I wanted to enjoy the last of the fall colors this week with a little outside family fire. Meg had us buy the fire pit when we moved and I was thinking of her and how much she would enjoy it! So, we roasted hot dogs for dinner and then had some marshmallows too. I really liked it. I think the rest of the fam did too.

Later that night, when Mariah got home, we finally got around to carving our pumpkins for this year! I had the older kids share pumpkins this year since they were so big. They turned out really cute!

Wednesday was Halloween! Cali and Cheyenne and their friends dressed up like Peter Pan characters. Cali was Captain Hook and Cheyenne was Smee! Fun times. They didn’t trick or treat this year but they went to a party at a friend’s house and had a good time. Beth and Ben trick or treated with some friends on our street and got a TON of candy from houses that don’t get a lot of kids stopping by, so they give out handfuls at a time. I also saw them at their Halloween parade at their school!

Wednesday we also got the sad news that our much-loved Aunt Sanae had died. She had been fighting cancer for four years with some ups and downs. About three weeks ago, they realized that they weren’t going to have anymore ups. She was able to say goodbye to all her kids and everybody and plan her funeral and say how she wanted things to be. She didn’t want any of us to be sad but I think we failed at that. Kevin and I took Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik with us and went to California for the funeral on Saturday. All five of her kids spoke, aged 25 to 15, and her good husband. They did great and even though our hearts were breaking for all of them, we could tell that their faith and love were going to make it so they are alright. I wish she didn’t have to go, but I guess life is like that. One of her kids said that Sanae used to say that there are no such things as bad days, you might have bad moments, but all days are good. I guess life is like that, too. Oh we will miss her!

Sanae told me the plants in California reminded her of Dr. Seuss. This was one!