It’s almost time for the doorbell to start ringing, and I can’t help but think back to Halloweens past. By the time we got to trick-or-treating, I was so over Halloween—the costumes, the candy, the class parties, hosting all the friends after school. I never loved the holiday, and honestly, I don’t think my Mom did either. But can you blame her? Trying to come up with 10 costumes for her kids!
My sister Betsy still tells the funniest story about the year my Mom made her be a “jogger” because she had a sweatsuit that would work as a costume. The best part? Betsy forgot her gym shoes and had to wear school shoes—so she was a jogger in loafers! 😂
These days, I just have one Minion left. And even though he’s a senior in high school, he and his friends are still dressing up as actual Minions tonight. But this year, he’s in charge of all his own plans—not because I don’t want to help, but because he doesn’t need it.
To all the cute mamas out there who are completely exhausted tonight—I see you. It’s a lot. But someday, you’ll look back and wonder how you did it all. The wild thing about motherhood is that you don’t really appreciate the chaos until it’s over.
Maybe that’s why I’m so in my feelings this week. On Sunday, I’ll be at my very last high school football banquet. Being a little older and (hopefully) wiser, I know enough now to let myself take it all in. The head coach reached out today asking how he could thank all the moms who’ve helped this season. I hope I wasn’t presumptuous speaking for all of us, but I told him—just give our boys a great send-off. That’s all we could ever ask for. We’ve loved every minute of being part of their world.
But enough of the mushy stuff! Let’s get to some favorites from the week!
The Fitz Aesthetic Club in Kenilworth: The Fitz Aesthetic Club opened its second location in Kenilworth on Monday. It’s 6,000-square-feet of pure loveliness. Co-owner Suzie Carroll gave me a tour of their beautiful space that was designed by Caroline Turner. It’s truly outstanding and sure to be a local favorite soon for all of your aesthetic needs!
Elevated Spaces: Gorton Center invited me to a design lunch and learn—Elevated Spaces—next Thursday, November 6. Katy Evans, Maggie Getz, and Stephanie McKean will share insights in a lively, panel-style discussion designed to spark ideas and inspiration. Lunch is included with the price of your ticket! I would love to see you there! You can buy your tickets here.
Barn jackets: My friend Stacy showed up to help me take down the senior banners this week and she was wearing the cutest barn jacket. She totally inspired me to do a little research and find one of my own. Here’s the one I bought (it’s 30% off!) and here are a few others I saw that were pretty cute.
Sephora goodies: Sephora started their fall sale today and I did a roundup of the everyday products that I use and love from them. And if you live local and have the chance to shop in store, please visit the Sephora in Deerfield. It’s the best Sephora I have ever been to!
Tru Fru: Chocolate, peanut butter and banana–say no more! If you need a low-cal sweet treat, this is a good one to try.
Elastic Skin: I included this in my Sephora sale round-up, but it deserves its own callout. It’s a newer product from the Inn Beauty Project line that I love called Elastic Skin. Aside from its name, this product is practically perfect. I use it under my moisturizer after I wash my face and I feel like it makes my skin look less wrinkly. Love it!
Nobody Wants This is back: One of my favorite Netflix shows from last year is back with a second season, Nobody Wants This. Noah and Joanne are officially a couple and are settling into the post-honeymoon phase of their relationship. This is a great show to binge watch! The side characters are just as good–if not better–than the main ones.
On a more serious note, tomorrow is November 1 and those relying on SNAP benefits will likely see their benefits disappear. SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provide monthly electronic funds to low-income households to buy food. This program is administered by the state but funded by the federal government. Because of the current federal government shutdown, funding for these benefits will stop on November 1. Please look into helping your local food pantry. Our church has a sister parish in Waukegan where I was able to drop off some groceries. You can also make a donation to a food bank, which I hear is actually preferred because they are able to purchase so much more food for the dollar. In Illinois, you can donate here. (This is where I donated.) If you don’t live in Illinois, you can look here for where to donate.
Finally, a good friend of mine is looking for new children’s coats up to size 16 to donate to contact she has in Waukegan. She is bringing them there this coming Tuesday. If you would like to help her, you can email me at hello@annmariescheidler.com and I can let you know her address.
That’s all for this week. Happy Halloween!
xo,
Disclosure: If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will make a small commission–almost as if I were your personal shopper. I appreciate your support!
