Make Halloween A Hoot! Your Idea Center for Fall Festivities & Planning

Now that everyone’s back to school, it’s time to start thinking about pumpkin day! My family has always gone big for Halloween and we are all pretty excited that October 31^st falls on a Saturday this year. This means we are afforded the time for more fun! I know that some families go all out with the haunted theme and that’s great for them but that’s not really our style. We are more harvest celebration based around here with pumpkins, corn stalks and LOTS OF HAY!

However you choose to decorate, I do hope that you plan for some extra special party time with friends and family this Halloween. If you are looking for a few ideas to help you get started, try a few of these out…

Plan a Block Party

Many cities help block off actual streets for neighborhood celebrations. Contact your local City Hall or Police Station to get started. Whether you block off a street or not, many neighbors have fun planning special festivities together. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A potluck table, lawn chairs and glow sticks may be all you need.

I recommend having the following…

• ·      extra flashlights
• ·      a designated babysitter or adult to supervise the trick-or-treating
• ·      glow sticks/necklaces (have too many! That way they are sure to load up on colorful safety!)
• ·      Seating (lawn chairs, hay bails, etc.)
• ·      A tub of bottled ice water
• ·      Fun music
• ·      Safe zones where kids can play

Host a Chili Cook Off

This is one of our favs-although I never actually win! What better way to celebrate the changing of seasons than with some yummy recipes? I usually have baskets of cornbread, crackers, rolls, cheese and sour cream to go along with the chili.

You will need…

• ·      a table (be sure it is stable! You don’t want spills!)
• ·      a power strip w/extension cord(for crock pots)
• ·      slips of paper, pens and a box to cast votes
• ·      spoons, napkins and bowls
• ·      a prize for the winner

Have a Costume Contest

I have found that many grown ups have to be given a reason to dress up for Halloween. Having an official costume contest may be all that your group needs to enhance the fun with creative costumes. Some families may surprise you and come as an entire theme while others may be giddy just to dig out that old costume that they’ve saved from high school. Hey, stranger things have happened!

Things to think of…

• ·      Notice of a costume contest should be given ahead of time so people have time to plan.
• ·      You may want to include a few guidelines in your notice (i.e. “nothing too scary”, etc.)
• ·      Establish a voting system, either by cast votes, applause, etc.
• ·      There should be at least one prize for best costume.

Host a Warming Station

Trick-or-treating can be hard work for both young and old alike. Having a station with a few creature comforts might be just what a haggard trick-or-treater might need.

You may want to include some of these items…

• ·      Trick-or-treat candy (cuz, why not?!!)
• ·      Bottled water
• ·      Seating (hay bails are always fun)
• ·      A flashlight
• ·      Warm beverages (cider, coffee, etc). To avoid any safety issues, be sure warm items are handled and tested by adults first. Don’t forget the cups!
• ·      Baby wipes
• ·      A garbage can
• ·      Extra plastic bags (grocery bags work great)
• ·      Extra glow sticks

Special Activities

Try setting up stations with activities that don’t have to be too closely monitored.

 Here are some ideas…

·      Pumpkin Roll

o   Have lanes where players can race each other by rolling large pumpkins to the finish line.

·      Stuff a Scarecrow

o   This can be done as a race as well.

o   Set up different stations with a pile of hay, a shirt, a hat, a cloth bag with twine, and pants.

o   Players can work in teams or on their own to see who can create a scarecrow the fastest.

·      Pumpkin Seed Shooters

o   Set up jack-o-lanterns on a table/hay bail/etc.

o   Set up stations for shooting about three paces from each jack-o-lantern (shooting range style). These stations should include a spoon and a bowl of pumpkin seeds.

o   One digital timer should be available.

o   The person who shoots the most pumpkin seeds into his/her designated jack-o-lantern within an allotted time (ex.15 seconds) wins!

·      Hay Pile

o   Quite possibly one of the easiest activities that is fun for a variety of ages!

o   Place a tarp on the grass.

o   Cover the tarp with hay.

o   As an option, you can hide small toys, money, etc. in the hay-just be careful that none of these items end up in the mouths of small children.

