This past week started with a surprising phone call from Michigan. Chris's dad had been hospitalized, and nobody really knew how serious his condition was. After a day of constant calls and messages between family members, we decided that Chris should fly out to be with his dad. We knew he wouldn't regret being there for his family, especially his mom, but we also understood that if anything happened and he didn't go, he'd always regret it.
Thankfully, Chris was able to bring his dad home on Thursday, and he stayed the rest of the week to ensure everything was okay before I picked him up at the airport yesterday.
In the meantime, the kids and I had a fantastic week celebrating autumn and Halloween together. Even though we've only lived here for two weeks, we managed to keep our plans for the pumpkin patch and trick-or-treating. I'm so glad we did!
Driving home tonight, Chris and I talked about how easy it is to get frustrated when things don't go as planned. The kids sometimes leave messes everywhere, and sweet moments can turn sour quickly. Sometimes we go to bed exhausted and wake up just as tired because even at night, our kids need attention. But when frustration starts to outweigh gratitude, we remind ourselves how lucky we are to have these three little blessings in our lives.
"I just had a muddy moment," I said as Chris climbed back into the car. Earlier, I had spent hours cleaning the car, only to find a pile of chips scattered across the back seat when I turned around. Initially, I was annoyed, but then I remembered our conversation about embracing the chaos of life. "It's just a little mud," I thought, "a small price to pay for having them."
We also talked about a quote I recently read by Lemony Snicket: "If we wait until we are ready, we will be waiting the rest of our lives." Life rarely goes exactly as planned, but often it's better than we could have imagined. Even with challenges, we find beauty in the messes.
Since I’m a mom who needs her sleep when she can get it, I thought I’d share some photos from our Halloween celebrations—without Chris this year, but still with some sweet memories.
Our pumpkin decor was simple yet fun. We used pushpins to create interesting patterns and shapes. It was so easy!
For dessert, I made a "candy corn" treat using whipped cream and pudding. We layered butterscotch pudding at the bottom, vanilla pudding with a hint of yellow food coloring in the middle, and topped it off with a generous layer of whipped cream.
We handed out glow sticks, tattoos, and candy, and surprisingly, we still have plenty left over. Do you have any creative ideas for using up leftover Halloween candy?
We had a blast trick-or-treating with a fantastic group of friends. Brayden wasn’t thrilled about taking pictures this week, but he was all smiles by the end of the night—and sugar-filled, too!
Chad deserves a dad of the year award for his King Triton costume. His wife put so much effort into creating such a cool outfit for their family outing.
Skylar wore a cute "sugar bear" costume this year. It was Aliyah’s first Halloween costume, followed by Brayden’s. Skylar did an amazing job filling those big shoes—or should I say, costume!
I hope your weekend was sweet and sticky, wonderful and happy—maybe a little muddy too.
xo
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P.S. If you're reading this, thank you for taking the time. Life is messy, but it’s also beautiful. Let’s embrace both!
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