With three very fun vacations in the books, the most beautiful Michigan Fall weather, and a break from the kid’s usual busy sports schedules… it’s been a recipe for one of our best Fall seasons yet. And with the holidays right around the corner, we’re feeling well rested and ready for the excitement.
The Kladder kids were sans fall sports this year which gave us a much-appreciated break from the normal after school craziness. That, added with the fact our house is under deep renovation at the moment… we’re also without our usual household chores and routine. Life’s been simpler and it’s allowed the perfect opportunity for some super-fun trips!
The kids Fall Break from school landed the first part of November and we used the opportunity to end cap the completion of our family Harry Potter book adventure by visiting all three Orlando Studio parks in Florida. We had an absolute blast and you can read more about that HERE.
Later that same week we experienced all the Halloween fun. I kicked off the festivities by hosting a Sip & Shop party with girlfriends at Lee & Birch on Wealthy and was honored to be their very last customer before closing their doors for good. But don’t worry, while their store on Wealthy is no more, they are still open in their three other locations.
The next day, we welcomed four Costco bags worth of trick-or-treaters to the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood and were truly ‘treated’ by the amazing Fall weather that was perfect for a late night around the fire pit. Natalie dressed as Cruella while Thomas matched his buddy Ayden as Army Soldiers. That same weekend Jeff, me, and the folks next door joined the fun by dressing as Power Rangers! We debuted our costumes at two Halloween Parties that weekend and had a riot showing off our moves.
The following week I snuck away with girlfriends for a lovely long weekend in Arizona. Us girls enjoyed pool time, hiking, spicy margs, pickleball, fresh salsa (thanks, Alisa!), and everyone’s favorite… dancing at Buffalo Chip. A new one for us was our day trip to Civana’s Wellness Resort and Spa where I experienced the best deep tissue massage of my life. I’m massively proud to call these ladies my friends and extremely grateful for the opportunity to relax together this month.
The whirlwind of adventure continued in Cancun, Mexico with Jeff’s high school friends who all celebrated turning forty this year. We spent five days and four nights at Excellence Resorts catching up and celebrating poolside. Our favorite part was the day trip to Isla Mujeres on the catamaran. The boat crew included a professional photographer and with a little convincing, Jeff humored me and we got some incredible pics to remember the trip by. Read more about our trip to Mexico HERE.
Our trip to Mexico also served as our 12th wedding anniversary celebration. The amount of gratitude I have for the life we’ve built together cannot be formed into words. So, I won’t even try. Go marriage!
Back at home, we continued the 40th birthday celebrations for Jeff with a series of events focused just on him including dinner with family at everyone’s favorite spot, Leo’s, as well as a gorgeous dinner party with friends where we enjoyed an incredible five coursed meal prepared by The Ginger Chef.
The headliner of the weekend, however, was watching the Detroit Lions nail-biter-of-a-win over the New York Giants with our kids this past Sunday. This was Natalie and Thomas’ very first Lions game and it’s safe to say this will be a memory they’ll remember. Sunday was Jeff’s actual birthday and the best conclusion in welcoming him into his 40th decade.
We captured our annual family portrait a few weeks back with the amazing Jill DeVries and I pulled a few of my favorite from the bunch to share here with you. Each year I enjoy selecting one winner to use on our Christmas card that’s sent to friends and family, along with a large print for our portrait wall at home. It’s always a trip down memory lane replacing the photos from the year prior and comparing how much the kids (and me and Jeff, too) have changed in the course of a year. Time flies.
Speaking of time… the holidays have arrived and this week we cannot wait to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family. We’re looking forward to double Thanksgiving meals, watching the Lions and U of M win, and the possibility of seeing more snowfall. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!