Halloween 2026

I think I say this every year, but once Halloween hits the rest of the year just flies by so I try to soak in every second of it, and not get too stressed about the busyness of it all. This year felt extra busy with all of the extra activities that I had to attend for yearbook purposes (I’m in charge of the elementary school yearbook this year). Here’s our Halloween activities.

One of my favorite moments? It was the only time this year that both Carson and Tanner performed together in the same orchestra concert. Their schools combine the junior high and high school groups for this performance, and getting to watch both of them on stage at the same time was something I didn’t take for granted. Carson made it even more memorable by winning “Best Costume” in his orchestra for showing up as Superman—because of course he did. 🎻🦸‍♂️

       

Meanwhile, I jumped back into one of my favorite traditions—co-hosting our Halloween murder mystery party. My uncle Matt gifted me all his old Murder Mystery parties, so I have plenty of games!  This tradition will continue for years to come.  This year’s theme: An Affair to Dismember with classic Halloween costumes, and the creativity did not disappoint. I wrapped myself up as a mummy, and our group included a zombie, witch, devil, vampire, fortune teller, cannibal… and somehow, a dentist 😆 It was chaotic, hilarious, amazing food and everything a Halloween party should be.

Logan had such a full and special Halloween season too. He decorated his final book character pumpkin for school—this year choosing Petey from Dog Man, which turned out so cute. It’s hard to believe this was also his last year participating in the book character parade. There are so many “lasts” happening as he finishes up 5th grade, and I can definitely feel it. He dressed as Eddie from Stranger Things (which he was very proud of), and also got to enjoy the school’s trunk-or-treat.

We love Ms. T! She’s our school officer and a celebrity. All the kids love her, and with adults she’s equal bits hilarious and terrifying (if you don’t know her) at the same time. 

Going through the candy stash

All the cheerleaders loved Logan's costume and kept giving him a hard time by wanting to take his picture.

And in a rare and wonderful twist—all three boys dressed up this year! That’s becoming less and less common as they get older, so I loved seeing them fully embrace the fun again.

Since there was no school on Halloween, we let Logan have a pizza party with his friends before they all headed out to trick-or-treat together. Tanner went with his girlfriend and her younger brother, and Carson was off with his friends too—everyone doing their own thing, growing up right before our eyes.

That left just me and Brad at home, handing out candy to all the neighborhood kids.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a little bittersweet. Those years of walking door-to-door with them are behind us now. But seeing them out there, independent and making memories with their friends, is pretty special too.

Halloween may look different these days, but it’s still just as fun. 🎃

Homecoming

Homecoming felt a little extra special this year, and not just because it’s one of those milestone high school moments—it was Carson’s first time going to Homecoming with a girl, his girlfriend, Priya. They’ve been dating since the summer, and getting to see that relationship carry into such a fun, memorable event made it all the sweeter.

But before the dance even began, there was serious prep work involved… and I mean serious.

Carson wanted to do something creative and meaningful when asking Priya, which led to one of my favorite memories leading up to homecoming. We had a whole group of neighborhood girls over, and let me just say—they are unbelievably talented. The house quickly turned into a full-on crafting studio! They designed an incredible poster inspired by their favorite show, One Piece, and it turned out so fun and personal. On top of that, they made the most amazing flowers out of pipe cleaners—honestly, I didn’t even know pipe cleaners could look that good! The effort, creativity, and teamwork that went into it made the whole moment even more special.

Carson's face cracks me up in this picture!

And then there’s the Texas homecoming tradition… the mums. If you know, you know. These things can get big—like, over-the-top big. I even came across one from Carson’s school that was absolutely massive! It’s such a unique tradition where girls wear them like a giant necklace and boys have a smaller version worn on their arm for the game and throughout the day. I have to admit, I was a little relieved (and so were Carson and Priya!) that they decided to skip the mums this year.

Here instead of corsages, they do mini bouquets.  Isn't it beautiful?

So handsome

When the big day finally arrived, everything came together perfectly. Just wish Carson already had his drivers license so he could drive her to the dance.  Luckily she has her own car and was able to drive so that Brad and I didn't have to embarrass him by driving them.

Carson and Priya went out for a nice dinner before the dance, which made the evening feel even more grown-up and special. Seeing them all dressed up and ready to go was one of those “how are we already here?” kind of moments. They were absolutely adorable together.

