A rare laid back weekend in the month of October! Especially laid back for the girls, who did not go camping with the Cub Scouts this weekend but it seemed like the boys had so much fun and I’m happy for them ☺️ Once reunited, we had a nice couple of days to work on projects at both our and my sister and Wayne’s houses and even though poor Joey is probably having less fun fixing something at the rental, I love when stuff breaks over there because it’s a chance to see my sis ❤️

I basically spent all of Friday painting Dempsey’s closet and why did that take me so long?? Joey briefly came home to pack up all of their camping stuff and it was making me so anxious to watch him rush around before he had to go pick Dempsey up from school 😅 Later, I picked Lydia up and then we got dinner from Fire on the Mountain and watched Moana 🥰 You can’t hear it, but she was saying “girls’ night!” when I took that picture of the two of us. Gosh, she’s the best! Our report from the boys was that they managed to put the tent up without directions, made s’mores around the campfire, watched the older kids put on skits and had a great time! Meanwhile, I got my girl to bed before retiring myself.

LOL at me thinking Lydi might sleep in on Saturday — her little eyes were open at 6:15 AM! She requested hot chocolate since she heard the campers were having some and I made us æbelskivers, then finished our movie. Joey said Dempsey slept great and he had woken up every two hours 😅 I didn’t think they’d be back till after noon, so I took Lydia to the children’s museum for a bit but then the boys were home early, so we didn’t see them till we got back for lunch. Seemed like everyone had a fun time and hopefully Dempsey made some new Scout friends. Spent a few hours over at my sis and Wayne’s and I think Dempsey’s highlight was playing video games with Uncle Wayne 😂🥹 Back at home, I made us some steak fajitas then Dempsey did a little hardwood sanding before we put them to bed and we watched an episode of Widow’s Bay and the beginning of GBBO before I was straight falling asleep on the couch.

We had a home day on Sunday and barely left the house! I joked with Joey that I was going to make seven different things in the kitchen and then I really kind of did it 😂 Got salads for the week, banana bread, tortilla soup, ribs and coleslaw all made, then come dinner, I just had to finish off the ribs and make some stovetop mac and cheese. My biggest life epiphany has been that you can just make ribs for dinner any old day, it doesn’t have to be the 4th of July! Meanwhile, Joey was trying to finish an outdoor project and the floor and baseboards on the closet. The kids had fun moving all of Dempsey’s clothes over and then made an absolute mess moving Lydia’s clothes over to the side Dempsey’s had been on 🤪 They also helped walk the dog our neighbors are watching and I think it was the highlight of their day. Post-dinner, we watched It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown then put them to bed. It only take an hour and a half and like ten trips back upstairs because they need something these days and I’m ready for this phase to end 😅

Glad we had a low-key weekend because our next few will be busy! I’m very much looking forward to it all though 🙌

October is here and it’s already been a busy blast! Dempsey and I are still struggling to breathe properly and stop clearing our throats but I’m thinking we’ll finally turn a corner this week and then, no more colds for this family until the month is over, right?? We kicked off the first weekend of October with not one, not two, but three birthday parties, plus a Halloween decoration reveal, some good progress on Dempsey’s closet, lots of homemade food and some Spooky Season TV viewing for Joey and I. If I leave out all the car rides where children were crying, screaming and fighting, it was a 10/10 weekend! 😅

There was no way we were going over to Chad and Lori’s without having watched the Big Brother finale first, so we got up and watched it at 5:30 on Friday morning 😂 I was SO nervous when Taylor won the first part of the HOH competition and Drew won the first round of the second part, so I was very relieved to see Devens come out on top in the end. I do think he should’ve taken Drew to the final and still would’ve won, but oh well. He played such a good game, it was a really fun season to watch! Afterward, got the kids up and fed and then Dempsey and I headed out on the bike bus ❤️

We all gathered at Chad and Lori’s later for lasagna dinner, singing “Happy Birthday” to Uncle Adam and then we finally got to see all the hard work Chad, Lori and Dempsey (even though he told me he didn’t really help) put in on the Halloween decorations! Every year, I’m not sure how they can top the year before, but they do! There was a whole light show, music videos projected on the garage, singing skeletons, a giant groundbreaker and spider on the roof, plus they covered the front of the house to make it look like old wooden boards and a really awesome crypt wall. Honestly astounding! No joke, I was emotional seeing it all because I know it’s all for those kiddos and they’re so lucky to be so loved!

The kids slept in on Saturday so I baked a loaf of Jack Skellington sourdough then made whole wheat ghost and pumpkin pancakes once they were up. We can and will be eating everything cut into a Halloween shape off of a Halloween plate from now until October 31st 😂 Afterward, Dempsey and I decorated our front yard and we have entirely too much stuff! We finally got it all arranged, staked down and plugged in when I remembered we had two more blow ups and a whole skeleton wheelbarrow filled with various skeleton parts in the backyard 🤦‍♀️ He hasn’t mentioned them, so I’m not pointing it out! At 1 we headed out to a princess-themed birthday party and Lydi had no shortage of outfits to wear 👸 The kids had fun (minus one literal fist fight 😑) and actually let us socialize while they played. Back at home, broccoli cheddar soup with our sourdough and then after we got the kids bathed and to bed, we watched Backrooms and please, do not make me watch a YouTube video to understand the plot, okay? A certain level of confusion aside, I liked it!

Sunday started with breakfast and a sage cardamom latte that Joey got for me 🥰 Then Joey and Dempsey went to pick up dirt for a backyard project that’s been going on for too long and I managed to finish salads for the week while Lydia watched Bluey 😅 Then we all got ready and headed out to celebrate Delaney’s fourth birthday. Weather was so perfect for an outdoor party! The kids played so hard and didn’t come ask me for anything almost the entire time?? They’re really growing up 🥹 Afterward, we went over to my sis and Wayne’s to borrow some camping gear in anticipation of Joey and Dempsey’s upcoming trip with the Cub Scouts. I love seeing them and I need more! Back at home, the kids played, Joey put another coat of mud on the closet and then I made us chicken parm sliders that Dempsey told me he “liked, but not a lot, but still some,” so I’ll take it 😂 And then we all watched the end of GBBO together before putting the kids to bed. We borrowed that camping mat from Jory and it’s Lydia’s favorite thing 😂😂 We watched an episode of Widow’s Bay after the kids were asleep and I love it’s both funny and scary at the same time!

Happy Monday, everyone!