November 01, 2014

October in Review


October in the Village is one of the most amazing things I've ever experienced. This is our 5th one and I am nowhere near used to it. I hope I never take it for granted.


 After living in only new houses, in new subdivisions that were previously farmland or swampland, it is such a pleasure to live in a house surrounded on all sides by trees. We live on Maple Street and each autumn our street puts on a colorful show that makes it's name proud. I love that we have this truck come around every Monday morning to vacuum up the leaves that the homeowners faithfully blow/rake in piles down the road. However, I am less in love with the debris that follows the truck and insures that I will need to clean the windows at the end of November.


I love the back view of our house just as much as the front.


Oh dear Beth Bugby, you could never know just how happy it makes me when the mouth goes up on your house. It's the sign that autumn has officially arrived. In the Village, if you drive down Main Street until it dead ends, this wonderful house is what you will be staring at.


My Sweetie and I managed to slip away for a cozy weekend to Michigan. Just the two of us. At a bed and breakfast in Saugatuck. We have had a hard six months between his load at work and the porch project and our first weekend away in 7 1/2 years was just what we needed.


We ate amazing food (pizza with shaved sirloin, mushroom, tomato, onion with a horseradish sauce...come on!), talked about the important stuff in life, spent hours in a book store and even got to see a movie that wasn't rated PG, Gone Girl. I just can't. It's was fantastic and frustrating and I highly recommend you do NOT go see it. Because there are just some things you can't unsee.


I really love having the porch to decorate for holidays. Such fun! More on the porch project soon.


It seemed October passed at breakneck speed. The good months are always like that. Have you ever heard anyone say that February just flew by? Nope, didn't think so.


Halloween was here before we knew it. We are starting to feel Halloween cursed. Last year it had to be rescheduled because of sever weather. This year the temperature steadily dropped all day until about trick or treat time when it alternated freezing rain with snow.


I was not too flustered because my big little girl decided we could stay home this year and she would go around the Village with her friend. I had mixed feelings about this until the weather changed and then I thought sitting at home on the porch under a quilt handing out candy sounded like a much better option.


By the time I picked her up from school she was feeling sad about the idea of it and decided it didn't feel like Halloween if we weren't with her. She talked Maddie into coming with us too and so after a warm dinner, Em put on her Queen of Hearts costume that she put together all by herself and Daddy donned the dog suit for the 15th year in a row, much to almost everyone's excitement and off we went.


It seems our Halloween isn't complete until we get a picture of the two easiest going Daddies in the neighborhood. There are no words for this really.

October was good to us and I have high hopes for November too.

19 comments:

  1. You live in such a charming place! Love the daddies in their super cool costumes! :)

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  2. You have it all...and a white picket fence! Charming, indeed.

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  3. Yes----but does he sit and fetch when you ask him to? Great pictures, Jen. I am so happy that you got away for a weekend when you had the chance. Love to you---Diana

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  4. I'm so in love with your village. Its such a real-life dream. And, your family costumes are wonderful :)

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  5. Thanks for the glimpse into fall in your neck of the woods. We finally had glorious rain last night. I left the back slider open just a crack so that I could hear it come down until the wind picked up and my common sense got the better of me! I am in such a good place after a wonderful October and am eagerly looking forward to November as well.

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  6. I find it too adorable that the daddies go out in those costumes. So glad you guys got away together- 7 years is too long, but I understand how life can get in the way. Love your Village, and love that they come and pick up leaves once a week.

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  7. Your husband is a really good sport for going out trick-or-treating in a doggie costume! Wow, I thought we were "bad" about rarely getting away, but you certainly have us beat with the 7-1/2 years. I think you need a weekend away a little more often than that! Have never been to Saugatuck...I looked on Google maps and I see it's only 3 hours from us. Not bad. I might have to consider that a new place for a little getaway. :-)

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  8. PS - Did you really mean to definitely not go see Gone Girl, or were you kidding? I haven't read the book yet - which I was going to do before seeing the movie. My husband read it and loved it. Other people I know that read the book said the ending was very disappointing. I dunno though...it doesn't sound like my kind of reading or movie. Did you read the book?

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    1. Melanie, the short answer is that I don't know if I'm kidding. I tend to like movies that are happy or lift me up in some way. This was NOT that movie. It was good. But SO disturbing. I left wishing I hadn't seen it even though it was very well done! I don't know if that will help you at all!

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  9. i love that i can now see your photos of the village and say, "oh yes ... i remember that place!" and we totally need to plan a couples (family? girls only?) weekend in saugatuck!! i agree ... the good things go WAY too quickly. but how beautiful while it lasts!

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  10. I loved the photos of your home, neighborhood, and family, Jen. Congrats on your first getaway in ages, too! Your hubby is such a good sport to get dressed up in his costume for your kids!! There were hardly any kids out in our small town because the weather was wickedly cold last night and once again I find myself wishing we could move Halloween to August.

    I don't like disturbing movies either because the mood seems to stay with me for days afterword. Give me a romantic comedy any day!

    *Knitting mini acorns, flowers, and fruits is easy after you get past the first row.....and addicting, too. :)

    Happy November!
    Vickie

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  11. So glad the dog suit hasn't been retired! It brings back such good memories!

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  12. I enjoyed your photos, the story about getting away and your daughter's Halloween costume! I truly miss the leaves as we live in Florida. I grew up in Omaha, NE. I do not miss the snow, however! I know Christmas is just around the corner once we hit November! I love your house, thanks for showing us the back, too. I live in a pink house that has a key west vibe-metal roof near the water. Lots of my neighbors bike to the beach but today it is too cool for the beach!

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  13. Really enjoyed seeing photos of your hometown decked out in the appropriate theme for the holiday......it's a nice treat for those of us who are familiar with the small town lifestyle but unfortunately are not able to enjoy it presently- hope to see more, i love it!:)

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  14. Looks so lovely there! Yay for you two getting away! The costumes are so fun! I started reading Gone Girl and stopped because I didn't think it was for me! Yay for November -- am sure it will be a sweet and fast month too!

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  15. It sounds like a wonderful October Jen! I am wishing you a wonderful November!

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  16. This was a wonderful recap of your beautiful October in your sweet little village. Love all the fallen leaves, charming houses and adorable costumes. So nice to get away for a couple's weekend, too. October really is a beautiful month and I had a little laugh over your question about February. So funny. Hope you have a Sweet November (one of my favorite movies with Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves). xo Karen

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  17. oh what a wonderful wrap up of your month! and i just LOVE emma's costume. such a creative girl you have!

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  18. Oh my goodness your 'main street' looks like the American films I love and to sit on your porch in the warm summer evenings would be a dream. I cannot believe it has been 5 years that I have been reading your blog for so long and see you become a part of what seems to be your future.

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