Pumpkins, Pirates, and Plenty of Dancing

October swept in with crisp air and golden leaves and we dove headfirst into the season’s adventures. The Pacific Wonderland sure is beautiful in the fall! We kicked things off at the pumpkin patch, where the kids roamed through rows of orange treasures, picking the perfect ones to carve. Our kitchen turned into a creative studio of scooping, sketching, drilling and silly faces glowing by candlelight. Seeds and pumpkin guts seemed to have exploded everywhere. It was like we had created our own house of pumpkin horrors!

But the real highlight? Arabella’s very first dance. She was a little nervous at first, so she invited her sweet friend Alice to come along. Her cousin Sophia was there too but they didn’t get much time to hangout (too much dancing)! Though she didn’t know many of the other kids, that didn’t stop her her teachers said she danced more than anyone else. My radiant little extrovert lit up the room with every twirl. She sang her lungs out and the whole crowd roared and raved with cheered when se requested “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters.

Next up: Pirates of Pinehurst! Arabella brought Arya along for the swashbuckling fun. The kids dressed in pirate gear like eye patches, bandanas, and all and set off on treasure hunts. There’s something timeless about watching them chase adventure with wide eyes and giggles.

Then came the church Dance Party, where the energy was electric. Light saber battles broke out in bursts of laughter in glowing color, and the dance floor was alive with joyful chaos. Elijah found his favorite spot in the shadow room, mesmerized by the shapes and movement of his own shadow upon a green screen.

👻 Halloween arrived with a splash, yes literally. It was raining like crazy and set the mood for the day. The kids had school in the morning. Online they went to a Sugar Skull class that talked about Day of the dead. It taught them how to paint their faces and then had a play they got to watch. After school and once it was dark, Arabella went trick-or-treating with Sethanne, and the rain didn’t hold back. She came home soaked but smiling, warmed up with cozy clothes and candy, and we all curled up for a movie night. The laughter, the sugar, the snuggles. (Though my back had a few complaints the next day!)

October was full of motion and magic, from pumpkin guts to pirate gold, from first dances to rainy candy runs. These are the moments that make the season sparkle.