October is the first full month of fall, and the month when most of the fun fall activities take place. The weather is still nice and the leaves are changing all around us. It’s a beautiful season filled with many wonderful things to do. We have narrowed the list down to our four favorites, and we want to share them with you.

Perfect Pumpkins

This is the time of year when pumpkins start popping up on every corner and in every store you see! How can you resist grabbing one or two (or three or more!) for your home? Whether just displaying them au natural or carving them into a funny face, pumpkins are definitely a big part of the fall fun experience.

My favorite thing about pumpkins is eating them! I enjoy all things flavored with pumpkin, be it pie, cake or ravioli. The flavor, the spices, the aroma -- it's all an incredible delight for the nose and mouth. Many of our members here at WP have added some excellent pumpkin recipes to our Cookbook . Check them out and give something new a try this year.

Decorating pumpkins is always a fun activity to do with kids. You can paint them, you can carve them, you can cut out shapes and glue them to the outside. Let your imagination run wild and see what fantastic creation you can achieve this year. For those who need a little more inspiration, check out this awesome article on pumpkin carving.

Finding a pumpkin patch to choose your own pumpkin is great fun for your whole family. To choose the perfect pumpkin, look for one in the shape you like best and make sure it's firm. Don't scratch or bruise the pumpkin, or it may rot quickly. Keeping it away from heat and moisture is another great way to keep your pumpkin from getting moldy and smelly before you are finished with it. I like to keep mine outside on the front steps to decorate my house. The cooler temps help keep it nice for the whole season!

Whether you pick your pumpkin out of a patch, a bin at the grocery store, or buy it in a can, we hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

Fall Fun with Leaves

Fall brings tons of fun with the colorful foliage all around us. While most of us agree leaves are beautiful, the idea of raking them up doesn't always sound like the best way to spend a crisp fall day. Don't be swayed by a little work though. There is a lot more enjoyment to be gathered with those crunchy little leaves. How about giving some of them a try this year?

While raking up the piles, you can always take a break to just jump in and have fun! Kids are big fans of this activity, and even parents can have some fun jumping in too.

For those of us who don't want to hurdle our bodies to the ground, there is always the crafty leaf projects to try. Find a good, flat leaf and lay a piece of white paper over it. Take a crayon and rub it gently across the whole leaf until you see all the details come out on the paper. These make great placemats or, if you add a name, place cards for a dinner party.

Decorating with leaves always adds an awesome autumnal flair to your home. You can gather a big, clear bowl of colorful leaves together for a simple but beautiful display. Gathering leaves into a bunch and tying the ends with twine to create bundles and then arranging them with small pumpkins and gourds creates a lovely centerpiece for any table.

Using a foam form from a craft store, you could also create a wreath or candle ring out of leaves by sticking the stems into the foam form and arranging them the way you find most beautiful!

Other ways to use all those leaves covering your lawn is to stuff them inside giant pumpkin-colored garbage bags for a yard display. Similarly, you could stuff them inside an old shirt and pair of jeans or overalls and create your very own scarecrow!

No matter what you use, don't let all that beauty just go to the curb without making use of some of it to spruce up your home for the fall!

Autumnal Apples

Going out to pick apples is a tradition in many families around the country. But if this is something new to your crew, we'd like to help you be prepared. So when you're packing up the family for a trip to your local orchard, make sure you have a game plan ready to make the most of your day. Here's what we recommend:

When choosing an apple to pick, make sure the fruit is firm and bruise-free. And after you have picked it, make sure to gently place it into the basket to keep it bruise-free. That will keep them from going bad too quickly.

The color will not tell you if it is ripe, so be sure to speak with the farmer to find out which trees have the ripe fruits. Apples ripen from the outside of the tree in, so the ones on the outside will ripen first.

Once you bring the apples home, make sure you keep them in a cool, dark place. And, to prevent them from spoiling, do not wash them until you are ready to use them.

Eating the apples is a given, but how will you eat them? Will you just give it a rinse and bite right into it? Or will you bake it into a pie, cake or cobbler? From applesauce to jelly to juice, your choices are endless! Make sure to check out the WP Cookbook to find some of our member's best apple recipes.

Now you have a good grasp on how to handle this awesome season, go out and pick some apples! With these handy tips, you will be sure to bring home the best of the crop.

For even more apple fun, check out CiderMills.com to find out where the nearest mill is located. Most will even let you take a tour and have a tasting!

Fall Festivals

Fall festivals are a great way to enjoy the season. Many communities will have their own, and some of the best fall activities can be found there. Who doesn't love going on a good, old fashioned hay ride? And corn mazes are always a hit with kids! Some festivals will be tied to harvests, and some larger pumpkin patches or apple orchards will have their own on-site. You will even find big ones happening in some towns with carnival rides and all the classic fair fare!

And don't forget to just enjoy the area you live in by taking a hike to observe the changing colors. Bringing a basket along to gather pretty leaves, pinecones and branches is a great way to spend some time together as a family. Then you can try one of our craft suggestions when you get home!

No matter which of these fun fall activities you and your family choose, make sure you don't miss out on a moment of this most glorious and beautiful time of year!