Halloween Party Ideas 2015!

Every year we have a big Halloween Trick or Treat Party and every year it gets bigger and better!

This year I am having a Mexican food theme (dia de los muertos!). Here's my menu:

Appetizers:

Fabulous tamales from Corn Maiden
(My favorite is the roasted green chile and smoked gouda!)

Queso

Individual 7 later dips (from Pink Pistachio)



Main course:

Mexican Street Corn Salad (from Love Bakes Good Cakes)





Chicken Enchilada Casserole (from Gimme Some Oven)



Dessert:

White Chocolate Candycorn Blondies (from Averie Cooks)





And for the kids?
Quesadillas, Chicken nuggets and this skeleton crudites!!






Of course I am always looking to amp up the fun as well! Here are some amazing activities I am thinking about doing!

Pumpkin Bowling (from The Polo House)






Making Candy Corn Rocks (from Audiz Creations)



And maybe a Mini Haunted house??

More on that later!



Are you hosting a party? What's your plan?


What Do Your Kids Think Of You As A Parent? Interview them!

I love this idea from Joy In My Kitchen and I think it's brilliant!

Want to know what your kids think of you as a parent?  Or how much they know about you? It's fun to get their perspective.

Now this also may open a bit of a Pandoras Box...try to learn from it and not beat yourself up. After all being a Mom is TOUGH.

I'm going to interview mine and report back. Either way a fun experiment. TRY IT!

1. What is something I always say to you?

2. What makes me happy?

3. What makes me sad?

4. How do I make you laugh?

5. What was I like as a child?

6. How old am I?

7. How tall am I?

8. What is my favorite thing to do?

9. What do I do when you’re not around?

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?

11. What am I really good at?

12. What am I not very good at?

13. What do I do for a job?

14. What is my favorite food?

15. What makes you proud of me?

16. If I were a character, who would I be?

17. What do we enjoy doing together?

18. How are we the same?

19. How are we different?

20. How do you know I love you?

21. What do I like most about dad?

22. Where is my favorite place to go?

23. How old was I when you were born? - See more at: http://joyinmykitchen.com/do-you-need-a-fresh-perspective-mom/#sthash.bqBUQRyR.dpuf
--> 1. What is something I always say to you?

2. What makes me happy?

3. What makes me sad?

4. How do I make you laugh?

5. What was I like as a child?

6. How old am I?

7. How tall am I?

8. What is my favorite thing to do?

9. What do I do when you’re not around?

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?

11. What am I really good at?

12. What am I not very good at?

13. What do I do for a job?

14. What is my favorite food?

15. What makes you proud of me?

16. If I were a character, who would I be?

17. What do we enjoy doing together?

18. How are we the same?

19. How are we different?

20. How do you know I love you?

21. What do I like most about dad?

22. Where is my favorite place to go?

23. How old was I when you were born?


 Let me know how it goes!!!!
1. What is something I always say to you?

2. What makes me happy?

3. What makes me sad?

4. How do I make you laugh?

5. What was I like as a child?

6. How old am I?

7. How tall am I?

8. What is my favorite thing to do?

9. What do I do when you’re not around?

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?

11. What am I really good at?

12. What am I not very good at?

13. What do I do for a job?

14. What is my favorite food?

15. What makes you proud of me?

16. If I were a character, who would I be?

17. What do we enjoy doing together?

18. How are we the same?

19. How are we different?

20. How do you know I love you?

21. What do I like most about dad?

22. Where is my favorite place to go?

23. How old was I when you were born? - See more at: http://joyinmykitchen.com/do-you-need-a-fresh-perspective-mom/#sthash.bqBUQRyR.dpuf

Mom Interview: Questions for A Fresh Perspective

I do not take credit for coming up with this idea. Apparently the questions have been making rounds within the web, though I only became aware of them recently. Enjoy! A printable copy is included at the end.
1. What is something I always say to you?

2. What makes me happy?

3. What makes me sad?

4. How do I make you laugh?

5. What was I like as a child?

6. How old am I?

7. How tall am I?

8. What is my favorite thing to do?

9. What do I do when you’re not around?

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?

11. What am I really good at?

12. What am I not very good at?

13. What do I do for a job?

14. What is my favorite food?

15. What makes you proud of me?

16. If I were a character, who would I be?

17. What do we enjoy doing together?

18. How are we the same?

19. How are we different?

20. How do you know I love you?

21. What do I like most about dad?

22. Where is my favorite place to go?

23. How old was I when you were born?
- See more at: http://joyinmykitchen.com/do-you-need-a-fresh-perspective-mom/#sthash.bqBUQRyR.dpuf

Mom Interview: Questions for A Fresh Perspective

I do not take credit for coming up with this idea. Apparently the questions have been making rounds within the web, though I only became aware of them recently. Enjoy! A printable copy is included at the end.
1. What is something I always say to you?

2. What makes me happy?

3. What makes me sad?

4. How do I make you laugh?

5. What was I like as a child?

6. How old am I?

7. How tall am I?

8. What is my favorite thing to do?

9. What do I do when you’re not around?

10. If I become famous, what will it be for?

11. What am I really good at?

12. What am I not very good at?

13. What do I do for a job?

14. What is my favorite food?

15. What makes you proud of me?

16. If I were a character, who would I be?

17. What do we enjoy doing together?

18. How are we the same?

19. How are we different?

20. How do you know I love you?

21. What do I like most about dad?

22. Where is my favorite place to go?

23. How old was I when you were born?
- See more at: http://joyinmykitchen.com/do-you-need-a-fresh-perspective-mom/#sthash.bqBUQRyR.dpuf

When Mom's Attack





Don't ever underestimate a mom. 

We have been through a lot and I don't just mean surviving high school. We have been brought to the brink of our sanity in many ways. Forgetful husbands, ungrateful kids, homework, meal planning, carpooling, and just trying to work out one or two times a week. We are the plate spinners you see in the circus.

We are tired and were PISSED.

Which is why it's easy to have a disagreement. Whether it's on the fundraising committee for your school in the carpool line, in the office, or in your spin class, some mom is trying to piss us off.

And sometimes we attack. We can't help ourselves. Sometimes it feels good to just go off the deep end.

I've been guilty of this. I have attacked on mom on occasion. While it offers some initial relief. Afterwards I just end up feeling awful. Like a mean bully. I've been on the other end of that as well and it is really heartbreaking and infuriating.

But what if?

What if we all assumed, just by virtue of being mothers, that we are doing the best we can and have the best of intentions. That we're all in this crazy mess together. That there is no need to tear another woman down because, in essence you're tearing us all down. Let's face it moms are running the world. And we are raising the next generation of mothers.

When we attack another mom or bully another mom, or hurt another mom what are we showing our girls?

Disagreements can be mended and fixed. You know what can't be fixed? Terminal cancer. The death of a child. Divorce.

I knew a mom in preschool once. She was lovely. She was a good mother. And she died of cancer. Her Facebook page is still there. Sometimes it comes up on my feed. I want to write something to her. Instead I just remember I'm lucky to be alive. And so are you.

So before that disagreement with that mom becomes out of control... Fix it... Mend it.... Talk it out. 

Treat her like you would want to be treated.

Or like you wish you were treated...

Because when you attack one mom....you attack us ALL.