The 10 day Count Down to Halloween: Fun Family Activities!

I looked in the mirror and jumped back at what I saw. 

“What am I again?” I asked my dad. 

“You’re supposed to be a mime." 

“Oh…ok,”  I said slowly trying not to hurt my dad’s feelings. 

“Everyone’s going to love it!” he quickly added. 

Yeah, if they don’t run from me first, I thought.  

As I stepped back from the mirror, I felt like I was one of Dr. Frankenstein’s creations, a guinea pig really to one of my dad’s crazy experiments of Halloween make-up “artistry”. Being only 10, I wanted to be something a little cuter, like a fairy, or maybe a princess. But my dad wanted to try out some cool face paint for a mime costume that he and my mom had put together for me. While I can’t seem to find a picture of what I looked like after that memorable make-up session (honestly, what a bummer)…I vaguely remember kind of looking like one of these guys:

Or maybe a little like her. 

Needless to say, I wasn’t crazy about that year’s costume, but I have to say, I never did forget it.

Years later, I now smile at the thought of all of those funny costumes and botched make up attempts, the tummy aches from all of the candy we ate and the hysterical memories of my dad trying on silly costumes in attempt to make us all laugh until it hurt. 

  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays because my parents truly did make it so special for all of us. 

My dad always took us trick-or-treating and helped with our costumes. I cherish the time I spent with him. The memories we all made together laid a foundation of what I wanted my own kids to experience. When BBH and I finally had kids, we promised we would make the holiday season always memorable and exciting for them just as we had experienced as kids and even better, if possible. 

With Halloween only 10 days away, I found it befitting to share some of our little family's top 10 Halloween and Fall bucket list activities. I'm almost positive (and hope) a few will make your list as well!

10-Decorate your haunted haven with some fall flair- Kick off the autumn season with some fall decorations! There are lots of great ways online to decorate your home without breaking the bank. Little by little and year by year you can add to your fall decorations. Last year I made a version of this:

Image credit: cjaneblog.blogspot.com

And this:

Image credit: myheartsdesireblog.com

9- Conjure up your costumes together- Finding costumes for a family of four or more can cost a pretty penny! Take some time to brainstorm a few months in advance and gather materials to make your own creative costumes together with your family. Check out this awesome website for ideas on how to find or make costumes while on a budget. There are also great deals at consignment shops or hand-me-downs from friends and family members.

Image credit: funcheaporfree.com

8- Promenade down to the local pumpkin patch- Many cities have local farms with pumpkin patches and offer organic produce at great prices. Take a weekend to go check out one or two and take advantage of the perfect fall family photo opportunities, too!

7- Have a pumpkin carving contest- Make it a yearly family tradition to carve or decorate pumpkins the week before Halloween! There are a lot of free jack-o-lantern patterns online. Here are some free ones from Pumpkin Masters and Orange and Black Pumpkins.

One of our carved pumpkins from last Halloween!

6- Support a local family 5k or 1-mile fun run- The fall & holiday season not only kick off lots of fun activities, but also many sweets, goodies and heavy meals. Look for a local community fun run that will not only support a great cause but will help your family stay fit and healthy throughout the months.

5- Make Halloween Treats together- Come October I'm ready to start smelling the warm aroma of baked goods and especially that familiar smell of pumpkin chocolate chip bread. Here is an amazing recipe to try from Two Peas & Their Pods. Mini-me and My-girl are already becoming accustomed to my love for chocolate and baking. Wrap a loaf or two up and swing them by a neighbor's or friend's house. They will love you for it!

Credit Image: Two Peas & Their Pod

4-“Boo” your neighbor- Try this fun take on a "Secret Santa" and make this a new Halloween tradition with the fam. To start a Halloween "Boo", leave a small gift basket, a "Boo" poem, the instructions and a "Boo" sign at a neighbor's doorstep. The neighbor receiving the Boo posts the "We've been Boo-ed" sign on their window (so that others know they've already been "boo-ed") and is then asked to "Boo" two other households, which leads to a spooktacular neighborhood chain reaction of neighborly love.

