With our non-stop activities and going in a million different directions, we seem to have to “schedule” in the fun things.
One of the best things about October in Lexington is Keeneland. There’s no place like it in the fall.
Pre-kids, we’d go with friends a few times a meet and even tailgate beforehand…and go to dinner after! Obviously, life is more hectic now, but I like to go to the races at least once in the fall and the spring. It’s always fun to bump into friends and people that you know. Travis is there quite a bit for work, and sometimes I will tag along. When the kids were in elementary school, he’d usually pick them up once or twice and take them for the last few races. It’s just a fun thing to do especially when the weather is nice!
I shared a post all about Keeneland last spring…and here are a few pics with the kids…
…through the years…
and now…
We were able to go to the last few races on Friday, and I’m so glad we made it work!
The first race we were there, Travis had the kids each choose a horse, and he placed a trifecta bet…
…and they WON!
Hadley actually had winners in almost every race…and they hit another trifecta too. Hadley said, “This is easy!” {follow us for more parenting tips…}
Keeneland has great food and some great people watching too.
We had a really great afternoon. While it was a short visit to Keeneland, it was a good one!
Other weekend fun:
On Sunday, Hadley helped me put out the cobwebs, spiders and skeletons.
Then, the kids carved their pumpkins. I will say that while it’s bittersweet how quickly they are growing up, I’m not mad about the fact they can carve their own pumpkins!
They both had a “vision” and executed the plan. I love this tradition, and I hope we can do it every year.
When I shared my Pumpkin Everythingpost a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I wanted to try the Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Cake that I’d saved on Pinterest.
I added the ingredients to my Clicklist order this weekend, and made the cake on Sunday.
Hello! I can’t believe it’s already the start of a new week. Our weekend flew by, and it was busy. Yesterday was so busy that I sent my family a note from my phone with a schedule for the day…which no one followed. I love that for me.
Anyway…with October wrapping up, I’m sharing some of my favorite memes from the month.
A few Halloween / fall memes:
1.
Yikes! Unfortunately, sometimes this one is relatable…
2.
I know people either love or hate candy corn. I like a few pieces when it’s mixed with peanuts. I haven’t really bought any this season.
3.
I was just recently asked my favorite Halloween candy, and I said Reese’s pumpkins. I know they taste the same, but I always buy myself a few pumpkin and Easter egg ones when I see them at the checkout at the grocery store.
4.
I’m always amazed how crowded the pumpkin patches are every year. I will say when we went last week, it didn’t feel as crowded as usual.
A few other memes…
5.
Why is this one so true?! I literally never know what to do.
6.
I’m actually not too bad at recognizing people, but I struggle with names sometimes…especially after just meeting someone. Why am I this way? haha
7.
I literally live for coffee. I’m not sure anyone would want to be near me without caffeine.
8.
This one made me LOL because it is one of the reasons we don’t belong to Costco or Sams. I spend enough money at Kroger and Trader Joe’s!
Which meme was your fave?
We have another busy week on tap, but I’m just going to take it day by day.
Happy Friday, y’all! How was your week? I’m definitely ready for the weekend… I can tell you that much!
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This week’s favorites are just my favorite(s) of each day. I’m trying to take a moment to look at the little and big moments of each day.
Saturday:
As I shared in Monday’s post, Hayden had state cross country on Saturday. It’s hard to believe that his second middle school season is over. He’s ready to come back stronger and faster next year.
Sunday:
Sunday was one of my favorite days of the year…we went to the pumpkin patch!
Then, it was Hayden’s turn for the “you are special” red plate for the end of his 7th grade cross country season.
Monday:
On Monday, the temps cooled off significantly, and I was ready to dress for fall! I picked up this plaid flannel at Target and love it. It’s a high/low style, so it’s long enough to wear with leggings, but I wore it with jeggings to school. It’s definitely oversized, and I settled on the medium after the large seemed too roomy (I ordered both sizes and returned one). I didn’t realize when I ordered it, but it has pockets. Win, win!
