Autumn to Do List

On Snapshots blog (see blog list to right) I read an Autumn To-Do List andI loved the idea and thought I'd follow with the same type of post. Many of the items listed are regional activities. Autumn is my favorite season! So much fun! Here goes...

Autumn To-Do List
*Make caramel corn

*Drink a pumpkin-spice latte from Starbucks at least once.
*Go on a hay ride-see below at Rutledge-Wilson farm
*Visit a pumpkin patch-see below at Rutledge-Wilson farm
*Visit a corn maze September 27, 2008 - October 31, 2008 Time: Thursdays & Fridays 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. and Saturdays & Sundays Noon - 9 p.m.Location: Rutledge-Wilson FarmPhone: 417-837-5949Link: http://www.parkboard.org/Child Price: Kids Corn Maze- $3Adult Price: Adult Corn Maze- $5, Pumpkins OR to Campbell Maze Dayz in Clever. Purchase your $1 tickets

*Get started on hand made Christmas items
*Do This project: Take an orange pumpkin bucket to fill up with pretty leaves. Dry them and create an alphabet project.
1. Collect leaves, avoiding ones with any mold or rot. Lay leaves flat between phone-book pages or layers of newspaper, then weight them with something heavy. Allow one to two weeks to fully flatten and dry. If you live in an area without many leaves (or want to enhance your collection), you can buy them online already pressed.
2. Arrange leaves on a page of heavy paper. Experiment with combinations of colors and shapes. If you are stumped by a letter of the alphabet, look in the dictionary for words to illustrate. Embellish leaves by cutting notches for parts like mouths, tails, and fins. From spare leaves, cut out details like eyes, wheels, hats, etc.
3.Label the artwork. An adult can use a pencil to sketch in guidelines for the letters and the word; a kid can then write them in ink. When it is complete, try to keep the artwork flat, because pressed leaves can be brittle. Display collages on a bulletin board or wall.
Dip Leaves into wax: . Press them: Dry your leaves carefully and press them between the pages of a telephone book. Or, place them between sheets of blank newsprint and weight them down. Your leaves will be flat and dry, but may crumble easily.2. Dip them: Melt some beeswax in a double boiler. Dip each leaf in the wax, giving it a thin, even coat. Allow the wax to solidify before putting the leaf down.3. Iron them: Place a leaf between two pieces of waxed paper. Put a towel or cloth on top and press with a warm iron. Remove the cloth and cut around the leaf, or try peeling away the waxed paper to see what you get.4. Plasticize them: Combine one cup glycerin with two cups water and mix well. (You can get glycerin at drug and health food stores.) Pour the mixture into a shallow pan. Place fresh leaves in the pan and lay a sheet of paper on top of them. Put small stones on top to loosely weigh everything down. (I understand some people have had success just putting the tips of leaf stems or even whole branches in the solution, although I haven't tried it.) Leave for about a week; remove and rinse. The leaves won't seem very different, but they'll stay soft and lifelike for a long time.5. Nuke them: Put 2-3 leaves in the microwave under a paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds or so. You can also get a special microwaveable desiccant silica gel to place the leaves in first. It better controls the rate and evenness of drying.6. Laminate them: Run them through a laminating machine. Make sure they're dry first, or the lamination won't stick.
*Boo A Family
*Make little caramel apples
*Pumpkin carving
*Make pumpkin rocks: http://littlemommaandcompany.blogspot.com/2008/09/first-you-take-some-rocks.html
*Go to an area farm and pick apples
*Art Walk
*Pumpkin pancakes at IHOP
*Buy gourds at the pumpkin patch to paint
*Get organized for Christmas http://organizedchristmas.com/
*Watch Charlie Brown It’s the Great Pumpkinhttp://community.tvguide.com/thread/Great-Pumpkin-Charlie/Airs-Tues-Oct/800025324
*Start search for stocking stuffers
*Make gingerbread man and read the book.
*Watch 2 scary movies a week starting the first week of October.
Make pumpkin poop for friends
*Take Zhana to Spooktacular: October 22-31 6:30-9 p.m. each evening; Tickets $4 at gate or $3 advance at area McDonalds. http://www.dickersonparkzoo.org/spooktacular/index.htm
*Monster Masquerade Adult Halloween Party Friday, October 26th .$12 advance ticket (on sale at Wonders of Wildlife, Kaleidoscope, or from Sertoma Club members) or $15 at the door. Ticket price includes select beverages and snacks, while supplies last. At Wonders of Wildlife.
*Fall Festival at St. John's Episcopal Church on 10/04/2008. 7:00 am to 3:00 pm. St. Johns Episcopal Church at corner of Benton and Division. Free. 1 pm to 3 pm all ½ price.
*Curch Wide Yard Sale Start Date: October 17, 2008 - End Date: October 18, 2008Time: 6:00 am to 2:00 pmLocation: lane entrance at 1701 S. Fort - NW corner of church property in Youth Bldg.Phone: 417-831-7242Link: http://www.cornerstonechurch.tv/
*JRGT Ghost ToursThe Haunted History of Springfield Downtown7:PM till 9:PMCost is $17.00 per person/ Adults OnlyCall For Reservation:417-350-2635
*Free Art Day; October 25, 2008. 10 am-noon. The Creamery Arts Center 411 N Sherman Parkway. Free.
*Storytime with Ms. LadybugOctober 8, 3008. 11-11:30 am. Nature Center. 2-6 year . No registration required.
*Boo Bash: October 24 - 6-8pm; Ozarks Regional YMCA; costume contests, haunted mazes, tons of games, including limbo, ring toss, pick a pumpkin, musical tombstones, candy in the hay stack, mummy wrap, hay ride, a haunted house, face painting, carnival games, Inflatable fun, picture opportunities and more
*Art in the Park - Oct. 11 - Oct. 12
*Dracula play October 10, October 11, October 12, October 16, October 17, October 18, October 19, October 23, October 24, October 25, October 26, - Evenings at 7:30 PM, except for Sun. Oct. 19 at 2 PMEvent Type: Performing Arts, Arts, Theaters, Paid Admission - Oct. 10-12 all seats $12 - Oct. 16, 19, 23, 26 Adult $16, Student Senior $14 - Oct. 17-18, 24-25 Adult $18,

I would LOVE to hear other halloween traditions you all do with your family.

*Make Jar-O-Lanterns like at this site: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/jar-o-lanterns?lnc=cd1efb749d7fe010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=dl_subsections_holiday_halloween-crafts

*Make fairy houses like at http://angrychicken.typepad.com/angry_chicken/2007/09/post-2.html