Halloween Blog Or Treat
October 29, 2009
A few days ago, we received a fun little surprise in the mail from Donna over at Mississippi Mama! This was part of The Mommy-Files’ Halloween Blog Or Treat. It was super easy to participate…we just signed up and Shannon assigned us partners. I had fun shopping for Rita from One 2 Try. Honestly, I would have never met these 2 gals had I not signed up for this blog event (so thank you Shannon for hosting). And take a look at what Donna sent us (including a little bag for my son). Thank you Donna!!
Healthy Halloween Treats! *Giveaway*
October 21, 2009
This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Laura DeLuca, the winner!
We’ve got yet ANOTHER Halloween event tomorrow and we’re so excited! By the time Halloween comes we’ll be all costumed and trick or treated out! Well…I’ve got yet another healthy treat option for you. I think a balance is really important, so parents and children aren’t limited to strictly candy. That would be my recommendation to all families offering “treats” for trick or treaters this year…offer a variety of treats (including healthy options).
One of my favorite things to do is peruse the aisles at Whole Foods in search of different foods to feed my son (he’s picky!). For awhile now, I’ve passed by Snikiddy Snacks for kids. I don’t know why, to be honest with you, because they’re actually really good (I try everything before my son eats it). Thanks to the company, we had an opportunity to try the Chocolate Chip Bites and the Grilled Cheese Puffs. Snikiddy Snacks are all natural snacks that come in handy packs and offer parents and children an alternative to products filled with trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors/flavors, and preservatives. I’m a label reader, so when I looked at the back of the packaging, I liked that I recognized each ingredient (and the list wasn’t that long)! Snikiddy Snacks are made with ingredients you’ll find in your closet like whole wheat flour and unrefined cane sugar.
So, I suppose you’re wondering how they taste? Details! : ) My son preferred the Chocolate Chip Bites over the Grilled Cheese Puffs (but what child wouldn’t prefer sweet over salty?). I tasted both of them and I found them both good (just not enough!…I’m pregnant you know!). What a scene…mom eating her child’s snacks. I digressed. Since I have a toddler who likes to snack, I’ll definitely be choosing Snikiddy Snacks over conventional grocery store snacks. And the fact that they’re made with whole grains means that my son will be getting a bit of extra fiber in his diet (I can’t complain about that!). And why not hand out the snack packs instead of all that candy this year?
Snikiddy Snacks are available online and at retailers nationwide (we picked up ours at our local Whole Foods).
Win It! Want to try Snikiddy Snacks? One of you will win coupons to try out four of their products. Simply leave me a comment with ANOTHER variety you’d like to try with your kids! Comments will close on November 5, 2009 at 10 PM PST. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.
Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.
Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.
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Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.
Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!
Halloween Treats With a Purpose!
October 20, 2009
I’m having a pregnancy chocolate craving. Oh wait…that’s nothing new! Halloween is still 10 days away but I’ve felt like we’ve been getting festive for weeks! We live in a private community with a lot of children, so we’re expecting a lot of trick or treaters this year! We like to offer healthy snacks in addition to candy so parents and children have choices. But I have to admit that one of the things we will be offering (as we do every year) is chocolate! I eat a lot of chocolate (sorry baby girl!).
When I think about chocolate, Hershey’s is one of the brands that immediately comes to mind. Just some of my favorites include Reese’s, York Peppermint Patties, Hershey’s Special Dark, and Whoppers. I recently learned that my chocolate habit is actually benefiting a great cause. For the past 100 years, every purchase of a Hershey treat supports the kids of the Milton Hershey School site.
MILTON HERSHEY SCHOOL (MHS) is the nation’s largest, cost-free, private, co-educational home and school for children from families of low income, limited resources and social need. The School has expanded over the decades, but its mission remains the same: to build character and provide children with the skills necessary to be successful in all aspects of life.
Hershey’s founder Milton Hershey and his wife Kitty set up a trust to devote their entire fortune to support children who suffer from profound need. It’s nice to know that every time I eat a Special Dark chocolate bar, I’m helping a child…making a difference for those who are impoverished. For more information about the legacy Mr. Hershey and his wife left, just visit the Milton Hershey School site.
Disclosure: I posted this because I think it’s a great cause. I did not receive financial compensation to do so.
You CAN Make This! *Giveaway*
October 20, 2009
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Sara T.
Attention creative types and those of you who aspire to be like Martha Stewart…you MUST check out YouCanMakeThis.com! While I LOVE to do crafts, sometimes I’m intimidated. I doubt my ability to create something of use and worth. Some of my noteworthy attempts over the years include a doll house (which is still unfinished), a baby quilt (yet again, unfinished), and a handbag (success!). I think it would be awesome if I could make little dresses for our baby girl or dress-up costumes for our little boy. YouCanMakeThis.com is making it easy to do all of these things and more.
Dedicated to helping you succeed in enjoying the creative process, YouCanMakeThis.com provides detailed, step-by-step guides for making fun projects in a variety of DIY categories. The guides are available for you to download immediately after purchase – most as PDF documents.
