No tags yet.
Halloween Week is upon us and When I think of the unusually chilly evening that falls every year on October 31st…what comes to mind is:
(literally and figuratively. I actually think of this show, and I also feel like I'm Charlie from this scene)
But really...when I think of Halloween (and Fall in general) a few things come to mind that seems as though we’re taking the fun out and piling the stress on.
Costumes - What are we going to wear? What’s the most popular movie right now that would allow my entire family to participate? Should I make something? Amazon…? Is that lazy? Eh, who cares. I totally ordered online this year. It’s SO much easier, faster, durable, and time efficient (for me) to order online. Here’s a little sneak peek into what my family of 5 is dressing up as this year
(and yes, all 5 sharks were found on amazon.com. easy peasy…efficient, popular…everyone’s happy!)
Treats - Do I have to bake 3 separate tins of candy or cookies for the 3 different classes my kids are in now? GASP! I'm lucky if I can manage one GOOD batch of anything. Luckily, my friend Cristeen is here to help with her easy, adorable Halloween Treats.
Click here for a few no fail recipes that are sure to WOW your kiddos and their classmates this season! I’ll be doing the Fraken-Grahams for all 3! They’re quick, delicious, and fool proof! Perfect for the busy mama on the who also wants to be as involved and creative as possible when it comes to class parties.
Festivals - With a toddler who HAS to take a nap…when do we actually have time to drive half an hour to go to a fall festival? 9 am? (No thanks, that’s usually when I’m stumbling around the kitchen for my cup of coffee on the weekend)….4 pm after nap ends? Nahhhh, the fun stuff is almost over...and so is all the good lighting. Skip the nap all together and make a day of it? That’s the best option for our family, but the sacrifice I make as a SAHM takes real, hardcore commitment on my end. It’s a stressful part of the year for me to plan around, for sure. That’s not to say I don’t plan multiple somethings every Octover/November…I just want you to know that if you feel like me…you’re not alone. It’s ok to miss a nap here and there to make wonderful memories with your family. It’s also ok to stress over the planning and half dread those days as they approach.
Social Media - What’s the latest filter that will get my pumpkin patch pics the most likes? Are my booties still in style? Leggings or Jeggings? Do I have matching outfits for my kids to sport for all the dozens of pictures I’m going to take?
C’mon y’al! What if…just hear me out. WHAT IF we approached fall WITHOUT thinking about/planning for our social media posts? How much freer would we be in like, EVERY SINGLE moment? We’d still get pictures, but we might get imperfect, real ones instead of perfectly posed, took 20 different pics just in case, yelled at my kids twice, almost ruined the moment all together…pictures. Am I making sense? I vow this year to have NO preplanned hashtags. I will go to a pumpkin patch and take a MAXIMUM of 3 photos per memory (maybe, no promises...i’ll try...andprobably fail...), and I will go above and beyond to naturally make my kid’s smile instead of demand “look at me and smile! no, stop jumping! look at my PHONE and SMILE, stop sticking out your tongue!”…the struggle is real…espeically with a 5 year old boy who literally. can’t. sit. still. Here is a sure fire trick to evoke real laughter on the first try and then you get to move on to the next memory stress free. When it's time to take the picture, don't say “Saaaay cheese”…no, no…none of that…just dive right in and starting saying a string of bathroom words. Works EVERY time. Hahaha. You think I’m kidding. Just check out any one of my pictures that involve my kids laughing … that was the key.
Enjoy - Take the pressure off! Enjoy your babies, your husband (or wife, friend, mom, dad, co-worker etc)…Forget about what others will say about your non hand-made costume, or your non-baked class treats…just enjoy it all! No matter how you HALLOWEEN, enjoy it more this year than you ever have by releasing yourself from the bondage of perfection!
Happy Halloween Week!
Don’t forget to check out my friend Cristeen Olley's blog and get your treat makin’ OOON!!
love y'all!