Most importantly, they had a great time together and being with their friends.  It was such a fun night. Watching Carson experience these milestones is equal parts heartwarming and a little bittersweet, but mostly, it just makes me so happy to see him enjoying this season of life. 💕

#14

There are certain birthdays that just feel a little bigger, and Tanner turning 14 is definitely one of them.

This year has been so fun to watch because Tanner set a goal for himself and truly followed through. For a long time, he’s had his eye on an e-bike, and instead of just wishing for it, he got to work. He saved up his own money and ended up paying for half of it himself. Watching him stay focused and committed like that has made me incredibly proud. It’s such a great reminder of the kind of determination and responsibility he’s building as he grows up.

Of course, we had to celebrate him in a way that felt special. We went out for a delicious Italian dinner, spent time together, and just enjoyed being with him—laughing, talking, and soaking in the moment. Those simple celebrations always end up meaning the most.

Tanner, you are such a joy to our family. You’re kind, driven, and becoming more independent every day, and it’s so exciting to see who you’re turning into. I love you so much and feel so lucky to be your mom.

Happy 14th birthday!

 

Logan

    There’s something really special about watching your child step into responsibility in a new way, and this season has been all about that for Logan.

    This year, Logan was chosen to be part of the 5th grade safety patrol at school—an opportunity only offered to the oldest students on campus. He’s on the morning B team, which means every other month he rotates with the A team. On his assigned mornings, he heads to school early, helping raise the American flag and assisting younger students as they hop out of their cars in the busy carpool line.

    When he first got the news, he was beyond excited. He took the role so seriously making sure he was up early, showered, dressed, and ready to go without reminders. It was one of those proud parenting moments, watching him rise to the occasion and take ownership of something important. Over time, the early mornings became a little less exciting (as they tend to do), but even as the novelty wore off, the lesson in responsibility remained. Showing up, doing your job, and being dependable even when it’s not fun is a lesson that will stick with him far beyond 5th grade.

Also happy that since I'm in charge of the yearbook I am able to have an excuse to be at school and take these pictures.  Otherwise it would be a big no no.

But this season also came with a scary reminder of how quickly things can change. One afternoon, while riding his bike home from school, Logan wasn’t paying close attention and ran straight into a parked car. He walked in the door crying, pushing his bike, with a large goose egg already forming on his head. To make matters worse, he wasn’t wearing a helmet.

We took him straight to the children’s ER to get him checked out. After a CT scan, we learned he had a suspected concussion. Thankfully, there was no skull fracture or other serious concerns, which was a huge relief. It could have been so much worse.

The following weeks slowed things down for him. He had to sit out of gym and take it easy until he was officially cleared by the doctor a couple of weeks later.

It was a powerful reminder for us about the importance of safety, especially something as simple as wearing a helmet.

LOTOJA year #6

For the past six years, Brad has taken on one of the toughest and most exciting traditions in his cycling journey—riding LOTOJA. Every year it’s something he looks forward to: the early mornings, the training miles, the anticipation at the starting line, and the incredible challenge of pushing himself across hundreds of miles.

This year, however, things looked a little different.

After  dealing with hip pain, Brad made the difficult decision not to ride. Anyone who knows him knows how much this race means to him, so stepping back wasn’t easy. He was really disappointed to miss it, especially after building such a meaningful tradition around it. But he also knew that listening to his body and allowing time to heal was the right choice. Sometimes the hardest part of being an athlete is knowing when to pause so you can come back stronger.

Even though Brad didn’t ride this year, a special reminder of his dedication still arrived in the mail—his five-year LOTOJA trophy! Seeing all the years he’s completed listed together was such a proud moment. Each year represents countless hours of training, perseverance, and determination to take on one of the longest one-day bike races out there.

Watching Brad commit to something like this year after year has been inspiring. It takes grit, discipline, and a love for the ride to keep coming back.

This year may have been a pause, but it’s definitely not the end of the story. If anything, it’s just another chapter. With some time to heal and recover, I have no doubt he’ll be back, stronger and more ready than ever.

And when next year rolls around, I’m sure he’ll be right back where he belongs—at the starting line, ready to take on LOTOJA again. 🚴‍♂️