Let's Get Ready for Fall!

Now, I know I can't be the only one who was twiddling my thumbs on the last few days leading up to September 22nd - the first official day of fall.  I mean, don't get me wrong, summer is my absolute favorite season.  Mainly because it's filled with tons of family time, sunshine, pool time, and of course, my birthday!  But fall doesn't fall too behind when it comes to seasons I love - ha, no pun intended!  So I've been seriously getting into the mood by filling Austin and I's apartment with warm decor and thinking of things we can do this season.  I'm a sucker for traditions, so some of the things we'll be doing are things we did last year, but some of them are new ideas and they're just too good not to share with you all!

I bought these cute, white pumpkins at Walmart.  They were only a few bucks each, and I went all DIY and painted polka dots and stripes on them.  It really makes them pop!

These babies are in our kitchen on our microwave stand.  Though our kitchen is super small and there's not much room for decorations, it's the first room people see when they come in, so I wanted a little something in here

I usually put real flowers in this thrift store find during the spring and summer seasons, but since cooler weather is here and here to stay for a few months, I knew it'd be hard to find the right flowers that can bring warmth into our home, so I bought these fake flowers from Michael's for just a couple bucks each.  Also, they're having a major sale now!  Practically everything is 50% off. WOOHOO!

Another Michael's purchase!  This owl was actually originally around $14, but I got it for about $7.  I still think that's a little pricey for this guy, but I knew exactly where I wanted him and knew he'd fit perfectly!  Plus he was the last one... so maybe it was just meant to be.  :P

What better way is there to get your home ready for fall than lighting candles?  Yeah, I know, there isn't one!  I found this gem at Walmart for about $5 or so, if I remember correctly.  Waaayyy cheaper than the Yankee Candles, but the scent is strong and lingers all throughout the house.  Mmm.

Red is a great color to incorporate into your decor that works all year round.  I especially see people bring this color into their home during the fall season.  Luckily, Austin and I have TONS of reds and oranges in are all year round decor, so bringing in more matches really well with what we already have.  I purchased these fake flowers from Michael's just like I did the ones above.  The sweet little pumpkins were purchased from Walmart.  They came in a bag of three for just a few bucks.  Great deal!

Another one of my favorite ways to get in the mood for fall and Halloween is to watch scary movies!  These are just a few of my favorites that we own, but my real favorites are the classics!  The one's that you can find playing on TV all season long.  I stumbled upon this website that has the schedules for a few of the most popular channels that play Halloween themed movies and shows.  Def check it out, throw candy and wine into the mix, and plan a date night or a night with the girls!

Austin and I love to get out there and do fun and different things.  Something he found this year that we can do is Zombie Park!  It's a paint ball park in Mt. Gilead that has been transformed into a place where you can go, be trained, and kill zombies!  How fun does that sound?  We're really hoping to find a free evening where we can go and shoot zombies with paint ball guns.  It sounds too fun to pass up!

Lastly, one of my all-time favorite things to do during this time of year is going to haunted houses!  Ohio has so many good ones to offer.  It's sometimes hard to find ones near you, so here's a website I found where you can easily search the best one's around your area.  Every year they get scarier and scarier, so brace yourself!  (Also, sorry for the quality of this photo.  I found it via google images, and I thought it was the spookiest thing ever so I had to share it.  No matter how bad the quality is, it still gives me chills!)

These are just a few of my favorite ways to get in the mood for the fall and Halloween season!  There's just so much to do during this time of year!  What are some of your favorite fall traditions?