The Season of All the Things

Y’all.

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but October through December feels like the parental version of a triathlon — except instead of running, swimming, and biking, it’s costumes, casseroles, and chaos.

Somehow, we blink after Labor Day and suddenly it’s Halloween week. I’ve got one kid begging for a costume that’s “NOT scratchy, Mom,” and the other insisting she and the dog both need matching witch hats. Nugget, bless him, looks like he’s reconsidering his entire life every time I pull out the glitter.

And don’t even get me started on Halloween events.

We went to six Trunk-or-Treats — six! And every single one of them was outside. Which, normally, I wouldn’t mind — but y’all, this Georgia weather has lost its mind. It turned cold and wet, and that does not work well with 99% of the Halloween costumes out there. Suddenly, all those adorable costume ideas we planned — the sparkly princess dresses, the lightweight superhero suits, the little witch hats — were replaced by puffer jackets and rain boots. I’ve got Elsa wearing a hoodie, Spider-Girl wrapped in a blanket, and Nugget looking like a soggy gremlin.

By the third Trunk-or-Treat, I was holding an umbrella with one hand and sipping my iced coffee with the other, muttering, “Didn’t we just do this last night?” The girls loved every minute, of course. Jenna was in full candy-collection mode while Jessica was busy critiquing everyone’s decorations like she’s the Martha Stewart of ghosts and spider webs.

Then comes the main event — Halloween night. Our neighborhood goes all out. We’re talking over 700 trick-or-treaters, the police blocking off the street, and folks setting up at the end of their driveways like it’s a fall tailgate party. Everyone just kind of meanders, chatting and laughing while kids dart around in a sugar-fueled haze. It’s chaotic, it’s loud, it’s festive — and it’s one of my favorite nights of the year.

But here’s where it really gets fun — the birthdays.

We’ve got one in October, one in November, and two in December. (Who planned this? Oh right… me.) I love celebrating my girls, but by the time I’m done blowing up balloons and cutting cake for the third time, I feel like a party planner who’s lost all concept of time, money, and sanity.

And that’s before you even factor in the school events.

Between Halloween parties, Friendsgiving feasts, Secret Santa swaps, and “don’t forget to send in a dozen cookies by tomorrow” emails, I’ve become the mom who sets reminders for her reminders. My Alexa even sounds tired when she says, “You have another event today.”

Then, of course, there’s Thanksgiving. We host — because apparently I make a mean mac and cheese and can “just throw something together” (which is code for work a miracle while entertaining two sugar-fueled kids).

And y’all — November and December aren’t just busy because of the holidays. The school calendar makes sure of that.

There are random out-of-school days, teacher workdays, early releases — all sprinkled in just enough to keep us on our toes. So, while I’m knee-deep in costume glitter and leftover candy wrappers, I also have to start finding camps or childcare options for those days off. And because every other parent in town is doing the same thing, those camps open right around the time the school year starts, meaning you’ve got to have your act together back in August to cover your bases for November.

So yes — while I’m labeling backpacks and sharpening pencils for the first week of school, I’m also Googling “Thanksgiving Break Camps Near Me” like it’s an Olympic sport.

And once November hits, the real juggling act begins:

You’ve got Thanksgiving lunch sign-ups at school (where somehow you have to be in two classrooms at the same time), the fall parties that require pumpkins for decorating, dessert sign-ups, paper plate donations, and the “surprise” classroom feast that your child just remembered to tell you about — the night before. Then come December’s Christmas parties, teacher gift exchanges, cookie swaps, classroom goodie bags, and the avalanche of glitter that will haunt your floors until April.

And as if that’s not enough, December adds another level of holiday madness.

My husband has business travel plans that month, so I’ll be solo-parenting through part of it — which, as every mom knows, automatically doubles the chaos. On top of that, both girls are in performance clubs this year. So we’ve got two holiday performances to prep for. Jessica’s already humming her songs around the house, and Jenna’s practicing her dance moves in the kitchen — usually while Nugget’s trying to figure out why she’s twirling near his water bowl.

And just when you think you’ve made it through the holidays and can finally breathe — surprise! It’s time to plan next summer.

With kids in the school system, January is basically “Summer Camp Hunger Games.” Camps open up the first week of January and are full by the end of the month. If you don’t have your vacation, family visits, and backup care all locked in by then, good luck. And heaven forbid plans change — because a lot of those camps? No refunds. Period.

So while I’m stringing up Christmas lights, I’m also comparing camp calendars, Googling “fun but affordable beach towns,” and texting other moms like we’re organizing a covert operation.

Oh — and as if that’s not enough — this is also the year Jenna starts elementary school. So right alongside camp sign-ups and summer planning, I’ve got to start gathering every document known to mankind: birth certificate, proof of residence, immunization forms, dental records — possibly a DNA sample at this point. Registration opens in January too, which means while I’m trying to remember who still needs a stocking stuffer, I’m also refreshing the school district website like I’m buying Taylor Swift tickets.

And let’s not forget — both girls are due for their yearly physicals.

Which sounds simple until you try to schedule them. Every parent in town realizes at the exact same moment that they also need those checkups before school starts back in January. So if you don’t call the pediatrician by October, you’re looking at an appointment in… March. Maybe.

So now, in the middle of planning birthdays, making Halloween costumes, and remembering which side of the family got Thanksgiving last year, I’m also juggling school portals, immunization forms, and pediatrician hold music.

By the time Christmas rolls around, I’ve been to approximately twelve “holiday sing-alongs,” wrapped forty-seven teacher gifts, and had at least one breakdown in the Target parking lot. (Okay, maybe two. Fine, three.)

But here’s the thing — it’s also the best kind of busy. The kind where your house smells like cinnamon and chaos, your camera roll is full of giggles and frosting-covered faces, and your heart is just… full.

So, here’s to the moms out there juggling it all — the birthday banners, the pumpkin guts, the turkey timers, the tinsel, the early-bird summer camp sign-ups, the kindergarten registration packets, the pediatrician’s hold music, and the glitter-covered performance costumes. May your coffee be strong, your wrapping paper plentiful, and your Amazon Prime account working overtime.

Because this time of year may be wild, but it’s also the magic we’ll remember — long after the glitter’s finally vacuumed out of the carpet (in March).

🎃🦃🎄☀️📚🩺💃

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