Thanksgiving 2019

On the night before Thanksgiving, Tim had a brainstorm: Challenge the Wilmaths to a Turkey Day soccer game. We had no idea if they were even around, or up for it. Turns out they were, and it was a stunningly beautiful day for it, too!

After getting kicked off of the Concorde/Y fields, we eventually settled on a truly lovely space overlooking Murphey Candler Lake. It was a close contest, with we 5 Seymours taking on 7 Wilmaths - Grammy and Grampy joined us, but stayed on the sidelines to cheer. The score remained very close, and I’m happy to say each Seymour scored a goal (I scored 2, but unfortunately one for the wrong side). Ultimately, though, we came up short 9-10. Clearly we need a rematch next year!

This activity set the stage for a movie-watching, napping, generally relaxing afternoon before the feast. As always, very thankful!

My Once-In-A-Lifetime Trunk Show

I had been gearing up for a few weeks for this trunk show with the one and only Jessica Honegger - and I was nervous. Pumped, but also anxious. Would she approve of my style? Would I do justice to Noonday? Was I *really* the right ambassador to host a trunk show with the Founder?! But as I dropped off Laura at school, the Eminem classic “Lose Yourself” came on the radio - a song I have not heard in ages. The phrase “this opportunity comes once in a lifetime” resonated so clearly with me! This was happening, and I needed to just be open to it and do the job I’ve been doing - and LOVING - for 3.5 years. And, of course, it was awesome. My friend Amy was the perfect hostess, and being surrounded and loved on by women who have loved and supported me every step of the way was unforgettable. 

It was so fun to see my friends connect with Jessica, and I enjoyed driving her around and having some down-to-earth, one-on-one time with her. Priceless.

I am so inspired to keep going, and crazier than ever about the Noonday community. 

Grandparents Day

Laura was *really* pumped for Grandparents Day this year - because she auditioned for, and earned, a solo! She was definitely pleased that we would have grandparents in town for the big show. 

She practiced her part of “Happy” for weeks, but I wasn’t sure if shy tendencies or stage fright would kick in. No chance - she knocked it out of the park! (I heard the woman behind me “ooh” in appreciation.)

Blessed to have grandparents able and happy to attend, and love the energy of Laura and the whole school. A great event!

Tim & Clare’s Excellent Chicago/ND Adventure

As soon as Clare finished Term 1 exams, she and Tim headed out for a weekend of college visits, with a side of nostalgia throughout Chicago. First stop: Duke of Perth. 

Saturday they toured Northwestern and checked out Loyola on their own. She definitely liked both, but wasn’t necessarily smitten. She did enjoy touring Chicago, from the lakeshore to the Mag Mile. They caught up with Ricky and Meaghan and their crew for dinner, too - both remember toddler Clare very well!

Sunday they grabbed lunch at CBA, just as the two of them used to do every Saturday. They went to mass at St. Clement, then lunch at Panes before heading to ND.

After dinner at Legends, they happened upon the inter-hall football finals in the stadium, so Clare really got a taste of the dorm spirit. 

The next morning was their official tour, and after that Clare caught up with her friend Lindsey from Marist. She was able to see Lindsey’s dorm, meet some of her friends, and ask lots of questions. I’m happy to say she loved it! We’ll see what the next year brings, but so far ND is high on the list!

A Happy Halloween for 2019

We continue to mix things up at Halloween, and this year we divided and conquered. Laura, who dressed as Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter series, chose to trick-or-treat with Meghan (a S.W.A.T. officer) in her neighborhood. I escorted her, and we enjoyed a great evening with the Millers, including a moonlit buffet dinner halfway through the candy trek.

Meanwhile, Tim held down the fort at home, grilling ribs and burgers and hosting a front-yard fire. Danny chose to stay home as his sidekick. Clare invited some friends over, and I think all were happy to have a place to gather and have fun - Halloween gets tricky for high schoolers. They seemed a very merry bunch indeed, and Clare was delighted with the results.

Swim squad.

Danny in the mix!

I was festive, too.

Cuties.

The weather turned quite chilly, too, which really helped to usher in the feeling of approaching holidays!