Image Credit: Organized home

3- Make Halloween crafts-Enjoy your time with the kiddos by making a few fun crafts to frame and add to your fall decor. Here is one we'll be making soon: 

Image credit: Makegreat.wordpress.com

And here is a wonderful site with lots more for you and your family to try: 100- Fall Activities & Crafts for the Kids.

2-Have a pumpkin party with the family. Have a pumpkin-themed dinner and party with your family and friends! Here are a couple of websites to get some ideas flowing:

-Homemade Simple

-Wants and wishes design

1-Watch Halloween movies- Nothing makes me more happy than eating caramel-covered popcorn while cuddling up with my loves and watching a Halloween movie. I’m typically a big chicken, but I love a good Halloween kid flick. Some of my favorite movies were It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Hocus Pocus. Here is a list of some of the best Halloween movies for the kids, ranked from the least to most spooky from Reader's Digest. 

Image credit: Best Halloween Movies for Kids from Reader's Digest

Happy Halloween!!

Thankful Thursdays: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

The other day my little girls were dancing around the house singing at the top of their lungs "These are a few of my favorite things," from The Sound of Music. We laughed and sang together as we skipped through the house as if WE were the Von Trapp family.  It was one of those many let-it-all-out goofy moments for me as a mom.  I’d like to say that I wasn’t goofy like this before having kids, but nope, not much has changed for me. If anything, my goofiness is now exponentially greater after having kids. BBH and I may no longer belt out our 311 or Cake songs together…but we are definitely known to belt a Disney tune or two now. Moments like these make my life not just happy, but joyful.

"Happiness is rising bubbles-delightful & inevitably fleeting.

 Joy is oxygen-ever present." -Danielle LaPort

Sometimes while my kids are asleep and I sit down to decompress, I think about the moments that make up my whole day and what made this day so special and miraculous. I think about the things that truly make me thankful to be a mom and have defined me as a woman. And these are a few of my favorite things:

I’m thankful for hope & faith.

After spending several years trying to overcome infertility, I had many moments of sadness and despair. With every failed attempt or procedure to get pregnant, I would feel a weight that made my heart very heavy. But hope and faith buoyed my spirit up and became the antithesis to my burdens. Consistency of faith and hope cleared my mind of doubt and helped me take another step forward, even when I wasn't sure if I could. Now my hope and faith help me on a my daily journey through motherhood as I do everything I can to raise my girls to be the best they can be.

I’m thankful for prayer.

In my faith, we believe that we are sons and daughters of a loving, eternal Heavenly Father. We can pray to him and build a relationship with him through consistent prayer. I'm thankful that I can pray to Him to express my gratitude for all that I have and to ask for help with my shortcomings. I can pray to Him to help me be a better mother, wife, sister, friend...a better me. 

I’m thankful for my mistakes and for second chances.

Motherhood has taught me that I’m not perfect and that I must grow everyday. It teaches me that I will always make mistakes and that’s ok, as long as I learn from them and become better. It humbles me and shows me my weaknesses. For every weakness I see in myself, I realize that I can make it a strength if I only recommit myself to be better. I'm thankful for second chances that allow me to be the mother and woman I strive to be.

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family...What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.

--Elder Russell M. Ballard, "Daughters of God," General Conference April 2008

I’m thankful for love and vulnerability.

From a very early age, I've always wanted to be a mom. But I never fully understood what that meant. What does it mean "to be" a mom? There are so many words that can define a mother. For me, being a mom just cannot simply be defined by words alone, but by most importantly, verbs. The best verb to describe motherhood is pure, unconditional love. It's a love that is vulnerable. I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to love my girls and husband as much as I can, everyday. I'm grateful I have them to teach me how to love. 

I’m thankful for the messes.

Sometimes I feel like cleaning my house is a continuous Groundhog Day ritual. The same messes re-surface and I’m on my hands and knees a lot every day, picking up my toddlers' crumbs and spills. I read an article one day that made me think differently about the those seemingly monotonous and messy moments. It made me realize that being a mom is so much more than cleaning or the day-to-day grind. It's about loving, unconditionally and sincerely. I'm thankful for the messes, because I have children to clean after and to teach them how to help me and others. I'm thankful for the messes because they teach me how to serve. 

