Tag: autumn

Fall Recipes the Whole Family Will Love

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

As the crisp air of fall sweeps through Denver, it’s the perfect time to gather your family in the kitchen and embrace the flavors of the season. Fall is all about warm, hearty dishes that bring comfort and coziness to the table. Whether you’re a busy mom juggling homeownership and family activities or you’re simply looking for easy, delicious meals everyone will enjoy, this list of fall recipes is sure to satisfy.

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Denver’s Best Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver.

As the leaves start to turn and the air becomes crisp, families in Denver eagerly anticipate one of fall’s most beloved traditions: visiting pumpkin patches and getting lost in corn mazes. These seasonal attractions offer a perfect blend of outdoor adventure, festive fun, and family bonding. Whether you’re searching for the perfect pumpkin to carve or looking to challenge yourself in a sprawling corn maze, Denver and its surrounding areas have plenty to offer. Here’s a guide to the best pumpkin patches and corn mazes in the Denver area.

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Creating a Family Fall Bucket List in Denver

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver, Motherhood.

As the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to change, Denver transforms into a playground of autumnal delights, offering families endless opportunities to bond and create lasting memories. Fall in Denver is a magical time, with everything from vibrant foliage and cozy activities to festive events that capture the spirit of the season.

To help you make the most of this beautiful time of year, here’s a guide to creating a family fall bucket list in Denver.

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How to Prep Your Denver Home for the Fall Season

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Denver, Homeowner.

As the vibrant colors of summer fade and the crisp air of fall begins to settle in, it’s time to start thinking about how to prepare your Denver home for the changing season. The fall months in Colorado can bring a mix of warm days, chilly nights, and the occasional early snowfall, making it important to get your home ready for whatever the weather may bring. Here are some essential tips to help you prep your Denver home for the fall season, ensuring comfort and efficiency as the colder months approach.

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Our Favorite Fall Décor Trends This Year

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Home Improvement.

The fall is approaching and many of us are already tired of the chaos and confusion that has come with 2020. From COVID-19 to political upheaval, many of us are looking to our homes as a bastion of support and refuge from the world outside. But those of us who have also been stuck inside for the past few months may be looking to make a change in our décor this fall.

Here are the top decorating trends you can choose if you want to make a change this year:

  • Single Colors — For a while, you may have been told to do layers when it comes to colors, pairing up a complementary palette to tie everything together. However, in 2020, many of the designs we are seeing a focus on a single-color scheme. Before you start thinking this may be overwhelming, remember that you can use multiple shades of the same color and also add these with white or cream so it doesn’t look totally monochromatic.
  • Add Color to the Kitchen — Speaking of colors, one of the things you might want to consider redoing is the color scheme of your kitchen. For years now, white has been the dominant color for kitchens. And while it is still the most chosen shade, many designers are pushing people to add color to their kitchen so that it doesn’t look so simple and plain.
  • Invite in the Great Outdoors — Many of us are getting cabin fever thanks to the quarantines and lockdowns. So, you can ease some of the anxiety from this by adding natural touches to your décor. Adding plants and flowers (even if they are fake) can help create a soothing atmosphere. To add to this, include scented candles to bring in some soft lighting with the smells of nature. You can also try using rattan furniture and furniture accents. This material, previously thought to be exclusively for outdoor patio furniture, is another way to add some outdoor feel to your home.
  • Bold Laundry Rooms — One of the most forgotten rooms in the house is the laundry room. But this year, spruce up this bland room with some bold colors or decorative flairs. Chalkboard walls are a great way to enliven the laundry room so you can let the little ones do some decorating of their own. And, if you are like us and love different storage solutions, this is the perfect time to look at what options are out there.

Don’t let the world around you get you down. Take charge of your own home and do a little redecorating this fall with these great ideas to liven up your environment.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Autumn Activities Bucket List for Families

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Motherhood.

Autumn is almost here, and for many of us it’s our favorite time of the year. Maybe it has something to do with the sights, the smells, and the cooler temperatures that require snuggling up under a warm blanket, but there’s definitely something magical about the fall.

If you’re looking for something to do this fall with your family, we’ve got you covered. Take a look at the following bucket list activities for autumn and find one to try this year. Who knows, you may create a lasting family tradition!

• Visit a corn maze — Cornfields and ears of corn have long been a symbol for fall. This fall, visit a local corn maze and have fun getting lost and trying to navigate through the maze. (Just don’t cheat and walk through the maze “walls.”) This trend has really taken off with some corn maze farms getting VERY elaborate with their designs, including some inspired by John Deere tractors and the television show Stranger Things.

• Get in the Halloween spirit — There are actually a few things that you can do this year to make sure your family is ready for Halloween. First, visit your local pumpkin patch and pick out the perfect pumpkins to take home and carve into jack-o-lanterns. There are hundreds of free patterns for pumpkin carving that you can find.

You can make your own costumes together then go trick-or-treating as a family. If you really want to go all out, choose a theme costume for all of you. I’m a huge fan of the Aladdin, Jasmine, and Abu the monkey family costume.

• Get spooky — If you like your Halloween experience to be a little spookier, try having a Halloween horror movie marathon. For the younger kids, pick out cartoons and family-friendly options like Frankenweenie, Hocus Pocus, or Disney’s Halloweentown.

