What's All the Fuss About? #6
Your weekly remedy for the Sunday Scaries
It is the Sunday before Halloween! That means any dust in my house at this point is purely decorative (okay, I admit, I have been saying this all month!). In all seriousness, I have spent an inordinate amount of time this weekend coating every light fixture in spider webs and searching for our pumpkin carving tools. We are in the thick of it, and I am trying to slow down and soak up every moment because all too soon, we will be moving on to turkeys and Christmas trees (meaning I am actively avoiding Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas for at least one more week!).
I hope you and your families are finding the time and energy to enjoy the season at hand, whatever that may mean for you. I want to offer a reminder that the magic of the season is not in the number of pumpkins on your doorstep, but in the warmth of our connections to each other, to ourselves, and to our world. So whether you are prepping for a Halloween gala or standing still and taking in the susurration of the fallen leaves, grab your pumpkin spice anything and tuck in to today’s read.
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A few things I am fussing over this week:
Halloween Hustle
With all the Halloween fun we have had this year, I am still finding myself short on time and long on fall bucket list items. So I am trying to reprioritize and be realistic about what I can accomplish; I don’t want my children’s memories of Halloween to be a stressed out mom carving pumpkins at midnight! Here are some low effort, high impact ways we are celebrating October:
Read a book: Even though my boys are older, they still enjoy it when I pull out some of our favorite bedtime stories. For Halloween, The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything (Bookshop.org or Amazon) is on the nightstand (they know all the words by heart!).
Watch a classic show: The Munsters, The Addams Family, and Scooby Doo make for silly, not-too-spooky fun.
Take an evening walk: Take a stroll through your neighborhood and let your kids (or you!) ‘spot’ Halloween decorations with flashlights!
Take a nap: I have been listening to All Hallows’ Eve at the Inn this week and it’s the perfect fall mood as I drift off to sleep. There are many more fun, soothing options to check out at Nothing Much Happens or anywhere you get your podcasts.
John Derian for Target Plush Cat available here
Spooky Spins
My oldest son has gotten into records this year, which has subsequently lead to us purchasing a record player from Facebook Marketplace (and my husband performing hours of troubleshoot and repair on said purchase!). Our family has had so much fun spending a Saturday morning thumbing through records at a local shop, and I recently picked up a few Halloween records we have been dancing to after dinner (I highly recommend this one).
Mummy Moment
With all the wonderful chaos, I have been trying to find pockets time for myself - a 30 minute bath with my favorite Bath Pebbles (I am currently enjoying the Forest scent, but they are all wonderful!), or maybe curling up with a book under my favorite blanket.
Several times a year I also use these to keep my teeth looking white, and I am always so impressed with how effective they are without all the terrible chemicals. It is not a massage or spa day, but it is a small piece of self care that makes me happy when I look in the mirror. I just bought myself another box and am feeling brighter already!
This Wednesday night will be our last week of What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, by Caroline Chambers (available at Bookshop.org, or Amazon). The menu this week is Bo Ssam and a Salted Brown Butter Toffee Skillet Cookie (definitely not a true weeknight meal, but I am so excited to share these flavors with you!!).
In November we will be starting our second cookbook, Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy, Snackable Bakes by Jessie Sheehan (available at Bookshop.org, or Amazon). Make sure to grab a copy (and your favorite beverage!) and join us!
Speaking of silly Halloween movies, can't sleep on Don Knotts in "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken." Timid reporter spends night in a haunted house. Good fun. One of the creepier movies I've watched is the original "Cape Fear" in which Robert Mitchum stalks Gregory Peck and his family. Favorite Halloween music is absolutely "Monster Mash."
I am a HUGE fan of “The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything.”
I actually had a parent make props for my kindergarten class so the children could act it out. It was Halloween favorite--and it became a staple for my own kids at home. We also loved rhymes, songs and finger plays like “5 Little Pumpkins”, “Stirring My Brew”, and “Pick-a-Pick-a Pumpkin.” Now I won’t be able to get them out of my head! Great memories:)