FALL

Fall brought great routine, structure & pumpkin to our house...just as I predicted.  

 

It was good for us to get back into the groove of things and we had some really great time this year to enjoy the awesome weather and beautiful Fall God provided!  

I got to go on a trip!  All by myself, and despite the little fluffy ball of cuteness sitting on my bags, shocked that I could be leaving without her, I went to DC to visit Auntie Casey & meet baby Ev.  It was all kinds of goodness for me...I stayed up late laughing with an old & dear friend (and there's not much better than that folks), I ate a cupcake for breakfast & really yummy take out, went for a run through a gorgeous park in DC and got to explore a place that's chalk full of history and just different from where I spend my days.  I traveled by myself which was good for me and I got to hold a new baby...who I couldn't be more thrilled is here!  I am so thankful for my precious husband who saw my need for a little retreat from my daily life and took on a weekend by himself so that I could have one to myself.  He is really thoughtful about putting me first in that way...I should learn a thing or two from him:).

 

He also stayed home on Monday nights so I could sneak out to a calligraphy class!  It was fun to learn a new skill and although I will need WAY more practice, it was awesome to have time to be a little bit creative!

PS: there are no erasers with ink...so this might not end up being "my jam" haha!

  

We drove to Ohio for Bryan Bailin's wedding and had another fun night out with the Richard clan

And Ryan's sister's and their families stopped by for a night too which was so fun to see all the cousins together!

Little Kids

Big Kids

Then came Halloween and all the festivities that go along with that!  Crosbi was (disheveled) Princess Anna, respectively, and the boys were Hiccup and Toothless from the Dragons movie that they are both super into at the moment.  We got to hit the pumpkin farm, a party at the Y, Trick or Treating in our neighborhood, saw Griff's school parade and helped at Beanie's "Truck or Treat" at his school!

 

Trunk or Treat

 

Y Halloween party

 

 

Pumpkin Farm & their animals...C & I can't get enough!

And Trick or Treating in the hood with Charlie, Henry & Joe

And to top off this post, here's a few random shots from this fall...

Although we had high hopes early this season, it ended up being a catastrophe for our Bears, but as any good Chicago fan knows...there's always next year!

C in some new mitts & hat

So proud of this guy for finishing a Super Spartan this Fall!

G dressed up his turkey for school as Derrick Rose

How we've found the boys on more than one occasion when we go into check on them at night:)

  

I am so loving having another person who truly understands bed head and the need for a headband and good manicure around the house.  She is so much fun.  Ryan says she's sassy and then follows it up with how much she's like me.  Shoot....it's most likely true.  Ha!

A smile I cannot get enough of from this red head and his spiky hair cut

Super fun park date with GiGi and the cousins at our house

& some more precious life long friends of mine from Jr. High!   We were friends at 13 and 20 years later we still spend most of a meal together cracking up.  Pretty blessed.