I am not sure I have ever met anyone who doesn’t love Friday nights. Adult, child, single or married – Friday nights mark the end of a long week and the beginning of the beloved weekend!! For my family, we now have to contend with the high school children wanting to go out to football games and other social gatherings. I won’t lie that I don’t yearn for the days where I had everyone home and safe under one roof.  During the summer, my husband and I would create our own happy hour by munching chips and salsa and drinking an ice cold beer all while watching the kids frolic in the pool. Certainly a far cry from the happy hours of our past, but might I add, they really are much more enjoyable now!! As autumn progresses, and the evenings cool, I start to employ my Fall Friday Night Fun. This involves baking pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and making smoothies. I spread out a blanket on the family room floor, set up comfy pillows,  and we have our picnic dinner of muffins and smoothies and watch a movie. This is the simplest of plans, and involves very little effort- especially if you can get your children to bake the muffins:), but yields some of the greatest reward in my household. I love when the kids ask what’s for dinner and I respond in a singsong voice- muffin and smoothie night!!! This is always greeting with much enthusiasm. So give this idea a try, and see if you can lure your children in to staying home with you tonight!!!

Here is a visual of an autumn vignette I have set up in my kitchen.  The simplicity of this is what makes me love it the most. I tend to like overabundance when it comes to my decorating, so this is a perfectly simplified welcomed sight as you walk into my kitchen. Please view my many YouTube videos – link on the right- if you are interested in watching any decorating tutorials. Enjoy your Fall Friday Night Fun, and let me know if you were able to convince any of your family members or friends to stay in with you!!!