Tuesday:
After school on Tuesday, I stopped by the library for a couple of books I had on hold. Like last year, I wanted to read at least one Christmas book in November before reading a few more in December. I decided to go ahead and request a couple and these were ready for me:
{Side note: please let me know of any holiday/Christmas book recs you have!}
Tuesday evening, Hadley joined Trav’s club season group for a run. I reminded her how cold it was outside and to dress warmly. She came out wearing sweats and said, “I look like Major!”
His “Majoriform” is definitely sweats and tennis shoes. He likes to keep it comfy 24/7.
Wednesday:
Wednesday afternoon, we were headed out the front door, and our trees stopped me in my tracks. The sun light was hitting them just right. I always love how beautiful the leaves are, but then I feel like they don’t stay on the trees long enough.
Thursday:
On Monday, I saw that Antique Candle Co. was offering 25% off their Tree Farm candle, so I went ahead and snagged it! It arrived yesterday. While I’m still savoring the days of fall, I know this will be a favorite scent in colder months.
Also…
Cross country photos came in this week. Trav’s brother took the team photos, and they turned out amazing!
And…I know this guy! Travis was interviewed on TVG. So proud of him.
Favorite Mom Meme:
Y’all this is a bone of contention at my house. Nothing drives me crazier than the cup upside down in the sink (I tell Hayden he’s like the Wet Bandits…this is his signature move!), the toilet paper roll on the counter, or the backpack in the middle of the floor!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
OMG…this pic from 2012 is one of my faves. This was before Kroger Clicklist. The kids loved riding in the car shopping cart. My first stop would always be produce to pick them up an apple to snack on (of course, I’d pay for them at check out!). This kept them busy while I shopped as quickly as possible!
Do you know how many “Bless your hearts” I got while out shopping with these two?! I sure miss those days.
Weekly Recap:
I was a busy blogger this week. Here are my posts:
What are you up to this weekend? Travis will be working quite a bit, but the rest of us don’t have as much going on. A Saturday with no sports…what is this life? The same can’t be said about Friday evening and Sunday afternoon! We’ll make the most of the weekend, I’m sure.
Hello! It’s almost the weekend. I can tell you that I feel like I’m barely hanging on this week.
Anyway…
I try to do a “Three Things” post each “season,” but it looks like I skipped summer…my last Three Things post was in May!
Here’s what’s going on with each of us lately:
Sports: Now that school cross country is finished, Hayden has started club season which will go into early December. This was such a fun season to watch Hayden improve with each race. He hasn’t had the best luck at the state meet the past two years (last year, he was still getting over Covid, and this year, he’d hurt his leg). I know next year he’s hoping to have a solid season as an 8th grader. I can’t believe that next year will be the last year of middle school running. He’s also playing rec basketball to prep for middle school basketball in December as well.
Cooking: I have to give Hayden credit…he’s mastered making grilled cheese and quesadilla. He figured those two dishes out over the summer. This semester he has Life Essentials, so maybe he’ll add to his cooking rotation.
School: In 7th grade, students choose a foreign language, and Hayden chose Spanish. I think he’s enjoying it so far. Last Friday was “Heritage Day” at school, and the students in Spanish class had presentations, there was food to eat, and guest speakers in the gym. Hayden and his group earned 100%, so they were happy about that. Muy bueno!
Sports/Activities: Like last year, Hadley’s doing all the things. She’s still taking studio dance as well as competition. This year, one of her classes is lyrical, and she’s loving it. This has been Hadley’s first week of volleyball practice, and she’s excited for this season. She’s also on Student Council this year, and they are busy planning the Haunted House that’s coming up soon.
Life update: Hadley’s loving not having her braces. She does have to wear clear (like Invisalign) retainers for now, and she’s kept up with them so far. She said she’s most excited to bite into an apple now that she doesn’t have braces which I thought was a funny rite of passage.
School: Hadley chose French as her foreign language this year, and is enjoying it. She dreams of going to see the Eiffel Tower one day which is why she chose French over Spanish. haha
Travis is finished coaching the middle school cross country, but now he’s the Lexington area coach for club season. He’s got a good group of runners. I don’t know how he does it all, but he enjoys it. He’s also very busy with work because the Breeder’s Cup is in Lexington this year, and he’s also preparing for a sale next week as well as the November sales.
