Instead of having a Halloween celebration yesterday, the boys’ school always hosts a STEAM Fair to divert attention from costumes and candy. It’s a great plan and it works like a charm.
The boys really enjoyed learning about their topics and presenting them to other students. Even the parents get to enjoy the fair. Chase selected deep sea animals as his project and Robbe chose platypuses. Both subject matters I know very little about—until now.
What a lovely Halloween! Robbe dressed as a Clone Trooper (with a helmet we’ve had in our closet for four years..woohoo!) and Chase decided to be Marethyu (from the series The Legends of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel). We managed a quick visit to see a bunch of family and then came back to our neighborhood for the serious trick or treating. The Wisconsin weather even cooperated. It was one of the warmest I can remember.
Thanks to my mom for sewing up Chase’s cloak and thanks to Chris for supporting my crazy costume-crafting. Making these costumes brings me so much joy.
Enjoy a quick history of all of the boys’ costumes over the years. I love looking back at all these photos, so I thought you might as well.
2021 - Poseidon and Ares
2020 - Legends of Zelda Family Costume
2019 - Ninjas
2018 - King and Knight
2017 - Scientist and Spider
2016 - Frozone and Tool Guy
2015 - Firefighter and Dalmation
2014 - Hedgehogs
2013 + 2012 - Goldfish and Owl (just Chase)
We had such a fun weekend at the lake. Beautiful weather, some epic football games, Halloween costumes & festivities, and even a hand-crafted escape room (pictured above). After weeks of running around non-stop, a quiet weekend with some of my favorite people was just what I needed.
Here’s a sneak peek at some costume supplies. Any guesses about what they boys selected this year?
It’s been crazy around here lately. I mean, crazy crazy. With the book festival going on since Thursday, I’ve barely had a chance to catch my breath racing from one thing to the next. It’s weird that the rest of life doesn’t slow down when the book festival is going on. Just a couple more days and things will get back to our normal level of crazy.
I did manage to snap this photo of an orange tree that has been bringing me joy in my front yard this week. That counts as being present in the moment, right?
The boys both read their original artwork at the Chippewa Valley Book Festival’s Young Writers Read Showcase. Kids between grades 3-8 can submit their stories and 2-3 from each grade get accepted to present their work on stage. I asked them to read their pieces for you in advance so you didn’t have to miss out on all the fun. Check out the links below. Yay for young authors!
I didn’t realize wearing all gray was a thing I had to worry about until the boys started dressing themselves. Now, it comes up more than you’d expect. My nieces even have a name for it: the groutfit (get it…gray + outfit).
The boys came down in these marching groutfits today totally by accident. Impressive, right?
It was a cold one tonight for soccer. But Chase’a fan club was out in full force. Warm weather, I miss you already. Can’t wait to meet again in May.
We’ve graduated to the “regular” size noodles now. Things are getting serious over here.
After a fall filled with weekend soccer games, we haven’t been to the lake house in ages. It was a bit chilly, but a lovely day nonetheless.
I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready for the first snow. At least these two were excited.
Check out these sweet pumpkins the boys designed and carved all by themselves! The fact that they didn’t have to clean them really sparked their creative spirit. In case you’re wondering, pumpkin carving is a much quicker and tidier process when someone else cleans them first (thanks, 4-H club!).
Man, sometimes you just can’t imagine a better day, you know? Homemade pancakes while watching a morning Packer game, a 12-mile bike ride through the changing colors, pumpkin spice-themed hot beverages, the first batch of chili for the season, and even some fresh-baked pumpkin bars for dessert. See, I told you! Pretty amazing, right?!?
These hibiscus trees have lasted a lot longer than I expected. They’ve been moved in and moved out and then moved in and moved out for the last several years. This time I was ready to let them go—they’re just too big to winter inside. But here they are again. Ready to drive me crazy for the next six months.
Can you believe my luck? This girl (aka my niece) was playing in the sectional finals for tennis…in Eau Claire! I canceled my afternoon plans and spent the time cheering her on instead. It was pretty lovely. And super inspiring! She never gave up and fought to get the win until the very end. I’m so proud of this lady!
See? I told you fall has arrived.
It sure is lovely to see the trees changing colors and feel the cooler temperatures…but I wouldn’t mind a slower pace of life right know so I could actually appreciate and enjoy it a bit more!
We went on a kid-free adventure this weekend (the second in a row for me!) and although we had such a fun time, it sure was nice to reunite with the boys this afternoon. I definitely enjoy some time away (and am so appreciative of it!), but it always feels like something is missing, you know? I’m not sure if that makes me lucky or crazy, but either way I’m fine with it.
While I was gone last weekend, Chris and the boys discovered this cabbage had developed a peculiar-looking face. You see it, right? Can you believe that happened without any outside assistance?
Sorry to be MIA over the last few days. I flew to Boston for a business getaway with one of my favorites. It’s been three years since we’ve seen each other in person (thanks, Covid), but it was like no time had passed when we reunited. We’ve got big news to announce in the next few months so stay tuned.
small city | BIG DAYS
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