Over the Top Activities

Perhaps you are that overachiever who is looking for that little extra something to put your celebration over the top. Well, if you feel so inclined, here are some ideas for you…

·      Hire bounce houses

o   Many companies have themed bounce houses and are happy to set them up for your special event.

o   I recommend having a parent there to supervise along with setting some boundaries for safety.

·      Give hay rides

o   Hire/rent/borrow a trailer and a vehicle to tow it with.

o   Place hay bails in the trailer. I recommend setting the bails in the center of the trailer so that no one can fall out.

o   Plan a safe route to take your passengers on a fun “Halloween Hay Ride!”

o   I recommend that you require all child passengers be accompanied by an adult and that you keep the vehicle turned off when loading/unloading passengers.

·      Have a monster mash

o   Like a cake walk-only to the oldie-but-goodie song that matches the theme!

o   Place different pictures of monsters in a circle. Monster pictures should be at least 12”X12” in size. (You decide the level of scariness).

o   The participants will walk from one picture to the next as the music plays.

o   Have a designated person there to start/stop music and draw a card for the winners. When the music stops, a card with a picture on it is pulled.

o   The person standing on the picture that matches the picture on the card-wins!

o   This can be repeated for as many cakes/treats/prizes you have available.

o   I recommend having non-food prizes available for those with food allergies/dietary restrictions.

·      Have a zombie run (For those not too turned off by all things haunted)

o   This is a good game for older kids.

o   Participants are placed into teams. One team is given a pumpkin and then each player on the team is given two flags each. This is the human team.

o   The group without the flags is the designated “zombie” team. They can even be given green t-shirts or sashes to distinguish the two groups better.

o   Mark one end of the field with a “safe zone” (like an end zone) and designate a starting point for both teams.

o   The goal of the human (non-zombie) team is to use all means possible to carry the pumpkin into the “safe zone” without letting a zombie take one of their flags. If a flag is taken, the play starts over. If a player loses both flags, that player is out.

o   Teams are switched once the human team scores 5 points.

While the above is not an exhaustive list of possible Halloween activities, I do hope that it inspires you to brainstorm your own festivities and fun! So get out there and plan something great! It takes those special people who are willing to do a little extra planning that add to our sense of community. 

AND REMEMBER: SAFETY FIRST!!

It's a Splash!

“It’s a Splash!” Party Ideas

Summer is coming. Which means barbeques, birthdays and beautiful days. Why not take advantage by splashing on some excitement? My family and I always have a wonderful time with our friends, but large get-togethers or even impromptu play dates always seem more fun with some loosely planned out activities. Here are just a few ideas to help you as you brainstorm...

Supplies List

(Most items can be found at a local dollar store)

·      Goggles (enough for each participant)

·      Water Balloons

·      Water Guns (enough for each participant)

·      Sponges

·      Plastic Cups

·      Inexpensive Kiddie Pool

·      Small plastic toys (toy spiders, bracelets, etc.)

·      Paper

·      Plastic Colanders

·      Buckets

Snack Ideas

(In keeping with the theme)

·      Watermelon

·      Blue finger gelatin

·      Blue popsicles

·      Goldfish Puffs

·      Blue Punch

Activity Ideas

(All activities should be supervised by an adult. Goggles should be worn during all activities)

Water Balloon Toss

(Back and forth between two partners. One person announces when to toss. All teams toss at the same time. Players take one step back between each toss. If the balloon breaks, they are out. Last team standing wins!)

Basket Catch

(Everyone is divided into equal teams. To keep score, one adult should supervise each team. One person per team will hold a colander on their head. Remaining team members each get a water balloon. Each member of the team takes turns tossing the water balloon into the colander. The team scores each time the water balloon hits the inside of the colander-weather the balloon breaks or not. The game continues by rotating team members, allowing each teammate a turn to catch the balloons with the colander. The team with the most points wins!)

Dive for Treasure

(Divide the group into equal teams. Fill a kiddie pool with water. Place small plastic toys, enough for each team, into the kiddie pool. Give each team a list of –treasure-items to find. Teammates take turns-one teammate at a time, relay style- searching in the kiddie pool for the items on the list. The team who finds all of the items on the list first-wins!)

