Pinch Me

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Sometimes I just can't believe the pure beauty of Del Mar.

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So Very Thankful

I just spent four days with two amazing ladies and friends. I am so grateful for their friendship that began long ago...Mendy and I have known one another since preschool; Kelly and I since fifth grade. These are lifelong friendships that I feel are so rare these days. Although we parted ways physically after high school attending different universities, achieving different dreams and settling down (well, sort of) at different points in this country, we have always been there for one another. From traveling to have weekends together to being support for break-ups, big job decisions and even those fun decisions of what to wear and where to eat! We take comfort in knowing that in less than two years we will all live within 3 hours of one another, instead of days. Nothing was different this weekend as we enjoyed a hike in the Torrey Pines Reserve, good food and conversation at various locales, shopping and laughing and more shopping and laughing, and sharing moments with my family. I can hardly wait to be close to these ladies and their families, and for the reality that we can get together so much more and raise our families together.  

 

 

Boo from the Beach!

 The astronaut, elephant & shark are ready!

 Blake with his friend, Mateo

 A shark tale...

 The only (and blurry) shot I got of Dane during the school parade

 Blake showing off his costume with his class

 Marching in the Halloween parade!

Off to meet up with friends for a fun-filled night of trick or treating!

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Wow! Halloween in Del Mar is one big PARTY! It started off bright and early at school with an 8:00am Halloween assembly, performance and parade. Every single child was in costume, every single teacher and administrator were in costume and the majority of the parents. It was awesome. The children were never allowed to do this in South Carolina and I found out how important it is for the kids to have this experience...so much fun! Matt was able to make it home to leave around 6:00pm to head over to a friend's house for trick or treating in their neighborhood. It was a big neighborhood extravaganza! Parties at many of the houses...all of the houses decorated better than I have ever seen with smoke machines, music, the whole nine yards. We met up with our new friends then met up with even more until there were several kids from the boys' classes and their families all trick or treating together. All of the kids had a blast and we have a ton of candy and tired kiddos on this day after Halloween. It was SO worth it and I can only hope we find friends and a neighborhood like this in Wichita.