids but some days are just for relaxing.

With Fall just beginning we still have plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful colors outside as the trees change and the leave fall. We will make sure to soak in the fun of watching football, jumping in piles of leave, carving pumpkins, snacking on candy and preparing for an unpredictable Iowa winter. Winter is coming!