Today

Today was Halloween. I spent my day with nine year olds... 21 of them from 8:30-3:20. 

They sure were excited. I dressed up as a Baker... I got to wear my apron, a chief hat, and carry around my rolling pin. My fourth graders dressed up too. 

In my town there are no 'parties' any more once its' upper elementary which I am actually really happy about! 

I got an adorable video from Anna tonight thanking me for the gifts I left for her to open on Halloween. 

Abigail was thrilled with some new hair products I found for her. 

Scott answered the door all evening for all of the adorable trick or treaters that came to our house. 

Oh! And I took down every speck of fall decor ... tomorrow I start on our holiday decorations! I am so excited!  

Other posts you might enjoy: 

Halloween... Thankful for the memories

An Evening of Fall

That last weekend Anna was home for fall break we packed it all in... 

My parents and brother came over for dinner (no pictures of all of that) but we did end the evening outside in the chilly weather eating apple cranberry crisp next to the fire pit. There was hot coffee, herbal tea, and happy visiting. The best!

 

The Thing About College Visits

I feel like a professional college visit Mom. I could write a book! I do enjoy them - when I have the time. This visit I was balancing a basket of correcting on my lap while feeling a bit nauseous from looking down, and getting really confused since I usually spread out (like really spread out) when I correct. But I made it work and it was such a beautiful weather day. Fall perfection! 

She knows now every school she will be applying to. She won't tell anyone where she's applying except for us of course... she wants to keep this whole thing to herself until she's firmly decided. She doesn't have one top choice but rather a top three (or maybe four). She has been working so hard and soon those first applications will be submitted! EEEK! 

If I could choose I always want my girls to be a 'day trip' only away. You know, head up, go to Mass, take them out to lunch, hit a few antique shops, enjoy campus, order a tea for the road, and head home. It's not really about that of course... 

A First ~ Solisti

She worked so hard to be in this level orchestra. Solisti... so proud that her dreams came true. 

 

Leaving Again

We had such a wonderful week with Anna home on fall break. Of course Scott, Abigail, and I were all in school that week but we sure did pack those evenings and both weekends. As time goes by I am just so grateful for Anna and her thoughtfulness. She left us these cards on our nightstands to find after bringing her back to college. She is always so considerate and thoughtful, thanking us for the things we did and the memories we made. 

Happiness Is...

Hiking up Hubline Tower hike with Anna the morning before she had to head back to college after her fall break. 

It was the best morning ever! 

Our Day at the Pumpkin Patch ~ autumn joy!

We love our day at the pumpkin patch more than any other fall tradition. As full as our lives are now, as much as our girls are growing up toward adulthood, more 'tricky' our schedules get for doing something like this, the more we want to. Even if it's just one tradition that we can do as a our little family of four each year, we are thrilled with this one!

This year we went on a Saturday afternoon. It was warm and sunny. The leaves were at their 'almost peek'. It was glorious. 

We've been going to the same place forever! It's a family farm since 1927. It's not overdone. There are no tickets. It's not packed with people. It's just a wonderful farmer, his wife {who runs a farm store in a quaint little town down the street}, a hay tractor ride, a pumpkin patch, and that's it. I know that the charm in it is that it's unspoiled, a little gem of a farm. 

So, here are a few pictures from this year. If you scroll down you can click the links to see the other years. 

Here's a few other years to look through... 

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

I think that's just enough "going back" 

Mid October Weekending

Hugging!

Anna's home! Anna's home! Anna's home! {for the first time since she moved in for her senior year} 

Although we did she her for apple picking one afternoon and family weekend, she hasn't been home with us so we were all thrilled! 

Celebrating and Feasting 

One of our family traditions is watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and feasting on a fall board of meats and cheese, and so much more that Scott and I love to put together! Yummmmmy, fun, festive, relaxing, cozy!

Since it only lasted about 30 minutes and we weren't done eating we put on a Hallmark fall movie for a little bit and finished eating. Then we were oh so tired from our week and went right to bed! Abigail fell asleep reading in bed. 

Tradition~ing

I'll share more pictures on an upcoming post but for now I just want to remember that we squeezed this in on our full Saturday. {Abigail is in an orchestra, Opus, Anna visited a friend, and I did a whole photoshoot for Abigail's senior photos on Saturday too!}

Not pictured on Saturday evening was Abigail's senior photoshoot that I did at a local park. I haven't had a chance to dive into the photos yet but I know they'll be stunning! Also, Anna went to visit a friend and have a fun night at her house! 

Noticing

Wow! What a sunrise on Sunday morning! 

We went to 8:00 am Mass. We've totally switched from the 10:00 Mass. It's not easy to get us all out of the house by 7:40 but we do it! I think it is so much more calm and peaceful early in the morning. 

Scott and Anna did some things on Sunday afternoon and Abigail had a lovely time. She did do a lot of homework and I was right along side her doing some thing I needed/wanted to get to. 

We had a yummy soup dinner and then watched a fall movie that was on American Family. 

We had no school on Monday. I baked and baked and baked. Abigail did a ton of school things and things for college.

Such a home ~ cozy good weekend.