Older kids may love to be introduced to the black and white monster classics like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and The Mummy.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, see if any local tour groups are offering ghost or cemetery tours. These can be a great way to find out more about local history and legends while getting a good scare in!

• Autumn treats — Autumn has its own menu of delicious seasonal treats that you should definitely partake in. These include pumpkin lattes (there’s a reason they are so popular), roasted pumpkin seeds, and apple cider. Consider baking a homemade apple or pumpkin pie to celebrate the season and make an extra while you’re at it for your neighbors. Finally, fall wouldn’t be complete without a nice campfire and roasting marshmallows and making smores.

Autumn is a great opportunity to spend time together doing activities as a family. Now that the kids are back in school, take advantage of your evenings and weekends to cross these items off your bucket list.

 

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Inspiration for a Stunning Autumn Porch Display

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Homeowner.

With autumn right around the corner, many people are thinking about sprucing up their home’s exterior with a beautiful porch display for the season. Although many people wait until October to do something Halloween themed, you can find a way to express your style and creativity with a variety of porch displays throughout the season.

Here are ideas to get your brain spinning and your creative juices flowing so you can be the envy of your neighbors this fall:

  1. Start with a splash of color — When people think of the fall, they often think of pumpkins. The big color that pops into their mind is orange. This is a great starting point for your porch color scheme. Don’t stick with just orange, instead choose decorations or items that hit an array of fall “earth tones”—brown, gold, yellow, deep crimson, and even a rich purple.If you do want to use pumpkins, consider a variety of gourds that come in a multitude of colors. Make sure that the items are on planters of varying height. This makes the eye move a little more rather than feeling like a static straight line.
  2. It’s not just about pumpkins — Two other big hits with porch displays are hay bales and mums. You can easily find these at any nursery and the hay bales, being rectangular, work perfectly as the bases to put other items on top of.
  3. Don’t forget the seats — Be sure to include an area of your porch for rest and relaxation. These can be comfortable chairs, rockers, or even a porch swing. Whatever you choose, make sure that they are paired closely together so that you can entertain and converse easily. You don’t want two chairs on opposite sides of the porch, where you have to yell at each other to talk. Add warm blankets so you can snuggle underneath them on cool autumn nights!
  4. Get crafty — Another idea for creating unique planters is to use crates of varying sizes. These can give you the height differences that you want while being interesting eye-catchers. To add the fall sensibilities, you can either choose to paint these in fall colors, or you can get stencils from your local craft store and paint fall flowers or other designs on them.

This autumn, spruce up your front yard by adding something new and original to your porch display. If you follow the steps listed above, you can create an inviting and elegant feel that will add warmth and style to your home.

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.

Top 10 Autumn Maintenance Tips for Homeowners

Written by Marybeth Heckler on . Posted in Home Improvement.

It may seem hard to believe, but autumn is right around the corner. For homeowners, this means that it’s time to do a little basic maintenance for your home before the weather dips.

Here’s your top 10 list of home maintenance tips for this fall:

  1. Store your lawn equipment — Store your lawnmower and put it away. Drain and turn off your sprinkler system, then store your water hoses. If you own a swimming pool, follow the procedures for shutting it down and covering it up for autumn and winter.

 

  1. Weatherproof your doors and windows — When you turn your heater on this fall and winter, you don’t want that hot air going out the window! Make sure you seal cracks in your doors and windows and consider adding weather-stripping to make it more energy efficient.

 

  1. Inspect your roof — Your summer, hopefully, was a dry one. That means it is the perfect time to inspect your roof before the harsh rains and snows of autumn and winter move in. Get up there, if you can, and look for any loose tiles. If you really want to get high-tech, use a drone to do the checking for you!

 

  1. Take care of your gutters — When you’re done inspecting the roof, keep your ladder handy to work on your gutters. Make sure they’re clear of all debris so the rainwater that is surely coming can flow freely through and not accumulate.

 

  1. Clear the trees and shrubberies — While you still have that ladder out, now is the perfect time to prune back the trees and bushes (or hire someone to do it for you). It’s a good idea to keep those branches away from the home in the event of storms.

 

  1. Make exterior repairs — While you’re checking out your exterior, walk around looking for anything that might need repairs. A broken window screen, a crack in the sidewalk, or a loose deck plank can be handled now.

 

  1. Service the heater — Just like you get your AC serviced in the summertime, now is when you should get the heater/furnace checked out. You don’t want the temperature to suddenly drop without having a working heating system.

 

  1. Don’t forget the chimney — If your house (or parts of it) is heated by a fireplace, have the chimney professionally cleaned and maintained so that you don’t have any problems when you go to use it.

 

  1. Check your safety devices — Now is the time to change out the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

 

  1. Stock up on supplies — If you live where the fall months change quickly to snowy winter weather, it’s a good idea to stock up on supplies. Get the quilts and heavy blankets out of storage. Logs (for the fireplace) should be stockpiled. Also, if you don’t already have one, get an emergency kit and portable fire extinguisher for your home, just in case.

 

While the weather is still warm and agreeable, it’s a good idea to knock out some of these maintenance tips. That way, you can enjoy your autumn and prepare for the holidays!

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Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, or building your dream home, I’m here to help you explore the many financing options available. Ensuring that you make the right choice for you and your family is my ultimate goal. I am committed to providing my customers with mortgage services that exceed their expectations. Find out more by visiting my website.
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