Happy October, friends! Oh my goodness — sometimes life just requires that you take a break from blogging … am I right? This is, without a doubt, one of the busiest seasons so far in my life. We’ve got the two babes and work and some big changes coming in the next few weeks … but despite all the madness, we always, always, always have room for a little fun. Enter … Nan & Poppa. These amazing, wonderful, generous in-laws of mine decided that they missed their grandkids, they found a decent flight, and they hopped on it and flew around the world to see them.

Sometimes, my friends, it’s as simple as that.

So for the past week and 1/2, we’ve been livin’ the high life with Aussie Nan & Poppa (and putting them to work, for sure, because of those forthcoming changes I mentioned earlier). Between the work, though, we went to three pumpkin festivals. We visited the Denver Zoo and the Butterfly Pavilion (both firsts for them), took G to a dance party at the library, dropped off and picked up Lotte from preschool, crafted, read books, watched favorite shows … and just oh-so-much more. There was also lots of snuggling since, of course, Lotte got strep throat for the last few days of their visit. Le sigh. Kids man. School man. Winter man. I’m not ready for it!

Here’s the thing about grandparents, though: The best ones can make the world a brighter, better place. Nan & Poppa do that for our kids, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

^^ Last year was the first year I took the girls to the fall festival at Four Mile Historic Park in Denver, but I was so happy to make it back this year with Nan & Poppa! It’s such a fun tradition, and such a fun way to kick off the fall season.

^^ We promised Nan & Poppa all of the pumpkin patches when they arrived, and I don’t think we disappointed! We head to Rock Creek Farm every year for our pumpkins, and Nan & Poppa were actually there with us the first year, when Lotte was but a wee little one of three months old.

^^ Even though we’ve only been twice now, the Butterfly Pavilion has become one of our favorite spots as well. There is so much to see and do and touch and feel … the girls always have the best time!

^^ This is not an optical illusion, friends. Yes, we had our first snowfall of the season while Nan & Poppa were here! It was a couple inches, and it was almost completely gone the next day. Fun while it lasted … glad it was gone quickly!

^^ A snowy Thursday made for a slushy/muddy Chatfield Farms Pumpkin Festival on Friday, but we made the most of it!

^^ On Saturday we took Nan & Poppa to the Denver Zoo, which they had never been to before, and Chris had never been during the day, either. We were worried because it was supposed to be a pretty cold day (hence the winter gear), but it turned out to be sunny and glorious, and all of the animals were out and frolicking and it was just a really, really fun time filled with happy memories 😉

^^ Chris’s birthday is next week, so his parents picked up a cake for their last night here so we could all celebrate early together. It was truly lovely.

And then, much too quickly, they were gone. I am never not sad when people leave after visiting, no matter how hectic or stressful things might get at times during the visit. This visit, though, was truly a blessing for us, since it came right at a time when we needed the help the most, and the girls could not have been happier to see their grandparents. Luckily we have big plans to meet up with them next year in Europe (Spain with kids … anyone done it?! What do you suggest?!), and in the blink of an eye, I know that will be here, too.

Bis bald, friends – I hope you’re all enjoying the fall weather and getting to do all of the fun fall things!