A Season Full of Celebrations, Concerts & Family Memories

This season has been packed with so many meaningful moments — the kind that remind us how important it is to pause and soak it all in. From concerts and date nights to birthdays and family adventures, it’s been one for the books.

Worship Night with Josh Baldwin

We kicked things off with an incredible night at the Josh Baldwin concert. There’s something so powerful about being in a room full of people worshiping together. The music, the atmosphere, and the message made it such a meaningful experience. It was the perfect reminder to slow down and be present.

A Magical Date Night in St. Augustine

We planned a special date night in St. Augustine that felt straight out of a Hallmark movie.

First stop: a cozy Christmas pop-up restaurant that was completely decked out in holiday décor — twinkling lights, festive drinks, and all the Christmas vibes.

After dinner, we walked through the Night of Lights. The entire city glowing in white lights never gets old. It was romantic, festive, and such a sweet way to spend time together during the holiday season.

Brody & Mila’s Boat Day

Brody enjoyed a beautiful boat day with Mila and her family. Sunshine, water, and great company — it doesn’t get much better than that. Days like that are what Florida living is all about.

SeaWorld Adventure with Caleb’s Family

Brody also had a fun day at SeaWorld with Caleb’s family. Between the rides, the shows, and all the marine life, it was a full day of adventure and laughs. It’s always special when friends feel like extended family.

Thanksgiving Break & Meeting Ben

Marissa was home for Thanksgiving break, which is always a highlight. Having everyone back under one roof just feels right.

We also got to meet her new boyfriend, Ben, for the first time! There’s always a little anticipation in those moments, but he fit right in. We’re so glad she was able to bring him home to meet everyone.

Game Show Night with Friends & Family

One of the most fun outings was trying out a new game show experience with Cam, Tara, Myles, and our family. Think fast-paced challenges, lots of laughs, and a little friendly competition. It was such a unique way to spend time together and definitely something we’d do again.

Early Birthday Celebration for Marissa

We celebrated Marissa’s birthday a little early by taking the whole family out to dinner at Whiskey Jax AirStream. Good food, great conversation, and celebrating her — it was the perfect way to mark another year.

Mila’s Birthday Celebration

Mila’s birthday was just as special. Brody celebrated with her by doing an escape room (which I’m sure involved plenty of teamwork and problem-solving!) followed by dinner at Texas Roadhouse. A fun adventure plus a classic dinner combo — sounds like a perfect birthday to me.

Looking back, it’s been a season full of connection — concerts that filled our hearts, holidays that brought us together, new relationships forming, birthdays celebrated, and lots of laughter in between.

It’s easy for time to move quickly, but moments like these remind us just how sweet this season of life really is. 💛

October: A Month of Milestones, Travel, and New Chapters

October was one of those months that felt like a whole year packed into thirty-one days—a whirlwind of travel, celebrations, and first-time experiences. Looking back, it feels like the theme of the month was change—embracing it, cheering it on, and finding joy in every moment.

A Week in Mexico — Celebrating a Parenting Win

Tony and I kicked off October with a much-needed getaway to Mexico. After the emotional rollercoaster of sending Marissa off to college—packing, preparing, transitioning—we finally took a moment to breathe and celebrate a huge parental win. Sun, ocean, uninterrupted conversations, and zero laundry… it was bliss. We got to reconnect as a couple and reflect on how far we’ve come as a family.

Meanwhile, back in the States…

Brody’s Minnesota Adventure

While we were sipping margaritas, Brody was having an adventure of his own. He flew to Minnesota—with Uncle Cam as his travel buddy—to meet up with Grandpa, Todd, Degen, and Emily for a Minnesota Vikings game. It was the ultimate boys’ trip: football, family time, and memories that I know he’ll talk about for years.

USF Parents Weekend — Our First College Visit

Next up: Tampa! Parents Weekend at USF was our introduction to college-life parenting. We explored campus, attended our first USF football game, and soaked up the energy and excitement of Marissa’s new world. Highlights included a family brunch and, my personal favorite—an escape room adventure, where we rediscovered how competitive (and determined!) our family can be.

Seeing Marissa thriving and finding her place made every hard moment leading up to college drop-off worth it.

Worship, Thrills, and Spotlight Moments

October didn’t slow down once we got home—it just shifted into new kinds of adventures:

Brody & I went to the Brandon Lake concert, and it was an incredible night of worship. Being in a room full of people praising and singing together was powerful, and sharing that experience with Brody made it unforgettable.
Marissa & Ben went to Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens, getting their fill of haunted houses and jump scares.
Tony & Brody went to a WWE event in Orlando, where the energy was loud, hyped, and exactly what you’d expect from live wrestling.

Our family apparently doesn’t do “quiet weekends.”

Halloween Horror Nights & Broadway Magic

And because October wasn’t busy enough…

Tony and Marissa continued their annual tradition and attended Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. Even with college in the mix, some traditions are sacred—especially ones involving zombies, chainsaws, and haunted houses.
Brody and I flew to New York City to see Hamilton on Broadway. Watching Brody experience NYC and take in the magic of live theatre is something I’ll treasure forever.

Homecoming and New Milestones

Brody also had his first high school homecoming dance this month. Seeing him dressed up and confident—well, those “my baby is growing up” feelings hit hard.

A Different Kind of Halloween

For the first time ever, Halloween didn’t involve trick-or-treating or coordinating costumes as a family. Instead, both kids spent the evening with their significant others. Bittersweet, but beautiful. Our traditions are evolving—and so are our kids.

October Reflections

This month reminded me that parenting transitions don’t have to be sad—they can be celebrated. We watched our kids step into new chapters, and we stepped into one of our own.

✨ Kids growing up doesn’t mean losing family time—it just means it looks different.

Here’s to October: a month of memories, movement, milestones, and moments we’ll never forget.