I will admit that I haven’t actually tried a project from the site (yet), but they look very doable (once I review a project, I’ll update you on my experience!). There are a wide variety of projects available including an adorable Crochet Bambino Bundler Set, fun Building Blocks, a tutu that I want our little girl to wear next year for Halloween, and ties for little boys! The site includes pictures and you’ll receive detailed instructions when you purchase the downloads (which by the way, are very affordable).
Win It! One of you will win a $50 bundle of Halloween downloads. The bundle includes the following books:
Fancy Filled Tutu with Bonus 40 Tutu “Recipes”
Pumpkin Polly Patterns
Paper Piecing Project: Pumpkin Patch Pillow
Frayed Applique: Too Cute to Spook!
Little Miss Spider Applique Patterns
How to Applique the Easy Way
Hocus Pocus Patterns
Just a Little Something for a Happy Halloween Table Runner
Simply leave me a comment with something you’d like to make from the site (other than what I listed above). Comments will close on October 27, 2009 at 10 PM PST. One comment per person, please (unless you do the extra credit). US residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one.
Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.
Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.
Subscribe to my feed via email or reader.
Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.
Click on one of the very cute buttons below and digg, stumble, fav, etc. Just let me know what you did in the comments!
Mmmm…Chocolate Milk!
October 17, 2009
Earlier this week, all three of us ventured up to LA for a Spooktacular Got Chocolate Milk? Event at Paramount Studios. Did you know chocolate milk is THE official drink of Halloween? Lowfat chocolate milk has all of the nutrients of regular milk (and tastes good too!). Angie Harmon revealed her first Milk Mustache ad and Dr. Tanya Remer Altmann offered tips on enjoying a healthy Halloween! We trick or treated on Paramount’s famed New York Street, my son got his face painted, and we drank plenty of chocolate milk! Take a look at some pics from the event:
Guiltless Halloween Treats!
October 15, 2009
Am I the only parent who has genuine concerns about the candy hype that surrounds Halloween? And I have to admit that I do feel some guilt about eating giving all that candy away once we’re done. Everything in moderation, but an entire bag or bucket full of candy is more than I can swallow. Thanks to Disney FamilyFun Magazine, your children don’t have to end up with cavities (or diabetes) this Halloween! Check out these fun, healthy, creative recipes, courtesy of the magazine:
Black Bean Cat Crudite´s
No bones about it, this kitty skeleton makes a healthy centerpiece for Halloween parties or school gatherings. Just arrange assorted fresh vegetables and a bowl of your favorite black bean dip in the shape of a spooky cat.
Edible Eyeballs
Set out a platter of these creepy peepers, and your party guests are bound to do a double take. Simply slice carrots into 1-inch-thick chunks, top each with a blob of cream cheese and one half of a pitted black olive, and they’re ready to serve.
Salty Bones
It wouldn’t be Halloween without a skeleton—in this case, one that’s been disassembled into a pile of tasty bones to pick. Unroll a tube of refrigerated breadsticks we used an 11-ounce tube to make 12 bones) and separate the rectangular pieces. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a 1K-inch slit in the center of each end. Shape the resulting four flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone. Place the dough bones on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little coarse salt. Bake the bones at 375° until they are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.
English Mummies
These yummy mummy pizzas make a quick and fun Halloween lunch or dinner. To create one, first spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like). Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils. Lay strips of cheese (we used a pulled-apart cheese stick) across the muffin for the mummy’s wrappings. Bake at 350° until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty, about 10 minutes.
Pumpkin Roll-Ups
Here’s a wholesome snack to serve before the kids head out to trick-or-treat. Lay American cheese slices or spread cream cheese on sun-dried-tomato tortillas, then roll them up and cut them into 1-inch sections. Use a toothpick to secure each roll-up, topped with a sprig of cilantro or parsley.
Melon Brain
Created from nothing more than a small, round seedless watermelon, this spooky cerebral creation is bound to turn heads. First, use a vegetable peeler to remove the entire green rind, exposing the inner white rind. Then slice off the bottom of the melon to make a flat base that will keep it from rolling. With a toothpick, outline squiggly furrows that resemble the folded surface of a brain. Finally, carve narrow channels along the tracings with a sharp paring knife (a parent’s job) to expose the pink fruit beneath the rind.
Profuse thanks to Disney Family Fun who provided the tips!
Choo Choo…All Dressed Up!
October 15, 2009
Do you have your child’s Halloween costume yet? Are you planning on dressing up this year? If you haven’t gotten a costume yet, you might want to check out the vast array of costumes available at Halloween Express. Their Kid’s section alone has over 100 costumes, many at very affordable prices. The site is organized well and easy to navigate. Costumes are arrange by theme, price, age, etc. which makes finding what you want easy. The Kid’s section has a ton of notable characters your child will love. And gone are the days of expensive costumes. There is an entire under $20 section, and the selection is incredible. I found 82 toddler costumes under $20!
