After a busy September, October felt like the month where we should have slowed things down a little, to ease into the rhythm of autumn and prepare for the cosier months ahead. But it was far from quiet which I loved – ideal before the colder months really kick in. School life has settled as much as it can: we’ve found our footing with homework, new routines, and the general pace of term life. By the time the October half-term rolled around, we were more than ready for the break.
The start of the month was low-key. When my weekend came, we treated ourselves to a Friday night supper at Wagamama’s, followed by a Saturday playdate at a local National Trust site. Then on the same evening, we joined friends for an outdoor cinema screening of Hocus Pocus – the perfect October film and such a lovely way to spend a crisp autumn night.
The final week before half-term was anything but quiet. Work was full-on as I tried to get ahead before my week off, and between teacher meetings and a bit of home-schooling, it felt like a juggle. The girls had an amazing treat that week too – a trip to the O2 with their dad to see Katy Perry! They came back absolutely buzzing (even though they had to leave a little early to get enough sleep for school the next day).
That weekend was a quieter one for me, their dad’s weekend, so I took the time to reset. Saturday was all about getting organised, and Sunday was spent walking at another beautiful National Trust site with a lovely friend. It was exactly what I needed before half-term began.
We started half-term gently, with a relaxed day and a horse-riding lesson at the new riding school in the afternoon. It’s taken a couple of weeks to find our groove, but we’re really happy with the new school, teachers, and rhythm – we just need to finalise which regular slot we go for, moving forwards.
Midweek, we took a trip to Blenheim Palace and did everything we missed during our summer visit. We thought we’d only stay for an hour, but three hours later we were still exploring – it was such a special day, especially sharing it with my mum. Later in the week, we had our big day out at Chessington, which I’ve blogged about separately, and finished the week with some downtime on Friday and a playdate with friends on Saturday.
As half-term came to a close, I was back to work while the girls enjoyed some slower days with my mum and then some extra time with their dad. My brother came to stay for a few days which was so lovely which rounded the month off beautifully with a trip to the cinema to see Tron: Ares (which was incredible) and cooking up lots of lovely vegan meals.
October has been a month of intention, getting organised, spending time with family and friends, and taking life as it comes. As we head into November and December, I can already see how busy it will be, every weekend right up to Christmas is already booked, including my solo ones! Here’s to embracing the calm before the festive storm. 🍂
Every joy, every moment of peace, every small blessing is a reflection of God’s goodness in our lives. We carry such gratitude for his constant presence.
