The Leaves, They are A-Changin’: Our Favorites for Fall

With Labor Day weekend behind us, all of us at The Motherhood have been scratching our heads and wondering where the summer went (not to mention the rest of the year). As the air gets crisper and the leaves turn redder, we are eagerly anticipating some of our fall faves. We would love to hear your favorites in the comments, too!

Dana’s Fave for Fall: Experiencing New England

Now that I’m a full-time Massachusetts resident, I can’t wait to experience the kaleidoscope of New England’s fall colors firsthand. My fiancé, John, and I are planning a driving tour through the Mohawk Trail, which includes more than 60 miles of the state’s most popular fall foliage and is America’s first officially designated “scenic road.” We’re also really excited to visit Charlemont, Massachusetts, where you can get up close and personal with the fall leaves as you zipline through the tree canopy.

Of course, no autumn tour of New England would be complete without a trip up to Salem to take part in fun fall festivities and historical tours on the famous Salem Witch Trials.

Brittney’s Fave for Fall: Here We Go, Steelers

For me, the start of fall means the start of football season! For each home game of the season, my husband and I don our black and gold, grab our Terrible Towels, and cheer on our six-time Super Bowl Championship team, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even when the late-fall temperatures mean putting on a few extra layers, the energy and passion within Heinz Field is incredible and we love being a part of it.

One of the most time-honored traditions for Steelers fans is to wave their Terrible Towels to cheer on the Steelers. The Terrible Towel was created by former Steelers radio announcer Myron Cope to help provide some inspiration during the 1975 playoffs. Today, a portion of the sales from the Terrible Towel benefits the Allegheny Valley School in Pittsburgh. We’ve even taken ours down to the Grand Canyon!

Erin’s Fave for Fall: Mango Upside Down Cake

I discovered mangos a couple of years ago when they were on sale at the grocery store. I thought, “why not?” and picked one up. I didn’t know how to tell if it was ripe, how to peel or cut it, or really anything about it, but I managed to gouge out a few pieces, and I’ve been in love ever since.

We’re working on a great educational campaign with the National Mango Board this fall, so if you have the same questions about working with mangos that I did, keep an eye on our blog for more information soon! Then you can take to your kitchen and tackle this recipe for mango upside down cake. I’ve had it on my list of “must-try” baked goods for a while, and it looks perfect for a warm fall dessert.

Emily’s Fave for Fall: Pampering Skin for Back-to-School

For me, the beginning of fall means the kids are back to school! The transition from the days of impromptu summer fun to a more structured schedule is a great time for me to readjust my routine: Fall means a fresh start, which is why I’m so thrilled that The Motherhood has partnered with Johnson & Johnson to help make back-to-school skincare routines blissful and free of stress.

Join us for a Twitter party next Wednesday, September 4, at 1 p.m. ET to talk more about back-to-school, teens, style, social media and great skincare with CLEAN & CLEAR® (which helps my girls feel great about their skin) and AVEENO®. (My fave is the AVEENO® Stress Relief Body Wash; the lavender scent is so calming! Perfect for this back-to-school season, when life is a little hectic.)

Cooper’s Fave for Fall: Being Out There with the Kids

The fall season doesn’t necessarily mean frigid temperatures – and with the scorching heat of summer in Pittsburgh behind us, it’s a perfect time to get outside with my kids.

The Motherhood worked with a team of 15 blogger authors this summer to create an amazing resource for kid-friendly outdoor activities and ideas – an e-book called Be Out There: Cool Outdoor Ideas for Hot Summer Days. It’s perfect for this transition time as we head into fall, and I’m looking forward to being out there with my own kids, using some of the ideas from the e-book as inspiration.

Nicole’s Fave for Fall: Scarves and Cardigans and Boots, oh my

My absolute favorite part about fall: the fashion! This season’s clothing is stylish and comfortable. The three best fall pieces of clothing, in my opinion? Scarves, cardigans and boots! You can see a mix of my favorite fall fashion items on my Fall Style Pinterest board – take a peek:

Once it starts to get chilly, you’ll never see me without a scarf around my neck. My favorite kind are the infinity scarves – there’s no wrong way to wear them! I usually go for solid colors, but if you’re bolder than I am, tribal and animal prints are both in style this fall. When it comes to sweaters, I love to wear them big and comfy with leggings and boots. If you’re ever unsure about style pairings, Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration and ideas for pulling a great fall outfit together!

Kayla’s Fave for Fall: A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

When the weather starts to turn chilly, my first thought is pumpkins! And no, not the pumpkin cupcakes and pumpkin lattes I’m inevitably going to indulge in…I mean the pumpkins I’m going to carve for Halloween.

My husband, sister and I have the most fun deciding which farm to visit to begin our pumpkin search. I always love being outside in the cool, crisp air and looking through all the different pumpkins to find the one that speaks to me. While my husband likes to pick the craziest pumpkins he can find, I find myself drawn to the giant ones that have some character.

And after picking your pumpkin, you can go spoil yourself with a delicious pumpkin-flavored treat! What could be better than that?

Happy fall, and we hope our favorites inspire you this season!