Hello! And Happy Friday. I hope you had a happy, healthy week and are ready for the weekend. This past week was our last here for a bit. Next week, we head back to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christmas!!! Yay!
The night before Halloween was beautiful here. We wrapped up school and headed to the beach for the last warm day of the season. We sat on the beach, watching the waves, and I felt such peace knowing that all the things I used to worry about and fret over...Halloween costumes, dusty shelves and dirty laundry, Christmas pictures, time passing so quickly...those things pass. And if they don't... it's ok. I have dirty laundry on the floor. Dust accumulates whether I wipe it off every Friday or not. A Christmas picture can be the most informal, unplanned photo in the world, my children will continue to grow, and life will be different. And it is good. Life is good.
In other news...We had a new student in the classroom this week.
He is very well-behaved and friendly.
Halloween was fun. Flynn's costume came just in time, and she loved it! She was a favorite character from the Marvel Movies. The weather was dark and gloomy, perfect for a spooky dinner of Mummy Dogs and Macaroni and Cheese. And some delicious, made-by-Madison dark chocolate brownies, too.
We missed Peyton and Chris, but they shared their Halloween fun with us, and Peyton didn't disappoint!
The day after Halloween, we celebrated All Saint's Day. We watched a beautiful mass online. The parish has a school, and the children attended mass dressed as a favorite saint. They really looked so amazing! Yesterday, we commemorated All Soul's Day, a day we pray for our deceased loved ones. We remembered this beautiful woman, Steve's mother. Her name is Flo, but to us, she is Mum. Mum passed away six years ago on the Feast of All Souls, and I miss her every day. She taught me so many things about being a wife and mother. She was a humble, caring, faith-filled, and compassionate woman. She made the best meatloaf, ironed clothes better than a dry cleaner, and taught me to always shake my clothes before putting them into the washer to reduce wrinkles. She loved praying the rosary, fresh tomato sandwiches, and The Young and The Restless. She also raised, along with Steve's father, the most amazing, loving family of seven children I will ever know.
Leaving you with pictures of the pups because pictures of pups make everyone smile. Have a cozy weekend, my friends. I will be around to catch up with you all!
BillieJo
Your mother-in-law sounds wonderful, and what a great day to enter eternity! Mum is what we call my mother :) Cosmo is such a cutie!
ReplyDeleteLoved Flynn's costume.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful and peace filled November. It is just gorgeous there, so I can't imagine it being anything but!
Pups do make everyone smile! Just like Rhett favors your dad so strongly, I see Peyton in Mum. I am glad you were able to spend some time praying for your loved ones. Have a great weekend not stressing about the small stuff!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend and journey back to your holiday home.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your last few days at the beach. I love the photos (sigh). Preparing for holidays here, too!
ReplyDeleteI love the Scarlet Witch costume!!! Love seeing girls get excited about MARVEL too!
ReplyDeleteLove the Halloween yummies too - looks delish!
Pups do make me smile, but your post made me smile even more. Such a thoughtful, beautiful, heartfelt one, my friend! Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteFlynn is gorgeous in her costume!! And the food is all so fun and professional looking. GORGEOUS photos of the beach! And the puppy needs no teaching on being adorable!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful trip and enjoy! The ocean photos are beautiful. The dogs are adorable. I love my dog 3 years ago and I hope to find one to adopt soon. They are the best.
ReplyDeleteHi Billie Jo. I love that you get to go to the beach so much. Watching ocean waves is so therapeutic. Those are such cute pictures of little Cosmo. The food in this post, as always, looks delicious! That is such a nice tribute to Steve's Mother. I also love the way you all value and practice your faith through the generations. Have a lovely weekend, my friend!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, my friend. Things will get done and all will be good without us stressing over the details. It took me a while to learn that, but life is so much more relaxing now. Loved your new little guest in class today. The pictures are adorable!
ReplyDeleteIt's taken me 63 years, but I've learned not to sweat the small stuff. I don't want to miss the good things because I was worried about things that ultimately don't matter. Your entire post was beautiful. I would love to know your family in a real way. Such a pretty costume for Flynn. You have gorgeous girls and it sounds like you were very blessed in the mother-in-law you had. That is a wonderful thing. Of course your fur babies are a big draw too. I don't know what we would do without our Zoey. They do grab hold of your heart don't they?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your trip home for the holidays.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy
How is Mocha doing with the new puppy? They are both adorable! And what a sweet tribute to your mother-in-law. I hope my girls talk about me that way, one day :) Safe travels back home! Have a great weekend with your sweet family :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Billie Jo! Love your photos and your pups!! Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteI love the pictures of the beach. If I could, I would live on the beach all the time. Your new student is so cute. As a former teacher, I would love to see that cute face looking at me every morning. You have so much to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed all your photos, oh that beach looks so wonderful. Sounds as if you had a wonderful week of holidays. Hope you are enjoying a relaxing weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures of the ocean!!!
ReplyDeleteI simply can't believe how much Flynn has grown my friend. smiles
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable new puppy!
ReplyDeleteThose photos look so relaxing...it sounds perfect. And you're right...a great reminder for me. Life moves on even if I have a junk drawer that needs cleaning or paperwork that needs sorting. Priorities! Love that you celebrate Halloween with such flair - fun, fun, fun...as it should be! Enjoy the week, Mary
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful words about Steve's Mother. All Saints Day is very special to me. I have about 30 beloved Saints that mean so much to me. I think that was a nice idea for the children to dress up as their favorite Saint and attend Mass. I smiled when you mentioned Steve's mom enjoying tomato sandwiches. My aunt used to love them as well, just tomato and mayonnaise. Oh, Young and the Restless, I remember that well. She taught you many things, and sounds like a wonderful role model. : )
ReplyDelete~Sheri