My son received an adorable Thomas the Tank costume, courtesy of the company. My son and I went on the site and he picked it out himself. I like the fact that there were tons of characters he recognized. I think the hardest part was having him actually pick just one (since he wanted several). The costume shipped immediately and if you order by 5 pm EST, your costume will ship the same day (which means you still have plenty of time to order before Halloween). The costume is an “official” Thomas costume and includes a foam engine piece that the child wears over his head and covers the front and the back and an engine cap. My son just loves it! Check out Halloween Express for all of your costume needs!
We’ve already been to 2 Pumpkin Patches, Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party, and a Got Milk inspired Halloween event so my son has had several opportunities to dress up (and it’s not even Halloween yet!).
Around the OC: Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch
October 10, 2009
Every year we take my son to the pumpkin patch, and each year it’s someplace different. I like pumpkin patches because it’s a fun way to celebrate fall and harvest time, without scary ghosts, monsters, and witches. This year we decided to take our little boy to the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch, hailed as the best around here (and I have to agree for the most part!). There were just a few too many bees for my liking!
Entrance to the Pumpkin Patch is free, however there is an entrance fee of $3.00 on weekdays, $5.00 on weekends, and $7.00 on holidays, and many of the attractions require a ticket. Of all the pumpkin patches we’ve visited, this one by far has the most activities for children. Here are some of the highlights:
Pick a pumpkin! Big, small…there are thousands!
Yes…that’s the train.
All aboard! Take an incredibly scenic train ride around the park (it’s 12 minutes long and children under 1 year of age are free)
What the Hay? Another beautiful (and bumpy) way to see the park. The wagon is pulled by a real John Deere tractor.
Giddy up! My son was too scared to ride the pony’s, but in a year he’ll love it!
A-Mazing! Even I like a good challenge! Have fun navigating through the giant hay maze where bales of hay are stacked at different heights. How will you ever get out?
And they’re off! My son desperately wanted to race on the motorized John Deere Tractors. Sadly, he’s just a bit too little.
Bouncy Bouncy! There was a time when my son would not step foot in one of those giant bounce houses. But with daddy, even bouncing is a blast!
But wait, that’s not all. There is a not-so-scary haunted house, carnival games, face painting, costume day and much, much more! If you live in the OC (or you’re close enough to get there) check out the Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch. For more info (including pricing and special offers), just visit the site!
Disclosure: My husband and I took our little boy to the Pumpkin Patch (and paid for all of the attractions ourselves). I just wanted to share with you how much fun we had. And I can’t believe I have to write this disclosure. : )
Trick Or Treating…Disney Style!
October 7, 2009
Last week we took my son trick or treating…at Disney’s California Adventure! We took my son to Mickey’s Trick Or Treat Party last year and what a difference a year makes. I don’t ever remember him staying up past 11 pm, but he did. He was so excited about the characters and the festivities. For the first time, we were able to see Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat-on the Street Cavalcade, a Halloween-themed parade. I wish I had pulled my video camera out in time to capture it because it was fun and my son was captivated by the music and the lights.
Some of the highlights of the night included seeing Minnie and Mickey (my son had been asking about them all week) as well as many other beloved characters, trick-or-treating for Craisins and Ghiradelli chocolate (mmm!), and riding the carousel. The music was lively, we were able to watch fireworks from Paradise Pier, and enjoyed a yummy pumpkin spiced latte at the bakery near the entrance to the park.
The event was a ton of fun and I really appreciated the healthy snacks offered (apples, carrots, Craisins). I only wish it would have started earlier because my little boy and his pregnant mama were tired! Next week, we’re using our season passes to check out Halloween Time at Disneyland! Stay tuned for a post on our experience.
Mickey’s Trick or Treat Party is a special ticketed event that runs through October 31 (October 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 and 31). It always sells out so be sure to get your tickets early if you want to attend (Halloween night is already sold out). Plus, if your by your tickets in advance, you’ll save $7! Here is what you’ll get:
If you’re planning a holiday trip to the resort (which I highly recommend since Disneyland is gorgeous during the holidays), now is the time to book it! Now through December 19, 2009, you will save $400 when you book a 4-Day/4-Night Disneyland Resort vacation package, featuring Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations – Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (I want to stay here!), Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier – and park hopper tickets. The offer is valid for arrivals through Dec. 20, 2009, with a final booking day of Dec. 19. Details are at disneyland.com/Save400.
Dressing Up…Disney Style!
October 4, 2009
We took my son to Mickey’s Trick Or Treat Party on Friday night and he had a blast! He was dressed as a pirate (arr!) and pictures will be up soon! However, if you’re still looking for a costume, you may want to check out the specially designed collection of Disney-themed Halloween costumes available at Toys R Us and Babies R Us. Part of the program involved a benefit to Children Affected by AIDS Foundation and Toys R Us and Disney donated $50,000 to the charity.
For the Halloween season, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, and Toysrus.com are offering 25 beautifully crafted costumes based on popular Disney characters such as Disney Princess characters, Disney Pixar Toy Story’s “Buzz Lightyear” and “Woody”, Power Rangers, Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger, and Disney Fairies’ “Tinker Bell.” These exclusive costumes can be recognized by their hangtag that features the CAAF logo.
If you’re planning on dressing your child up, the costumes look amazing and they benefit a great cause. Here are a few of my favs!
