Oh, my!  Time waits for no man (or woman)!  I started this post on November 8th, got sidetracked, and am just now getting it completed…10 days later.  Ugh.  October gave me many happy memories, though, so it’s important to me to look back and be thankful for those moments.  A lot of the time my favorites are all about people and events, but this month I have some products that I love in there, too.  So let’s get to it!

FAVORITE #1

I love these fall pillows that I picked up early in the month when Big Eagle and I made a Costco run!

 

 

 

Even the backs are earthy fall colors and designs!

 

 

FAVORITE #2

During that same Costco trip, I discovered this set of bins:

A B-I-G favorite of the month was FINALLY finishing all of the painting in our master bedroom and closets!  I decided to get rid of my triple dresser in our bedroom to make room for a sitting area.  These bins looked perfect to use in my closet to store clothes that I had previously kept in my dresser.  I quickly realized I needed a second set, so back to Costco I went!  Here’s my closet area that handles what I used to keep in a dresser:

We were just at Costco this past Sunday, and I saw they now have these bin sets $5 off of the price I paid.  It would be a good time to snatch some up if they look like something you could use!

 

FAVORITE #3

Now I ask that you allow me to indulge in a proud grandparent moment.  Early in October my oldest granddaughter Helen was awarded Student of the Month at her school!

They did a drive-through ceremony at her school, so of course her proud parents were there.  So proud of this amazing girl! 🥰

 

FAVORITE #4

Big Eagle retired on October 8th!  He had been using a work phone, so now he needed a new personal phone.  We went with an offer from T-Mobile that included a BOGO deal on a new iphone.  So we BOTH got new phones!

We got the iphone 13, which is quite an improvement over my old phone, which was a 7.  Big Eagle chose the red, and I chose the black.

 

FAVORITE #5

After finishing the fresh paint job in our master bedroom, I wanted a new headboard that would go better with the new color.  And I wanted it to be upholstered.  We found what we thought was a pretty good buy at Nebraska Furniture Mart!

I think it’s a perfect fit!

 

FAVORITE #6

Near the end of the month, we planned a visit to Louisiana to be with Paul, Cara, and the girls during Halloween!  We hadn’t seen their new house since they’d furnished it.  Plus, Halloween is a lot more fun when we’re around the kids!

We got there on the Thursday before Halloween, and we had a big surprise for the girls!

THURSDAY NIGHT:

For a long time, it’s been in the plans to take the family to Disney World during the holiday season.  But…we’d been keeping it a secret from the girls.  Neither of them have ever been.  SO…the Sunday before we left for their house, I made homemade fortune cookies, and put this fortune inside:

On the back, instead of luck lottery numbers, I put the lucky dates they would be spending there.  Cara made stir fry for dinner that night, and afterwards I brought out the desert.  And of course, if dinner was stir fry, dessert (Thanks, Edie! 😜) HAS to be fortune cookies.  Here’s a still-shot from the video we took as they reacted to their fortunes:

 

We’re all looking forward to a fun 5-night stay in Disney World.  And Uncle Danny and Aunt Erin will be there, too!

FRIDAY:

Friday was dress-up day at school for both of the girls.  Helen dressed as Cruella de Vil.  Here she is before she left for school that morning:

 

And Edie had to report on a book she had read and dress as a book character.  So she dressed up as Sal in Blueberries for Sal.  I loved being her audience the night before as she practiced her oral report!  She did a great job!  Here’s Sal:

She wanted a little metal bucket, but there was none to be found.  I think she still looks like a great Sal!

Also that Friday morning, Big Eagle and I went shopping for chairs for our bedroom, which I thought was ridiculous, since we were so far from our home.  More on that later.

Afterwards we went out to lunch with Cara and Paul.  Then that afternoon, in preparation for the neighborhood block party planned for the next night, Cara and I went over to her neighbor Andrea’s house to help put together a balloon arch.  I’d never done that before, and it was quite interesting and fun!

SATURDAY:

The main event on Saturday was the block party that night.  Cara and Paul helped with more setting up off and on throughout the day.  Tables, lights, bringing out the balloon arch.  There was also a bounce house for the kids and an outdoor movie area set up.  Unlike any block party I had ever attended!  Wait…this is the first block party I’d ever attended.  Hah!

I ordered my shirt off of Amazon, and was so happy with it.  It was just the weight and softness I was hoping for, and it washed and dried great!  That was basically my costume.  Hah! 😜

 

 

 

SUNDAY:

Sunday, of course, was Halloween.  During the day we drove down to Lake Pontchartrain and enjoyed the sights, then had lunch out.  That night was trick-or-treating!

Cara was pretty sinister-looking for the evening, and as we walked up and down the streets, the wind would make her cape billow out, adding to the effect.

 

Edie wore the Cruella wig with a flapper-style outfit, which made for an interesting costume!  The energy this girl had throughout the night was amazing!

 

Helen was a beautiful forest fairy!  Cara made this costume, sewing artificial leaves onto the dress, and attaching lights inside the skirt.  The effect was really great!

Here it is after dark:

Pretty blurry, I guess from the long exposure time needed in the dark, but you can see that it was really stunning!

Being in southern Louisiana, their whole neighborhood still has huge piles of tree limbs and brush at the curbsides from when Hurricane Ida hit near the end of August.  I loved how this one neighbor integrated his Halloween decor in his brush pile!

 

 

It was a fun visit!  Sad to have to leave early Monday morning for home.

 

FAVORITE #7

Now that my son Danny and daughter-in-law Erin are vaccinated, they’re able to travel and socialize more, and they’re quite happy about that!  I received these pictures in a text from Danny.  They had traveled to Spain for their fall break.  Here they are in Ronda, Spain, which Danny said is a beautiful town built on a cliff edge.

 

It IS beautiful, but not sure I would want to live on a cliff edge! 😲

 

FAVORITE #8

Remember that Big Eagle and I went furniture shopping in Louisiana while we were at the Bovet’s, and I didn’t see the point since we were so far from home?  Well, we bought two rocker/recliners for our bedroom and brought them home with us in the back of the truck!  When I sat in this chair, I did not want to get out!  Big Eagle called the Lazy Boy store in Texas, and they said none of the stores in Texas had this model chair in the leather.  The store there in Louisiana had them in stock (which is also often a problem these days), so the deal was clinched!  Here they are in our bedroom, which is still a work-in-progress.

At this point, we still need a table, lamps, curtains, a new night stand, and wall decor.  But…one thing at a time…bit by bit, it will come together.  Loving how comfy these chairs are!

So…we are past the middle of November, and things are going to start getting crazy for a lot of people with the holidays beginning next week!  Maybe it’s a good time to stop for a minute and look back at YOUR October to remember the good things, or even to be grateful for not-so-good things that are behind you now.  For me, I evidently strained a muscle in my lower right back, and that pain was with me all last month, making most movement quite difficult.  There’s still a minor lingering twinge, but I’m SO much better than I was, and I’m so grateful for that!  I’d love to hear from you about your October memories, so please feel free to leave a comment!  And have a great weekend!