I just finished phase 1 of my Invisalign. Of course, I didn’t know what to expect, but so far so good. After my first 30 weeks, they took off my attachments and rescanned me. I have an appointment next month to get my new set of trays. So, right now, it’s weird to actually not have the trays in my mouth 24/7. I just sleep in my week 30 trays at night. How many more phases will I have? I’m not sure, but all along, my treatment plan was 18-24 months. And…this week has been extra busy because I’ve been giving the ACT at school the past couple of days. I feel like I haven’t really been in a regular routine at school, but I’m happy to help however is needed at school.
Homer – Nothing really to report with Homer besides the fact I do think he’s continuing to mature. It’s nice to leave him out in the house when we are gone…He’s living his best life taking naps and guarding the house. We love him a lot.
So…that’s just a bit about what we are up to. We are entering our most hectic time of the year as Travis is busy with work, the kids have their birthday soon, and of course, we have the holidays coming up too! Now, we’ve added volleyball and club running to our plates.
I hope you are having a great week. See you back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites.
Well, we had snow flurries yesterday which is a far cry from 80 degree temps and the salt water we got to experience on Fall Break.
Last week, I shared part 1 of our trip, and today I’m recapping the last couple of days.
Wednesday:
On Wednesday, we all had a slow start to the day, and people kind of did their own thing. Some of the moms went shopping and took the girls. I stayed back and read on the screened in porch while drinking my coffee.
Travis took Hayden to the pool for his exercises and stretching.
Then, Travis worked from the house the rest of day as some of the others did as well. I guess this was the point of vacay where we had to put the fun aside and get caught up on work. haha
Then, some of us had some beach time. The girls (Hadley & Co.) spent most of the day at the pool.
The weather could not have been more perfect. I enjoyed my book and my Truly and continued to work on my tan. On this day, I kind of joked about how fun it was vacationing with my family (I was the only one at the beach. haha)
I headed back to the house around 3:00 to shower and rest. Then, it was the “parents night out” for dinner. All the kids hung at the house, and we ordered pizza for them.
We had dinner reservation at Old Florida Fish House. They couldn’t seat all 12 of us together, so we split up with a guys table and a girls table.
The setting was beautiful, and the food was delicious.
On our way out, we were able to get a group pic. It turned out so great!
Then, we went back to the house and enjoyed music by the fire. (Not everyone is lucky enough to travel with a talented musician and his guitar!)
Thursday:
Thursday morning was another slow one. Since it was our last day of vacay, we all knew it was our last day to relax.
Most of us eventually headed to the beach. We all wanted to maximize our time there since it was the last day.
Poor Hayden spent most of his time on the couch (or in the pool doing his exercises)
Hadley joined me on the beach. After a day at the pool the day before, the girls were ready to have fun in the sun and the sand.
Since we knew we’d have to start packing up that night and wanted to spend as much time on the beach as possible, we all headed back to the house late afternoon to freshen up and have a late lunch instead of going out to dinner. All the families kind of did their own thing. My family headed in to Seaside to go to Great Southern.
Travis and Hayden wanted one more round of oysters.
We got the calamari app, and I got a salad. Then, we enjoyed ice cream at It’s Heavenly afterwards.
Then, we went back to the house. The kids ran around and played a bit before heading to the beach for one more sunset.
We (all the moms) wanted *casual* family photos, and we made it all work.
We took turns snapping pics of each family. I love how ours turned out. (Some things do get easier with time!)
Hadley took a pic of Travis and me…
The kids gave me a few more smiles…
…before we snapped all the different combos of group kid photos. haha
Love this crew:
The girls, boys, and the oldest girls…
…and then the best pic of all. Thank goodness for a timer on the phone! (We were missing one family, but I love this pic so much.)
Then, we sat down for the last few minutes and enjoyed a beverage while watching the sunset.
It was a good one! Nothing beats a beach sunset.
We stayed until dark, and then headed back to the house. We still hadn’t made S’mores, so that was on the agenda for the last night.
Then, we all started packing up to make the morning easier before heading to bed.
Friday:
We were all up and at ’em pretty early. I did enjoy one more cup of coffee on the porch before helping clean out the fridge, tidying up the house, and doing a walk through to make sure nothing was left behind. It was all hands on deck (You should have seen the carriage house after a few days with four girls!), but we got it done.
