Bear Down! Halloween 2020

 

And just like that we're in the home stretch of the year that will go down in history as one of the absolute strangest.  The kids have made it through the first trimester of in-person school as COVID cases in our state (and across the globe) continue to increase at record rates again.  We voted last week in the most contentious race in history, an election in which more Americans exercised their right to vote than ever before.  And while the division in our country seems to be as ever-present as the COVID cases are, we continue to press on, staying off social media more and more and instead focusing on the people around us and the sources of joy that have kept us pressing on through the uncertainty and negativity of this past year.  Yesterday we celebrated sweet Harper's golden birthday outside at Jordan and Kelli's house.  It was such a blessing to all be outside on November 8th and it seemed as though everyone appreciated it all the more.  There was one point when Hayes surprised Taylor by dumping an entire clothes basket of ball pit balls on his head.  Minutes later, my brothers, Dad, Beau, and I proceeded to start chucking one after another at each other like little kids in a ball pit.  There we were, just a bunch of adults acting like weirdos, laughing with tears running down our cheeks as we lost ourselves in that moment.  What a refreshing feeling it was to just let go, to stop saying yes to the heaviness and instead choose light and joy and that carefree feeling of childhood.  Those are the gifts I'm putting on my Christmas list this year - because when you find them they seem all the more better this year than ever before.

Halloween week brought us joy and wonder in the form of a Sunday of carving, painting, gluing, and transforming four pumpkins into imperfect masterpieces.  This is definitely not my favorite holiday tradition, but it was made better this year with two kids who had no issues scooping goop from pumpkins. They were also pretty indifferent about the whole thing, but were sent straight into a fit of hysterics when they kept shaking hands filled with slimy goo.  Beau made Mila's baby Frankenstein house a dream come true while I got to work bringing an Up and Forky pumpkin to life.  I'd say they turned out pretty darn good.     

While pumpkin carving has never been my thing, creating a festive table and themed dinner spark a lot of joy in this girl's life.  Our annual spooky supper is one of our family's favorite little Halloween traditions and it was fun to make use of an early-out Wednesday to put the kids to work.  They designed the cupcakes while I brewed up a big cauldron of witches hair, blood sauce, and eyeballs.  

And the kids proved to be little creatives once again. 

Once Beau got home from work we turned on some spooky tunes, turned off the lights, lit the candles, and had ourselves a frightening feast.  Then we drove around town for Southdale's Halloween scavenger hunt, rating the spookiest, most creative, and overall favorite house.  It wasn't the most stellar light display cruise, but I told the kids and Beau that going on drives with them brings me back to being a kid.  My dad loved going on drives and it instantly brings up a feeling of nostalgia.  

My themed spreads didn't end there!  This was a super simple and fun way to welcome the kids home from a noon dismissal on Halloween eve.  And I didn't make the cake pops - they were courtesy of Icon Donuts.  

We had a very full but very fun two days of celebrating Halloween with friends and family.  Beau and I went to an adult costume party at Matt and Danielle's (with Brad and Kate!) and then Saturday our neighbors rode bikes for the Jaxon Strong celebration and fundraiser downtown (also with Brad and Kate!).  It was the first big event at the new pavilion downtown and it was a perfect kickoff for this space.  Then it was back home for an outdoor party at neighbors and then trick-or-treating with my family at our house.  And our little football team came together quite well.  

Introducing the 1985 Chicago Bears... :)

We wouldn't have been complete without '85 Coach of the Year, Mike Ditka.  He looked pretty legit in his tweed blazer and vintage sweater vest, which he says he is going to wear for every Bears game from this day forward.   

"If God had wanted man to play soccer, he wouldn't have given us arms." ;)

We were happy that our city went ahead with trick-or-treating, especially since we had a beautiful night for it.  And trick-or-treating in a pandemic was pretty fun.  People got creative and it was nice that the kids didn't have to fight over doorbells and tight entryways.  The kids loaded up on candy and then we headed back home for apps and drinks.  And by the end of the night, this girl needed no help from sugar before I crashed hard!  

Halloween 2020, you were a good one!  But now it's goodbye rotten pumpkins, hello turkey and twinkly lights and Christmas jams.  We're ready for it!

Our Fall Weekend Getaway

 

The four of us hit the road on a no-school Friday in October and headed up to Wisconsin for a fall weekend away.  Our game plan involved nothing but each other - and some pretty leaves and yummy food in between.  And La Crosse, Wisconsin and the old candy factory turned boutique hotel, The Charmant, served as a perfect backdrop to our long weekend adventures.  

I am a sucker for details and every square inch of this hotel was thoughtfully designed and curated.  From the playlist that rivaled my own favorite fall tunes, the food and those perfect old fashioneds, the wood floors, penny tile elevators, and old brick, and all those bright yellow mums greeting us at the door had me drooling all weekend long.  The hotel is located right on the Mississippi River in the heart of an up-and-coming restaurant scene.  The weather was cold and windy for a good part of our weekend, but this cozy little hotel was just what we needed to hunker in, eat a lot of cheese curds, and play a lot of UNO.  

We ate so much great food!  Our weekend started at the super hip La Cross Distilling Co., where we tried sweet potato cocktails, the best fish and chips, and took home a few bottles of house-made vodka that we'll never open because the bottles are just too pretty.  Beau and I went back here on our last night and sat on the patio by their outdoor fireplace.  We had gimlets and goat cheese and a barbecue charcuterie board and ate on a chilly night under the stars while the kids had their own little pizza and movie date night in the hotel room.  We celebrated a new season of parenting and dreamed a little of what it might involve for the two of us.  We're here for it.   

But it was sure fun to have these two in tow for the rest of our weekend!  We had pancakes and apple cider mimosas, checked out a few shops, drove up to Granddad's Bluff and hiked deep in the woods, then stopped at a little roadside Wisconsin pub for bloody marys and cheese curds.  

And then the kids favorite part of the weekend - a trip down the Mississippi aboard the La Crosse Queen.  They hosted a mid-afternoon pizza cruise and the kids thought the all-you-can eat pizza, lemonade, and kids vs. parents UNO was the trifecta of a Saturday afternoon.

We ended our Saturday evening with a stroll on the river walk and ice cream cones at the famous, Pearl.  So thankful for the chance to get away together and explore a new place.  I have a feeling we'll be back!