Soggy Relay

(Divide group into equal teams. One player is selected to hold a plastic cup on their head. This player steps away from the team at least ten paces. Other teammates form a line behind a bucket, filled with water and a sponge. Teammate take turns soaking up water into the sponge then running to the person with the cup on his/her head and squeezing the water from the sponge into the cup. The team who fills the cup with water the soonest wins! This game can be repeated, allowing each teammate a turn to hold the cup over their head.)

Scavenger Hunt

(Here is where you can really let your creative juices fly! Create a set of clues that the group can follow to complete a scavenger hunt. I recommend you tell the group to imagine that they are in an underwater adventure. Or, if you prefer, search for or borrow different water sport items and leave them around the area for the hunt. For instance, you could have an oar resting on the corner of a house. The clue could read “You wouldn’t want to find yourself up a creek without me”. The treasure at the end of the scavenger hunt could be a water gun for each attendee).

Good, Old-Fashioned Water Fight

(Set clear boundaries before the fight is to begin. Set up tents, tarps and other obstacles to make it more interesting. Leave buckets of water balloons around for extra ammo. Use a whistle or other device as a start/stop signal and have at it! For older kids, this activity could be included in a game of “capture the flag”.)

I hope that as a result of this post, some creative wheels are spinning. Clearly, some of the above are not my original ideas, but I have included them because they have stood the test of time. I have arranged this post to read as an agenda if a reader were looking for an entire party plan. Feel free to glean whatever you like in planning your own aquatic adventure. Remember, safety first and have a splash!

Avoid the Restaurant Wrangle! Make It An Original At-Home Dinner Party Instead!

Confession time again. I am not a huge fan of restaurant get-togethers. Yes. Restaurants do have their uses, but for a number of reasons I just feel that they're not very conducive to too large of a group. There's noise to consider, along with the fact that you can't exactly mingle. Well, unless you consider all the time you have in the crowded lobby just waiting to be seated. There is also the kid equation. If you don't allow kids, then everyone has to first hunt for and then shell out for a sitter. If kids ARE included, then you have to first figure kids into the seating arrangement, then figure out how they're going to be entertained the entire time... Ugh! My list potential complications can go on and on.

To avoid the huge headache that can go along with dining out, I prefer to host a nice dinner party in the comfort of my own home. Hosting an at-home dinner party can come with its own unique set of challenges. For one thing, there's the question of what on earth you're going to cook for everybody! Sure you could do the take-out option, if you're feeling lucky and have impeccable timing! I usually end up with cold food that then congeals when I attempt to reheat it. You could go with a hired chef or caterer if you wish. I've done this before with wonderful results but realistically, if I did this every time I hosted a dinner party, said parties would be few and far between!

My hubby and I have begun to host some pretty fun dinner parties that celebrate the best of dinner parties... Food, friends and fun! We are blessed to have a couple of sets of foodie friends who relish getting together and sorting out recipes. With the interests of this crowd in mind, we've hosted some really fun dinner parties where we've made food the complete focus.

First, we decide on a main dish we all want to try to master. This past weekend we put Beef Wellington on the menu. Having selected the main entree, we planned sides and then we all sort of agreed to show up with wines, cheeses and apps that would complement the main dish. We listened to great music and tasted the wines and cheeses as we worked together to prepare the main meal.

The end result was a beautiful Beef Wellington made by the hands of many. The task of preparing such a dish was far less intimidating with the involement with so many cooks and the prep time was made delightful with the conversation that flowed during the process. Throughout the evening, we were able to relax, knowing our kids were happily playing together in a kid-friendly environment while we enjoyed each other's company and delightful food. All of these factors made for a very enjoyable evening. One that I would recommend to others in a heartbeat.

I love the way kids think! The way they interpret what we say makes me chuckle sometimes. This past weekend, my three-year-old was completely content to spend the day in her underwear. My husband and I both brought this up to her a few times throughout the day but the fact of the matter was, she was simply content in what she had on. This was all fine for while we were at home, but we had a concert to attend that night and the girls would be watched at a family friend's house while we were out.

When it was time to get ready to leave our house, my husband and I both told our three-year-old that she would need to go put something more on. When all reason failed, I finally had to put my foot down. I told her "honey, we're leaving the house and you're going to have to go upstairs and get dressed. You need to put on real clothes. Okay? Go put on a whole outfit. Not underwear." Well, to my relief, she came back down in a cute little outfit that I had picked out for her earlier in the day.