Everyone was on the road by 9. It was quite the drive home. We hit traffic in Nashville, so it was almost an eleven hour drive back. The good thing is the kids were so tired, the slept quite a bit.
I think we all felt like we could have used one more beach day, but it was nice to have the whole weekend to unpack, do laundry, get groceries, and prep for the week ahead.
This trip couldn’t have gone any better. I think it helps that the kids are all at a great traveling age that also provided flexibility for all. If a kid didn’t want to stay at the beach, they could stay at the house. The parents were able to go out one night, all the families could hang, or we could all just do our own thing.
We’ve been blessed with amazing friendships with amazing families. It’s so nice that when the kids became friends, the parents all became friends too. I know this is a vacation (and photos!) that we’ll remember fondly and hope to do again in the future.
Thanks for following along. Now, don’t mind me…I’m off to find my winter coat. Brrr!
Hey there! On Sunday, we went to the pumpkin patch which is one of my favorite days of the year.
Simon Holland cracks me up, and his pumpkin patch quotes are the best. On Sunday, we kept it pretty simple…no corn mazes, hay rides or sign purchasing happened, but we did have a great time.
We used to spend hours at the pumpkin patch letting the kids run around, go down the slides, pet the animals, jump on the inflatables, and more. That being said, right around Covid time, they probably aged out of those things anyway. So, the past couple of years have been more about enjoying the scenery on the drive there, walking around a bit, buying all the seasonal snacks, picking out carving pumpkins and heading home.
We go to Evans Orchard in Georgetown. This is the same place where we picked strawberries a couple of summers ago.
The weather was overcast (I remember going so many times when the kids were little and sweating in the hot temps!), and the temps were pretty cool. We actually had a few raindrops fall on us during out time there.
Can’t beat this sight:
The front porch is always so festive and cute.
There were a few raindrops right as we arrived, so we headed inside for our favorite snacks. We picked up some apple cider donuts, Hayden got a cold apple cider while the rest of us got hot apple cider, and then Travis always falls for the “buy 2, get 1 free” fudge. So, we wandered around the store a bit and then purchased our items.
My favorite part is looking at all the different kinds of pumpkins.
Hadley saw the muted colored pumpkins in the top left photo and said they were my “vibe.” She’s not wrong!
Every year, they always organize the pumpkins in different ways which is always so fun to see.
I was tempted, but I didn’t pick up any more pumpkins for the porch!
This carved pumpkin caught my eye:
The kids obliged for a photo by one of the set ups they had…
Then, they picked out their pumpkins to carve.
We paid for the pumpkins, walked around a bit more, and then headed home!
So it was a quick trip, but I still enjoy this tradition so much.
Then, I immediately inhaled two donuts when I get home 😂 and relaxed the rest of the afternoon.
Through the years…
I’ve shared this collage before, and I still love it so much. Travis and I have actually gone to the pumpkin patch every year we’ve been married. So, of course when we had the kids, we had to continue the tradition. (or at least that’s what I told him…😂)
Here they are in 2010–2018:
2019
2020
2021
and… this year…2022.
(Hadley’s getting a lot of wear out of her pumpkin sweatshirt I got her last year.)
Other Favorite Memories
In 2015, I went with the kids on their kindergarten field trip to Boyd’s Orchard. I loved going with them, seeing them run around, learn, hang with their friends, and pick pumpkins.
In 2016, Hadley’s Daisy troop went to Evan’s Orchard, and that’s when we made the shift as a family and started going there. It’s a little more spread out than Boyd’s, and when it’s crowded, that really makes a difference.
(Speaking of getting wear out of a shirt…clearly, I had a pumpkin patch outfit in 2015 and 2016. Actually, I still own that plaid Old Navy flannel. It’s a fave, for sure.)
I feel like we are so busy, but I told the kids and Travis that the pumpkin patch in October and Christmas lights at the Kentucky Horse Park in December are two traditions I want to make happen for as many years as possible! Even if we have to squeeze in a time to make that happen, I’m going to do it.
Hello and Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend. Ours sure seemed to go by so quickly.