Photo credit: newhealthom.com

I'm thankful for the minutes.

The first time I held mini-me and my-girl after they were born, I made a promise to myself that I would enjoy the minutes, because each minute makes up the moments and eventually those moments make up special memories. Time is fleeting and I wanted to make sure I soaked in as much of them as possible and to never have any regrets as to where I invested my time. I promised I'd never take the opportunity to finally be a mom for granted and to love as much as I could in the time that I had. It's in the short minutes that memories are made, love and tenderness is expressed and kindness is shared. 

"We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love." -Mother Teresa

Milestone Monday- Caps and Gowns

I was eighteen and cruising in the car with one of my best friends from high school- Andrea Gill.  Approximately T-2 hours until graduation.  I was wearing the light pink dress I had insisted I "needed" to wear under my cap and gown. (We were supposed to wear white but when Walmart proved unfruitful, light pink was the next best thing.  Because obviously wearing a white shirt and tan skirt or something practical from home that I already owned was not acceptable.)

I was sitting in the front seat painting my nails a light pink while Andrea glanced anxiously down- eyes darting between the bottle of polish in my hand to her car's (then) pristine interior.  I guess the nail painting wasn't entirely necessary, but they needed to match the dress that would ultimately basically remain unseen the two times I wore it (as it was covered by my forest-green graduation robe) and the rest of the time it hung in the back of my closet until it's relocation to Good Will.

In a few minutes my nails were done and we resorted to trying on our caps and dancing while "I'm Bringing Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake blasted through the car.  Occassionally we'd pass another car full of almost-graduates and we'd laugh and point at each other from beneath our cardboard caps. We thought we were so cool.  We were on top of the world.

I remember high school fondly.  I had an amazing group of friends with similar standards and goals.  It was full of after-school clubs and performances, late nights on AIM, sleepovers with philosophical conversations where we all ultimately agreed and couldn't understand why no one else could see how life was so simple.  We had drama- both the Shakespeare kind and the regular teenage-brand; but the arguments were generally short-lived and our laughter was commonly heard both on and off campus.

Here some of my friends and I sit during lunch in the round concrete courtyard called "The Dogbowl" after our bull dog mascot.  We called this spot "The Wall".  I'm the one rocking the pink skirt and black high-tops.  P.S.  Yes that's an old-school flip-phone, but it isn't mine. I wasn't that cool.

Near the end of my senior year I remember some of my friends becoming anxious and withdrawn as college acceptance letters arrived and the countdown until graduation began.  I didn't understand what the big deal was.  What could possibly change?  These people were my life.  They knew me better than anyone else.

Yeah...that's us.  I'm the super immature one in the back climbing on Lindsey's back.  You can see my pink-shoed leg peeking through the front.  (Pink has never been my favorite color but this blog post sure makes it seem otherwise...lol)  I actually wore those pink converse to graduation- but someone caught me and made me switch with one of the spectators who was wearing white shoes.  I didn't even know the other girl and I had to wear her shoes... it was weird.  Then I had to go to the school the next day to pick up my shoes from one of the girls in choir who agreed to hold them for me.  I guess I drove home barefoot?  That doesn't make sense... I'm sure I was wearing shoes.  Maybe the white shoes belonged to the choir girl and we just traded? Man... it hasn't been long enough for me to forget so much has it?  Also this is way too long for a caption but oh well.

I met graduation warmly and excitedly.  I remember it in tidbits.  Andrea and I got there early because we had to sit in the front- since we were in the choir and would be singing the national anthem.  I graduated with honors- summa cum laude (Not to brag... ok maybe to brag a little.)  It seemed to last forever.  Going first means you get all the fun exciting parts over with right away and you spend the rest of the time clapping and acting happy for all the other people in your graduating class as they stomp across the stage.  Our school had placed little tiny rolls of crepe paper under our seats for us to throw when graduation was over.  I guess they didn't really explain it every well though because half the people had thrown their crepe paper before graduation was even officially over.  My friend Jeff was valedictorian but I don't remember his speech.  Andrea was dating him at the time.  I wonder if she remembers his speech?  The salutatorian mentioned cookies in his speech- but that's all I remember of that one too. hah

After graduation I couldn't find my family.  We were supposed to meet at Cracker Barrel but they had some car trouble and needed to go straight home.  I sat at Carrabas with Andrea and Jeff and their families instead and waited for one of my parents to swing back around and get me.  Sitting there with my friends- not hugging my family and posing for pictures with my diploma- things felt pretty normal.

