{Weekend Wrap-up // practice, college football, fall things, church}

 Happy Monday, friends! I hope this new week is off to a good start for you. Today I’m sharing our Weekend Wrap-Up… one of my favorite little traditions here on the blog. This weekend was a quiet one, and honestly, my heart needed that. After such a heavy week, it felt good to take things slow, rest at home, and just soak in the simple joys. Plus, with hockey season officially kicking off next weekend, this was one of our last free weekends for a while. Here’s a peek at what we were up to…

Friday
I have ZERO pictures from this day, which is so unlike me… but sometimes that just means you’re living in the moment. I worked most of the day, then we headed to the rink for Mason’s practice. From about 5:00–10:00 pm we were there. The night started with a presentation on mental performance, which I think will be so beneficial for the kids as they head into the season. Then they hit the ice for practice.

Afterward, we visited with some new hockey parent friends… such kind people, and I can’t wait to get to know them better throughout the season. Then came an unexpected adventure: helping a teammate search for a lost phone. We spent well over an hour retracing steps, checking every corner (and trashcan - eeekkk), and just when we were about to call it a night… we found it! Praise! By the time we drove the 35 minutes back home, it was pretty late and we were ready for bed.

Saturday
I woke up to Nate making breakfast, which is always such a treat. Bless that man! While he cooked, I worked on pulling together a calendar for our hockey team. Between emails for practices, another file for off-ice sessions, and then an app for games, everything felt scattered. I like having it all in one place, so I pieced it together to make it easier for everyone.

After breakfast we settled in to watch our Sooners play. They kicked boo-tay, and it ended up being a pretty uneventful game… but we weren’t complaining! During halftime, Nate ran me up to the little store down the road so I could grab some things for baking and a simmer pot. They didn’t have what I needed, so I dropped him back at home (so he could catch the second half) and drove into town. I picked up what I needed and came back home to make a cozy fall simmer pot and a batch of pumpkin muffins. Between the simmer pot filling the house with all the fall smells, football on the TV, and pumpkin muffins in the oven… it felt like autumn had officially arrived in our home, even if the Texas temps outside said otherwise.

Later, I did a little crafting and started decorating the porch for fall. That evening we strolled over to Nate’s parents’ house and sat outside visiting. We watched hummingbirds darting around while college football played in the background. Eventually, we grabbed some supper, came home, and curled up for more football before calling it a night.

Sunday

Sunday morning we went to the early service at church, and it was incredible. We got there super early so we sat on the porch for a while. It felt so great outside and it was so heartwarming seeming all the people flood in. Then we made our way inside. The sanctuary was so full… hardly an empty seat anywhere. Our pastor began by addressing the heartbreaking events of this past week and leading us in prayer. Then he jumped back into our current series on “Grown-up Faith,” and wouldn’t you know it… the sermon was about “how to face the storms and how your faith stays strong in a crisis.” The message had been written weeks ago, but God knew that’s exactly what we would need to hear on this particular day. His timing is always perfect. Can I get an Amen? I may write more about this in my From the Front Porch series soon, because there was so much to unpack and reflect on.

After church, we ran by Tom Thumb for a couple of things we needed and then headed home for an afternoon of football and rest. It was such a lowkey day… exactly what we needed. Later, we swung back by Nate’s parents’ house to help with some attic organization, then came home for supper and a quiet evening. We watched more football and I read my Bible.

And that’s our weekend in a nutshell! It was the perfect mix of productivity and rest… my favorite kind of balance. With hockey games starting up next weekend, I know things will only get busier from here, so I’m extra thankful for the slower pace we had. How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun, restful, or productive? I’d love to hear!