Today, I’m linking up with Sarah and Holly for Hello Monday…
to tell you about my:
Here’s a peek at our weekend:
It’s probably a lame #1, but the fact that I was able to come home straight after school on a Friday with no errands or other things to do was a highlight of my day. I was home by 3:45 and had time to workout, tidy up, and get ready for the weekend. The kids had an after school activity, and I picked them up at 5:30. While we were out, we went ahead and picked up dinner to eat at home. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to watch a movie as a family because Travis worked really late. Instead, the kids and I ate dinner and watched a few episodes of The Goldbergs. We’re almost caught up with last season. Anyway, it was just a great way to start the weekend.
The weather on Saturday was perfection, and there were touches of fall everywhere.
I had a few minutes to eat lunch after running some errands and decided to sit out on the front porch and get some fresh air. I had the best fall view.
It was the state cross country meet in Paris, Kentucky on Saturday. Travis had a long day because his 6th graders ran in the morning, and then the 7th and 8th graders ran in the afternoon.
Hayden hurt his IT band while playing on the beach, and he’d been to PT and stretching all week. He didn’t feel 100%, but he felt good enough to run. While Hayden was disappointed with his finish, he still had a PR for the 4k and scored points for his team. The boys finished in the top 10 in the state which is so amazing. They’ve worked so hard, and Travis has done a fantastic job training them this season. I’ve loved watching Travis coach Hayden and the team. We had a fantastic group of 8th grade boys that we’ll miss next year! Overall, it was an amazing season.
Hayden will continue to rehab his injury and run in the post season with Travis as one of his coaches. (More on that, I’m sure as that season gets going!)
We made it to the pumpkin patch yesterday. The weather was overcast, but we headed there right after church and beat the rain. The kids went straight to get hot apple cider and apple cider donuts.
Then, they picked out their carving pumpkins before we headed home.
I remember when we used to spend hours at the pumpkin patch, so they could run around and do all the activities. Now, we probably spend more time in the car getting there than wandering around, but I’m still glad we can make this tradition happen.
Besides the memories, the second best part of the pumpkin patch is picking up the apple cider donuts. Ugh…I had two yesterday, but they were worth it. Back on track today!
This week, I’m trying three new recipes, so I thought I’d go ahead and share those too!
Amy inspired me with her lasagna cups. I used to make an appetizer (recipe courtesy of a friend) that used wonton wrappers, and thought I’d give a new recipe a try. I found this Muffin Tin Lasagna Cuprecipe on Pinterest, and we had it last night for dinner. They were delish!
I saw this soup recipe on Instagram, and I’m going to make it tonight or tomorrow.
On Wednesday, I’m going to make Andrea’s One Pot Bow Tie Pastarecipe.
This week’s meal planning feels a little “carb heavy,” but ’tis the fall season.
How was your weekend? Let me know a highlight! Also, what are you eating this week?
This week was a good one, but re-entry after a week off for break was quite the adjustment. Besides school, work, and regular evening commitments, I just felt like we had a few extra things thrown in like early Student Council meetings and flu shot appointments.
Anyway, TGIF…and I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Favorite Moment:
Tuesday was a BIG day around here. Hadley got her last set of braces off! This second phase was supposed to be about two years, and she finished up three months early.
I love that smile!
Progress through the years…phase one start and finish and phase two start and finish.
A win for me…I’ve finished my first round (30 weeks) of Invisalign. One thing I didn’t think I’d ever have in common with my almost teenagers is having ortho appointments at the same time. Here we are headed to our appointments Tuesday morning.
I get my next set of trays in about a month…and fingers crossed…Hayden will be finished with braces the first of the year.
Favorite Clothes:
I had a couple favorites from my recent Stitch Fix order. I’ve been using Stitch Fix for probably five years or so. I get four shipments a year. I usually keep one to two things per box. My stylist over the past year or so is Narci, and I love what she picks out for me.
Something that SF has started doing the past year or so is sending an email in advance suggesting a few pieces they are putting in your box, and you say yes or no.
When I saw this knit jacket, I thought it would be great as a nicer outerwear option for fall and winter. I was trying on a few things for Keeneland, and thought I’d see how the coat looked with one of my dresses. I really love it.
