With four birthdays, October was very celebratory for our family! We splurged on a deluxe Airbnb (which I booked back in January!) and invited our parents to join us on Whidbey Island for a long weekend. It was absolutely splendid. We loved having my mom stay for all the kids' birthdays. She handled breakfast every morning—such a treat for me—and she was able to walk NLW to and from school—such a treat for her. We also wrapped up swim lessons and hosted a fun and simple Octonauts birthday party for NLW.
More Highlights:
- Stunning full-bow rainbows in West Seattle! Two in one week.- Seeing seals and bald eagles from our Whidbey deck
- Watching kite surfers in 29 mph winds!!!
- EDW enjoying her first princess dress—I think she looks like Glinda
- Loving the kid chopsticks they received as birthday gifts
- Wearing Halloween jammies
- Running into NLW's classmate at Constellation Beach sunset
- Taking off work on my birthday
- Listening to the Wee Sing for Halloween album, like we do every year :)
- Trick-or-Treating—aka us constantly saying "Take one piece and say thank you"
Watching | Elemental
I watched this for the first time on my birthday and loved it! It's visually imaginative with a storyline that's grounded in the immigrant experience. The love story of the main characters made Mr. Fleece and me tear up, and we laughed at the funny parts. It's my kind of movie and reminded me of seeing Inside Out or Zootopia for the first time. I also watched Good Chemistry, featuring the writer and director, Peter Sohn. Would recommend both!
Eating & Drinking | 100 Grand
It was a dessert-heavy month! S'mores, pumpkin pie, birthday cake x3, pudding, coffee cake, egg nog, and last but not least, Halloween candy! 100 Grand candy bars are a newly discovered favorite—I currently prefer them over Twix and KitKat.
Reading | The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhorn
While procrastinating David Copperfield for Book Club, I landed on a book I had seen a lot of buzz about earlier in the year. I picked it up based on a friend's recommendation and went in blind. It was a compelling story told in part through diary entries and I only learned afterward it was based on a real midwife and her journals in the late 1700s! Maybe that unexpected "twist" made me love it even more, but I think the story and life of Martha Ballard hold up regardless. She was an incredibly strong-willed and determined woman and I enjoyed seeing how her profession allowed her to intersect with so many in her community. Would recommend to anyone looking for a great historical fiction option!
Listening | Fall Extravaganza Podcast Episode
Listened to this gem of an episode while walking through our neighborhood on a crisp fall day. It's cheery and festive in the best possible way. Thank you, Kelsey and Erica for celebrating "Falliday" and amplifying "small fall" joys.
-SJW
