Monthly Round-Up | October ‘25

A curated collection of the standout moments, meals, and little highs and lows that made this past month one to remember.

October is officially over and that means: IT’S OFFICIALLY WICKED: FOR GOOD MONTH!!! This picture is what these sisters are gonna look like when we pull up to the Alamo on November 20th. Before we get ahead of ourselves though, let’s recap spooky season and all that October had to offer!

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Ashley’s Recap:

A little note before I begin:

The month of November has always been a little complicated for me. As someone who doesn’t love her birthday and doesn’t love the spotlight - a dirty day coupled with an election that usually leaves me euphoric or borderline depressed - this month has always been a little dreadful. Don’t get me wrong, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It has nothing to do with the actual holiday and more to do with the fact that I actually love being around my family and friends coupled with my Mom’s delicious cooking.

When my Dad died in 2008, one week after Obama won his historic 1st term and I just turned 24, I missed being able to spend one more Thanksgiving with him before he had a brain aneurysm at 46. Turning 41 this year feels so bizarre. Only 5 years younger than my Dad? How can that be? He seemed so much older than I feel now. I am closing in on being without him for as long as I had him.

I couldn’t possibly imagine November getting worse in 2020. Biden just crushed Trump - I was 31 weeks with my miracle baby, CJ - what could go wrong? (Wait, I am now possibly realizing there is a correlation between happy political moments and soul crushing tragedies!) The irony of losing my son who was named after my Dad will never be lost on me. They even died 10 days apart. I’ve been an atheist for quite sometime but that truly confirmed for me that the God everyone kept telling me about is absolutely not real.

Enter my other miracle child, Penny! What a struggle it will be to not be so crushingly sad this month. Especially since it’s the first year we will celebrate Jackson’s birthday without him on the 20th. It’s impossible to be sad around Penny, who is so full of life and laughter that it’s honestly amazing that she could come from someone as negative and sad as me.

I’ve spent the entire October having anxiety about November and now I actively feel like I’m drowning. I hope that something good will come of Election Day and I know that I will get out of bed every morning determined to make this month spectacular for Penny. For all of us.

Sorry for the depressing start to the newsletter but I just had to get all that out.

High: I went on a girl’s trip to Bald Head Island at the beginning of the month with my college best friends and had an absolute blast! We spent 4 days watching Love Thy Nader, lounging by the pool, eating delicious food, hysterically laughing, and singing karaoke. It was an absolute dream. I’m not sure if y’all are familiar with BHI but it’s the most idyllic if slightly inconvenient place but that’s what gives it so much charm! I’m hoping this becomes a yearly thing!