There were two pairs of mid rise jeans in my order, and when I put on these “girl friend” jeans, I really liked them. I wasn’t sure if they were “age appropriate” for me, (read: am I too old to have holes in my jeans?), but when I showed them to Hadley, she approved and said they were “giving.” That’s a good thing, BTW.
I have Stitch Fix referral link (every customer does) if you are interested in trying it out.
Favorite Foods:
I went to Trader Joe’s for fruit, and came home with this pumpkin brioche bread (and the fruit)…and it’s delish! Hadley’s been having a slice for breakfast, and I’ve had it for a snack a time or two. Yummy.
I had Amy’s Dorito salad for lunch three times this week. Easy to prep and so good.
Other Faves:
My big blue crew are a fave. They were dressed and ready for the cooler temps. (Hayden is an example of how middle school boys dress even when the temps dip below 50…he did take a sweatshirt) for the football game last weekend. Another fave…while they were gone, I had the house to myself. haha!
Hadley had a big week! Besides getting her braces off, she also made the school volleyball team. Tryouts were on Tuesday, so she earned the red plate for dinner. When I put her dinner on the plate, she said she hadn’t made the team yet. I reminded her it was about the effort and not the outcome. After not playing much since before Covid and with many girls trying out, she was nervous. That being said, she felt good about her tryout…which is all she could ask for.
She’s excited to get back on the court this season, and we can’t wait to watch.
Ok –this is a random favorite, but do you follow Brunch with Babs on Instagram? She’s so much fun, and she shares tips pretty often. She mentioned that most washers have a delayed start, so to check it out and use that as a way to start laundry when needed. Our washer is a couple of years old, so I figured it would have that feature. Well, I checked…and it did! I don’t like running the washer or dryer when we aren’t home, so this will be a good way to throw laundry in and set the start for the early morning or afternoon.
Favorite Mom Meme:
hashtag: that mom life
Bonus Fave…Flashback Friday:
With Hadley back on the volleyball court again, here’s a pic of her at a skills session a few years ago. Seems like a lifetime ago.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts this week in case you missed one!
What do you have on tap this weekend? I’m really hoping for a quiet night at home watching a movie with the fam. We’ve done a pretty good job watching a movie a month together this year. Then, Saturday is state cross country. Fingers crossed, I think Hayden’s leg is much better. Not sure if we’ll get there, but I was hoping to get to the pumpkin patch this weekend too. We’ll see!
I can’t believe we’ve almost been home from the beach for a week, and I’m just getting around to sharing about the first few days of our trip.
Like I shared last week, it felt odd prepping for our trip as we weren’t sure the exact track of Hurricane Ian. Florida saw a lot of devastation, but the hurricane didn’t make it to the 30A/Destin area.
30A is a “hot spot” for vacations for the southern states. We have lots of friends who go there many times a year. I believe there are direct flights if not from Lexington, from nearby cities. That being said, most of the time, I think people drive. It’s about a ten hour trip. Travis and I had been there once before with friends many years ago. I’m sure we’d go there more if we didn’t have Siesta Key as our main Florida vacation spot thanks to Trav’s family.
Anyway, here’s a bit about the first few days of our trip…
Saturday:
We were sharing a house with three other families, and we couldn’t check in until Sunday. It ended up that Kentucky was playing Old Miss at noon that day, so many of our friends left early in the morning to get to our pit stop of Birmingham, AL by game time. Hayden had a cross country meet, so while many families left in the morning, we didn’t leave until about 2 pm. We arrived in Birmingham around 8:00 and just hung out. We were all the same hotel, so the kids got together, and the adults hung out too. We just got carry out dinner and watched football on tv before going to bed.
Sunday:
Since we still had about 3.5 hours left of the drive, we all wanted to leave by 9:00. Everyone was up and having breakfast before packing up for the rest of the drive. Who doesn’t love a “free” breakfast?
We hit the road, and arrived in the 30A area around 1:00. We were traveling with two families who were pretty familiar with the area as they’d vacationed there quite a few times. They suggested Hurricane Oyster Bar and Grill for lunch, and that’s where we all met up.