After a fun evening out, my husband and I returned to our friends house to collect our children. It was only then that I learned that my three-year-old child had, in fact, followed my instruction to the letter. She had warn a "whole outfit. Not underwear".

My poor daughter. She must think I'm crazy!

You Just Can't Pass Up A Good Analogy

Sometimes I just can't pass up a good analogy. Someone told me the other day that they really like how well I know myself. This was said just after I made this self-observation...

"You know how when you get a new coffee cup, they have that piece of paper w/instructions inside? Well, some people are the type to read all of the indications before using that new product. I'm more the type to grab it and use it for whatever I need only to wonder after the fact why my coffee is extra pulpy."

A Mom's Lackluster Brilliance

Okay. So confession time again. When it comes to the Bible I'm not exactly the most knowledgeable mom on the block. Even though I don't know exactly which verse says what, I do my best to teach my children Biblical principles. To do so, I often use accounts of people in the Bible to illustrate the point I am trying to make. This usually works, but sometimes my intended brilliance falls a little short.

Yesterday afternoon, my girls were doing their best to ignore the icky, cold weather outside by playing Legos by the fire. When the conversation between my three-year-old and five-year-old turned to a shouting match, I knew I had to step in. I called them over and asked them if they wanted to know a secret. Well, who can resist THAT invitation! I told them that not all sisters get along all the time. I then said it's those sisters who can appreciate each other even through the disagreements who end up having the closest, longest lasting relationships. This got at least the five-year-old thinking. I then used an example of the only two sisters I could think of out of the Bible. Stretching the story as best I could, I told them how even though Mary and Martha had different ideas of how to best appreciate Jesus during his visit, they still loved each other and moved through this disagreement with Jesus' help. (Yeah. I know. I TOLD you I was stretching!)

After telling my story, the girls seemed to have calmed down long enough to want to give it a go at playing together again. As they walked over to the Legos, my five-year-old said to my three-year-old "Okay, Bronte. You be Martha and I'm gonna be Mary".

Oh well. Better luck next time!

Be Careful Little Eyes What You See

“Just had a conversation with [my] daughter that went something like this… Me: Scowl on face >:0(…[Daughter]: Mom you are grouchy go get lots of glitter… Me: Confused look on face… [Daughter]: Ya know glitter makes everything cool… You need cool.“

The above was a quote of a recent friend’s post. Reading the exchange between my friend and her daughter brought me a chuckle but also reminded me of the all-true rule that children will make their own observations and base their own set of values on what they see around them. When throwing a dinner party once, a toddler of a different friend told me that I needed to clean up some crumbs that a guest had dropped on the floor and she was very concerned about the condition of the floor until I had done so. From the need to clean or the need for more glitter, I am sure that we can think of plenty of examples of how children have adopted the values of those most influential adults in their lives. For this reason, I try to remain vigilant in what I communicate to my own children about the world that we live in.

I know that many parents try to teach tolerance of others. Here’s a shocking confession… I don’t. By definition, tolerance is “the allowable deviation from a standard.” What I’d like to know is who sets the standard? And who’s to say that standard is correct? An example of tolerance given by Merriam-Webster is “a tolerance for other lifestyles”. I don’t agree with this mainly because it seems that the modern definition of tolerance allows us to place judgment on others. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard enough time trying to navigate my own way through this world. Who am I to approve or disapprove of how someone else is living? One of my core values is to try to never place judgment on another human being. Because it is so important to me to teach this value to my children, when it comes to life choices, personalities, or what have you, rather than teaching my children that it’s okay to place judgment, I prefer to teach them to accept, or embrace if you will, the differences between the different individuals they meet in life.

Does accepting individuals at face value mean you have to compromise your values? Of course not, but accepting others means that you accept that their values may be different from your own, but equally as important. Here’s a secret… Others are going to have values different from your own whether you like them to or not!

When we break down the walls of judgment we enter a new realm of social possibilities. If we all quit tolerating each other so much we may be surprised. We may actually begin enjoying one another. What a wonderful lesson to teach the next generation of human beings!