There was no defining "moment" where I realized I was about to move onto the next phase of my life.  At some point... I just looked back and realized it had.

This picture was taken with some of my closest high school friends over the Christmas break after our graduation.  I remember it being such a bitter-sweet reunion.  My friend Alyssa made us all mix CD's and I listened to it in the minivan as my mom drove me back to college and I bawled my eyes out so sad to leave my friends.

I was only at college for a few months when I met my future husband.  I graduated high school in May 2007 and by November 2008 I was married.  My life was suddenly on fast-track.  The people had once known me so well quickly began to slip and fade out of my life as Brandon and I began our new life together.  It was a hard transition for me.  None of my friends were married.  They didn't quite know how to react.  I didn't quite know how to react either.

Suddenly I wasn't coming "home" every break.  We weren't having sleepovers or talking for hours late at night on the phone.  I was more concerned with figuring out how exactly you cook a casserole and how to be more responsible when washing my loads of white laundry because now they were "our" loads of white laundry and my husband was slightly more affected by a pink-tinged wardrobe than I would be.

Eventually I began to make new friends.  Friends with the people in my classes, friends with other young married couples at church.  The hurtful comments many of my high school friends had made when hearing about my young engagement began to fade and I focused on getting my degree- and in a couple of years starting a family.

Soon... sooner than I think I had expected- it was time to graduate again.  This time I had earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education.  I was graduating with honors again- (only cum laude this time... lol) but this time I wasn't jumping at the bit to find the perfect outfit for under my graduation robe.  In fact I had considered not even walking at all.  I had so many other things on my mind.  (The fact that I was 8 months pregnant with my first child was one of them) But my husband Brandon pushed for me to go ahead and walk.

As I think back to that time- I consulted a blog entry I had written about the experience.  Below I've recounted parts of that post with a couple of additions.

I met the evening of Cinco de Mayo by putting on some nice church clothes, and gingerly placing my black cap and gown over top of them.  I had only tried them on for the first time the night before, despite the fact that I'd had them for an entire week.  I think part of me was afraid they wouldn't fit over my protruding belly.  lol I seriously felt in a daze.  When we got to the St. Pete Forum (the USF Sundome where graduations are usually held is under construction.) I was immediately surrounded by a feeling of excitement and joy.

But those feelings weren't my own.  I wasn't feeling excitement or joy.  I was in a daze.  So much had happened in the past four years.After all that hard work, all the confusion, all the cramming before tests, all the classmates I'd worked with, and all the late-night tears as I tried to figure out how in the world I was going to not only register for all the classes I needed, but PASS them as well....it was over.

I couldn't find any pictures from my actual college graduation- but this is the week before at the graduation ceremony for the honors teacher-training program I was in at the university.  My belly seems deceivingly small front-on like this but let me assure you it was pretty big at this point.

It couldn't be over.  I was about to have a baby!  I needed to get a job!  I'd been going crazy trying to make it there... what do you mean I actually did it? My entire life I've been snug inside some sort of "safety net"- whether it was my parents house, high school, a dorm room, or even just a four year college program.  And here they were handing me a pair of golden scissors, telling me it was time to snip a hole in that safety net.  Snip snip.

Slip through and join the "real world".  I wasn't ready... but ready or not- my college experience was officially over.

The ceremony didn't take too long- something I wasn't expecting after remembering the high school graduation that had seemed to drag on and on.  The speakers were brief and they went through names like Speedy Gonzalez on fast forward.  I chatted a little with my classmates, but mostly I just stared blankly around at everyone.  At the stage. At my peers.  At my lap.  The St. Pete Forum is where they play Tampa Bay hockey games, so they had covered the ice with some kind of thick foam flooring just for our graduation.  I took off my shoes and put my swollen pregnant lady feet on the ground and I could feel the cold seeping through.