I had the lobster tacos, and they were so good. They kids ate and were able to walk around a bit while the adults chatted and ate. Hayden and Travis got their first oysters of the trip.
We were guaranteed check in to the house by 5:00, but just as we were getting into our cars around 3:00, they texted that the house was ready. Perfect timing!
One of the moms ordered groceries for delivery between 3:00 and 5:00. The Instacart person was in the driveway as we arrived. Again, perfect timing!
The house was pretty big and so charming. It was nestled in a neighborhood about 1/2 a mile from the beach, and the neighborhood had two pools…one of which was only a few steps from our house.
The screened in front porch was my favorite part!
We all got settled in our rooms, unpacked groceries, and got organized. There was a carriage house above the garage, and it had a king bed and two twin beds. The four girls got it. It was funny because Hadley kept calling it the “out house” at first. I told her it was a far cry from an out house. Throughout the week, they called it the “other” house, the “back” house, and eventually the “she shed.” They definitely had a good spot!
Our house also had a golf cart, so a couple of trips on that to get everyone there, and we were at the beach by 4:00.
We all sat around while kids played.
Then once we realized how early the sun would be setting (6:30!), we decided to grab some drinks from the house to enjoy while we watched the sun set. I ordered these cups from a Lexington girl (@cupsoncochran) and brought them for us to use on the trip.
I love a beach sunset. I try hard not to miss one while on vacay!
Of course, we had to have some sunset pics on the first night.
Then, we headed back to the house for dinner. I’m so glad we had made the plan to grill out at home. We were back from the beach around 6:45, and had dinner around 7:30. The kids played games, and the Chiefs were on tv. We all hung out, and I think most were in bed around 10.
Monday:
We eased into the morning with people waking at various times. Before we left for the trip, the moms made a tentative breakfast plan. Of course, we bought cereal, but then we also planned for pancakes, sausage biscuits, omelets and more. We spaced those out throughout the week.
We had coffee on the screened in porch before the moms walked on the beach. There were two other families nearby that we hung out with as well.
When we got back from our walk, everyone packed up to head to beach for the day.
First full day at the beach, and everyone enjoyed it!
The kids caught all kinds of things: crabs, snakes, fish. We even saw lots of jelly fish.
In Seaside square, the moms hit up an early happy hour…
…while the girls walked around, shopped, and got ice cream.
We made it back in time to load up and head to the beach for sunset.
The moms got a pic:
…as did the daughters. Any guesses on what the girls bought while we were at happy hour? haha
This is one of those photos (both photos, actually) that I think we’ll treasure forever.
Are you even a “tween” if you aren’t doing Tik Tok dances by the ocean?
We enjoyed the sunset before heading back to the house.
Again, it was a full day at the beach, so I’m glad we planned ahead for tacos at home. Even better, someone had the good call to put the taco meat in the slow cooker. Dinner was basically ready when we got back.
Then, most of the kids settled in for Hocus Pocus 2.
It was a great day.
Tuesday:
I had coffee on the front porch before the moms biked to Modica Market for mimosas and breakfast. The mimosas were a great way to start the day. Also, I caved and bought a Seaside sweatshirt too. Hadley gets her love of sweatshirts from me!
Travis drove some of the kids up to the market on the golf cart to pick up breakfast, so we saw them for a few minutes as well.
Once we got back, we packed up and headed to the beach.
I’m glad we got this family pic because that’s about the last time Hayden was at the beach. He’d hurt his leg the day before playing football on the beach (strained a muscle, I guess), so he laid low at the house or did stretches or exercises in the pool the other days.
The beach was never super crowded, and on this day, the water was hardly moving!
I read my book and enjoyed the sunshine.
I went back to the house mid-afternoon to check on Hayden and see what the kids were up to. Then, I took an afternoon nap on screened in porch. It was lovely.
The guys (and Hayden) went out for happy hour and oysters.
For dinner, we met up with the two other families at the Hub (which I think is also called The Big Chill now). This was the perfect place for dinner because it’s all outside, there was a movie playing, and there were many food options.
After a few hours there, we headed back to the house. Again, the kids played for a bit, and we all hung out. We ended up turning on The Addams Family which we all hadn’t seen in forever.
