FALL into New Routines
The windows open to let in a light breeze, a pumpkin-scented candle flickering on the kitchen counter, and the sound of college football in the background are sure signs that fall is ready to arrive. If you’ve been in the area for even a month, you know by now what a welcome respite this is (well, would be…it’s still 100 million degrees here). Not only the break from the heat but the resumed rhythm of routines as children head back to school and all the mamas take a deep breath, have a strong sip of coffee, and commiserate with one another over sending their first children to college or their youngest to kindergarten.
Change is in the air. It’s inevitable, and the transition from summer to fall might be the easiest to welcome with open arms. Bring on the long sleeves and sweaters, the smoky firepits and s’mores. Let the sounds of crunching leaves and football cheers stir within us anticipation and excitement for the months ahead.
The shift in seasons and return to school offers the opportunity to set new goals and routines for your family. Having lived in the Nashville area all of my life, it never ceases to amaze me how many things I have yet to do. New places and experiences are constantly popping up, while many local treasures remain to be discovered. As such, a goal I have for the year ahead is to spend at least one day a month exploring someplace new–a coffee shop, a restaurant, or a day trip to a small town. In doing so, I hope to enjoy memorable moments with my family and learn a bit more about the area in which we live.
Here are a few places that I would like to check out this year.
Early’s Honey Stand
Reunion Wine Bar
Wildwood Resort & Marina
Milky Way Farm
Paris, Tennessee
What would you add to the list?
Along with the goal of getting out and exploring new places, it’s important to set or renew routines that ensure our home, the place where we spend the most time, remains a place of comfort. While it is appropriate to have all hands on deck for cleaning the house, using a quick cleaning checklist or going through the house with a trash bag to do a decluttering sweep has been a helpful strategy for keeping it clean. I am not a pro at this. The towel in my kitchen best explains what it feels like most days, “My housekeeping strategy can best be described as ‘There appears to have been a struggle.’” But a girl can dream.
Several years ago, I started a new routine when I introduced my oldest son to the idea of what I called Saturday skills, partly to enlist his help with housekeeping and to teach him life skills I doubted he would learn in school. It felt like time with him was fleeting, and there were so many things I wanted him to know before I launched him into the world. So, I sat down with a notepad and pen, jotting down the first things that came to mind. The list was long enough to be an entire blog post or two of its own. Even so, I’m certain I missed many things, but I wanted my son to call and ask me how to do things occasionally. I’m still waiting for that call. So either it all stuck, or none of the things I taught him are getting done. Again, a girl can dream.
As the season shifts, what goals come to mind when you reflect on the summer and look to the year ahead? What are things you want to do together as a family? Are there local places you have never visited or new restaurants you would like to try? Do you want to schedule a weekly family night? If so, what would that look like? Are you and your spouse making time for date nights? If not, what could you do to ensure that happens? Are there routines you want to set in place or begin again?
Fall into new routines, prioritize family time, and enjoy making memories together in and around the place you call home.