When it was my turn to go on stage, I know I walked quickly.  I smiled- I shook hands- I posed for pictures.  (The pictures didn't trn out very good... lol I'm big and shiny and blinking.)

And at the end, after we turned our tassels to the other side- I threw my hate.  Just like in the movies.  Only like three people did-and I have to admit I almost knocked one of the deans in the head but I caught it just as she was walking by.  Smooth.  I think she understood because she just smiled and said "nice catch".  I quickly put it back on my head and pinned it back in place.  (one size fits all? really?) I felt like I needed to throw my cap.  As long as things were so surreal- why not add another little touch of "cliche" in there?

I had more than one person tell me that if they were as pregnant as I was they wouldn't have walked.  I don't know why.  Like I said before- I had considered not walking but it had nothing to do with being pregnant.  I just wasn't sure it was that big of a deal- but I knew I'd regret it if I didn't.  Just like I knew I'd regret it if I didn't throw my hat.  It was important to me that I go through the motions, to make it a little more real.  I went through my last semester and a half of college and two internships pregnant- I sure as heck wasn't going to let it stop me from walking across a stage.

I'm glad Brandon convinced me to walk.  I'm glad Graham (my oldest son) was "there" with me.  It was nice to have a little (well...big) reminder that I wasn't alone.  I couldn't see Brandon and his mom from where I was sitting, and my family and extended family were watching the graduation stream life online from their homes.  But it's nice to know that no matter where I go in this life... no matter what happens now that I've outgrown my "safety net"- I'm not alone.

Fix it Friday: "Mama, Can You Fix This?!?"

Kids break stuff...like it's their career. I don't judge. I break stuff sometimes. It happens. But when you're the mom, you're kind of expected to fix the broken stuff. Sometimes it's easy stuff, like a pencil that needs to be sharpened or a superhero arm that pops back in it's socket nice and easily (some of those suckers just will not cooperate. And while we're on the subject, could someone please explain to me why necklaces for kids are even put on chains? Kid necklaces should be made with bailing twine. Please take notes toy manufacturers, your shortcomings make me want to throw your toys into a bonfire and roast marshmallows over their little toy ashes.). Other things are harder to fix, like when my two year old rips up his waffle and then wants me to "fix it". Sure. No problem, I will just use the power of my will to re-adhere the fibers of your waffle. I'll get right on that. Oh and please continue to scream at me about it because the volume is what charges my waffle-rejuvenating-super-powers.

Here is a list of things I get asked to fix frequently:

 

 

And here is how I "fix" the situation:

                                                                                                                                                               

Why didn't I think of that Wednesday- Mermaid Party

I know when I have a birthday theme in mind I search pinterest for ideas. Today I'll be giving you some Mermaid party ideas. Mostly snacks for kids. Some are so simple and when I saw them I totally had the "Why didn't I think of that!" moment. And because I'm cheap, they are affordable too. :)

 Some of the table set up, the "backdrop" (sorry, didn't get a good photo of it) is three of the $1 vinyl tablecloths sliced and then hung on top of each other. I knotted the top so the colors would mix nicely.

 These were our party favors. We had a sign next to them that said "Thanks for fishing me a happy birthday! Love, Zoey" They are actually soap, so the kids can wash their hands with them, and once they get to the middle they get the plastic fishy. These can be found on Etsy, or you can make them yourselves with clear glycerin soap. You melt it, pour it in the bag, stick in your fishy and let it harden. If anyone is interested I can make a better tutorial on that in another post.

 Cupcakes with a simple mermaid printable on top

 We did a lot of different sea creatures, and two colors of icing. Just to give the kiddos some variety.

 Giant Marshmallows dipped in white chocolate (with blue food coloring) and crushed graham crackers.

 All the kids loved the Clam cookies! These are so simple and cute. It's just sugar cookies with pink frosting and a Mento stuck in for the "pearl". I think white whoppers would look better since they are actually round, but couldn't find any.

 Water bottles with a "Mermaid springs water, from under the sea" label

 The easiest snack of the day, a bowl of goldfish. Ha ha. It was easy for the little kids to snack on.

Zoey modeling her mermaid dress. According to her the party was "the best day ever" and that's all that matters!