We had a great start to our vacay….I will share the last couple of days next week!
Hello! How is your week going so far? We’re having a good one. The weather has been perfection…cool mornings and sunny days. It’s definitely feeling like October around here.
Today, I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for Let’s Look.
This month’s topic is: select your Halloween costumes.
I feel like I’ve done some variation of this post the past couple of years…
That being said, I think our Halloween days are about over (and the days of little cute costumes are definitely over), so these posts are always a fun little trip down memory lane for me.
As far as how we select Halloween costumes, it’s really just about the kids. I haven’t worn a Halloween costume in years. We haven’t had any adult Halloween parties since before we had kids, I think. Also, we’ve never done family costumes because I am not that creative! I do love to see what others think of, but that’s never been a priority for me.
Anyway, here’s a little look at the kids’ costumes through the years.
2010:
The kids were 11 months old for their first Halloween, and I went with pretty “simple” and “classic” costumes for my nearly one year olds. What’s cuter than a pumpkin and a skeleton?
2011:
Leading up to this Halloween, I remember a conversation about how the kids should be m&m’s since we called them H&H. My mom made these m&m costumes for them which were cute and easy.
2012:
This Halloween, the kids were almost two…and so began the years of them choosing what they wanted to be. What little boy didn’t want to be a fireman and little girl, a princess?
2013:
I’ve shared before, but this was my favorite year. Hayden wanted to be Batman, and Hadley actually said, “I’ll be Robin!” Every time I look at this photo, her little mask on her chubby cheeks kills me.
2014:
This was the first year in our new house, and we moved in a few weeks before Halloween. I remember that it was a hectic time, but the kids were very confident in what they wanted to be. Hayden was still in the super hero phase, and Frozen was all the rage at the time. Hadley wanted to be Elsa, of course.
2015:
Target was a life saver for costumes. They kids were excited to find a ninja and a pink power ranger costume in the Halloween section.
2016:
In 2016, Hadley was a bee while Hayden was Luke Skywalker.
Hadley learned to read just in time to scroll my phone for costume ideas. When she said, “let’s get buzzed” and showed me a photo of a woman in a bee costume, there was no turning back. 😂Hadley saw that adult bee costume and remembered that she had a hand me down black and yellow costume from her cousin. We bought the tights and made the headband. It turned out so cute.
Hayden loved that his light saber glowed in the dark!
2017:
Looking back, this was another favorite costume year. After the Royals won the World Series in 2015, Hayden because a huge Mike Moustakas fan. This costume was easy to put together because we already had everything we needed! Hadley decided she wanted to be Super Woman which was super cute.
2018:
This was the year Hayden returned to playing soccer, so he wanted to be Ronaldo. Hadley told me she wanted to be “an 80’s girl!” and thankfully, Amazon had everything we needed.
2019:
In 4th grade, there were lots of Ghostbusters. Hayden loved having the inflatable Proton Pack (not pictured). Hadley was so cute as a nerd. She asked if I would bring home a dictionary or thesaurus from school!
2020:
The kids were still able to trick-or-treat in 2020 even with Covid going one. Hadley and a group of friends were m&m’s while Hayden dressed as another idol of his…Patrick Mahomes.
2021:
Ahh…the first year of middle school. It’s an awkward time where some people think you are too old to trick-or-treat and others don’t mind. Hadley and a group of friends all wore different animal onsies. Honestly, I loved this as an idea because Hadley continued to wear them in the colder months as pjs.
Hayden had a last minute decision to be Happy Gilmore. The idea came about at some point thanks to Hadley and Travis. Hayden was really into golfing at the time. Travis and Hadley even found the plaid Vineyard Vines shirt at a consignment store for him that looked like the one Adam Sandler wore in the movie. It was a funny costume idea, and he went along with it. I didn’t let him carry the golf club around while trick-or-treating!
Sigh, I can’t believe the little kid costume years are over. Even more, they kids basically trick-or-treated on their own last year. The adults got together for a bit, but I was actually home in time to hand out some candy just as it was getting dark outside.
What are you favorite Halloween costumes that you had growing up?
Here I am in 1980 something as a cheerleader…-and my Care Bear brother stole one of my pom poms!
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