Michelle is going for perfection with being a Harry Potter character three years in a row. She was Hannah Abbott two years ago, Tonks last year, and a Ravenclaw this year. Michelle used her own money to buy official Hogwarts merch from the Universal store at MCO last February and we were able to find her the perfect skirt on Amazon to complete the look. She and E did a great job helping with the cake walk at the ward Trunk or Treat as well.
Natalie decided to be a panda like her lifelong friend, M, and from that I got my costume as a zoo keeper. Hubby went as a famous engineer turned YouTuber and went all in by shaving his beard off just in time for the Trunk or Treat. His truck’s sound system did a pretty good job providing music for the entire parking lot if I do say so myself.
The morning after the ward activity Michelle and I headed to the Monsters Convention and had a blast. This was our first time attending what I would call a workshop for the girls where us moms found things to do like go to the gym and the mall while the girls learned all things hip hop. In the evening there was a show that was big and loud and an inspiring education in and of itself. The next day the parents were invited to attend a mini class just for them and lets just say I ended up laughing a lot. I was no good but had a great time trying to remember the steps, add some hip hop style, and keep up with the Coolio music. It really helped me appreciate just how difficult this style of dance is to pull off! Way different than the ballet, point, and jazz I participated in as a kid. If that makes me sound old, I feel old. While Michelle was in her auditions and I was already warmed up from my dance class I decided to go to the hotel gym for the second day in a row. Let’s just say it was harder this time but I was willing to do it because I knew it would help my arms recover from their flu shot on one side and covid shot on the other side.
On the way home we stopped at Meow Wolf and I must say I was impressed. I had given Michelle the option of all sorts of things we could do and she made a great choice. There was so much to see and the attention to detail was a thing to behold. We highly recommend taking the trip. And I must add, Michelle was a joy to be around. We got to eat all our meals together and she just seemed so grateful to be out of town with her mom. I am one lucky mom to get to have some one on one time with my middle schoolers in October. Middle school has been pretty tough on them this year so if anyone needs it I’m guessing they do.
Speaking of middle schoolers, while I was at the Monsters Convention with Michelle, Hubby and Natalie watched Danny’s baseball team *spoiler alert* win their league tournament. Danny still didn’t play as well as he wanted after having over two months away from games but I am grateful his coaches were so supportive and think it was good for him to get back out there with his team. Now they will have a couple months off and hopefully Danny will have a fresh start for spring ball like the rest of his teammates.
I was only working in the afternoon on Halloween so got to attend the elementary school’s Halloween parade. The variety and creativity was excellent and I was so glad to see my panda with her friends. And thank goodness the other moms took better pictures than I did. Lol.
After some drama about whether or not Danny should be able to play basketball for the middle school that pretty much broke my child, the neurologist called me up, apologized, and wrote a very specific letter that the school accepted straight from his office because I wasn’t willing to forward anything anymore. I had given up and told Danny to just hang in there for a couple weeks until his competitive basketball team began practicing. But, the school told him he could play and Hubby and I got to watch him in his first basketball game of the season. It was on Halloween right after school at the rival middle school and what a game it was! It was a close game so when Danny got fouled I was so nervous he wouldn’t make his free throws and grateful that first one went in to tie the game! We could tell that he was exhausted but wanted to give his all. Eventually the game went into over time with our school losing at the last second by one point! So close! Sadly, Danny was elbowed in the head during the game and needed to stay home from school the next day to recover. His headache was gone by lunch time and he felt great by the time school was over. I was relieved but it was scary to think that he could have hurt himself again. It is the risk we are taking to get him happy again. We can see that in just being able to go to practice and play for a week he is in a better mood and more willing to go to school. I feel like he is starting to be his old self again and I wouldn’t want anything to change that.
Halloween night found Hubby handing out candy in front of his solo stove while Natalie ate dinner at the T’s house and then went around their neighborhood with M’s dad and little sister and I. Little sister only made it one block before wanting to be carried home so I drove M & Natalie to our neighborhood to trick or treat some more. M went around one block and then asked to play at our house while her mom came over to get her. Those two sure did enjoy trick or treating together. I love how they have been friends since they were babies. After M went home Natalie and I went around one more block before joining Hubby at the fire pit. It was a nice night but we didn’t have as many trick or treaters as normal. I’m wondering if it was because it was a Monday night and people knew they had an entire week ahead of them? Whatever the case, we had plenty of candy left over for our Thanksgiving advent calendar and I hid the left over full size bars to place in Christmas stockings later.
Last but certainly not least, Kate and a few of her friends decided to be characters from The Wizard of Oz with Kate being the tin man. I have never in my whole life seen more beautiful characters from that movie. I am so grateful they let me take pictures of them because I defiantly want to put moments likes these into Kate's scrapbook. Love my family so darn much!
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