A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Halloween Traditions

October 29, 2009 · Narrative

Trick or Treat Bag

I’m big on tradition.  Whether it’s a new one or an old one, I like the comfortable feeling of being able to rely on tradition.  The kids each open up one present on Christmas Eve, a tradition carried over from my own childhood, and it’s always pajamas to wear that night.  We celebrate Chinese New Year.  We have a New Years’ Eve seafood feast every year.  The Rainbow Cake End of School/Back to School tradition was born this year.  Tradition.  Love it.

One of our Halloween traditions is the Trick of Treat bag I made years ago when Nick was two years old.  Every year, I write what his Halloween costume is, and the year.  Since he learned how to write his name, he has also signed it.  I love that he carries something special like this for trick-or-treating and it’s a fun trip down memory lane when we dig it out each year.  This year, he had a hard time deciding what to dress up as, torn between two choices, so he will be a soccer playing vampire.

Today I bought Madeline her bag so she can carry her own memory-filled trick-or-treat bag.  She has a very “large and in charge,” bustling walk, and I can just picture her marching up to front doors on Saturday, trick or treating with the big kids.  This is the perfect picture to show off her walk.  Given her sweet tooth, she will be in all her glory come Halloween.  And then some.

Halloween Cookies

Tonight is also the night before the kids’ Halloween celebrations at school, so our kitchen was awash with preparations for tomorrow.  The other Class Mom and I got together to get ready, making pumpkin shaped, colorfully sprinkled Halloween cookies.  They went in a clear plastic treat bag with a Halloween-decorated pencil for each kid in Nick’s class.  Then we baked up a batch of Pumpkin Apple Chocolate Chip muffins for a breakfast party in the morning for the kids. They’re not allowed to have an all-out official party, since they are also doing Trunk or Treating in the afternoon, but we managed to finagle a small little party in the morning when school starts, with homemade muffins and fresh fruit.

Treat Bags

Come Saturday night, after the kids are fast asleep from a day full of fun activities, one last Halloween tradition rounds out the night.  Before bedtime, we go through all the Halloween candy and just pick out our favorites to keep.  The rest goes out on the dining room table for the Halloween Fairy.  A close cousin of the Tooth Fairy, she comes in the middle of the night in super sleuth mode and takes away the candy and leaves a small present behind.  Yet another favorite tradition.  This is what the Halloween Fairy will be leaving Nick, and this one is for Madeline.

‘Tis a good time to be a kid.  Indeed.

P.S.  A very big happy birthday to our dear friend, Chris.  I’ve known him for some 13+ years, and love him in spite of his penchant for fine dining on tater tots!  Happy, happy birthday!!

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Chinese New Year, Christmas, Halloween, tradition

Comments

  1. Merry says

    October 29, 2009 at 10:52 pm

    Great post! It gives me some great ideas for traditions to start with Evan now that he’s old enough (2) to start to understand.

    Reply
  2. Starnesfam says

    October 29, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    I enjoyed reading about your traditions. Enjoy your fun weekend!

    Reply
  3. Joanne says

    October 30, 2009 at 6:17 am

    This is a great post. I am a stickler for traditions as well and still hold on to many of my childhood ones. I really love yours. It sounds like you and the kids will have a great Halloween!

    Reply
  4. mandy says

    October 30, 2009 at 9:34 am

    I love traditions as well. What a fun memory for your kids to have that treat bag. They will enjoy looking back at it years down the road.

    Reply
  5. Monica says

    October 30, 2009 at 10:17 am

    I love your traditions! They are such fun and creative ideas. I wish I could be a kid in your household. :-) You are so involved with your children and seem to somehow balance the hassles of being a grownup with the joys of being a parent. I’m not a mom (yet…), but you still inspire me everyday and remind me that life is what you make of it and we all need to take time out to enjoy the little things – because in the end – they are the memories that we end up cherishing the most.

    Reply
  6. Pam says

    October 30, 2009 at 12:56 pm

    Those cookie goodies are SO cute! Thanks for stopping by my blog!

    Enjoy!

    Reply
  7. fresh365 says

    October 30, 2009 at 2:12 pm

    This is a great posts on traditions. I have so many wonderful memories of when I was growing up and will certainly be passing the traditions along!

    Reply
  8. Ramona says

    October 30, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    Liked the post. It’s great that you’re such a loving mom. Your kids will have many many happy memories.

    Reply
  9. chris says

    October 30, 2009 at 4:01 pm

    Thanks for the b day shout out. luv ya too.
    hope everyone has a GREAT Halloween.
    i am off to Wisconsin for the weekend. :)

    Reply
  10. Claire says

    October 30, 2009 at 8:06 pm

    She does look like a woman on a mission! Love your “halloween fairy” idea…get rid of all that extra candy and give something good (like a book!)…great idea!

    Reply
  11. Jaimie says

    October 30, 2009 at 8:15 pm

    What a great tradition! : ) Here’s to hoping they never grow out of it!!!

    Reply
  12. pamela says

    October 30, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    What a really neat idea. I’m a sucker for tradition, too!

    Reply
  13. Barbara says

    October 31, 2009 at 11:18 am

    Super idea! I bet a lot of mothers will start this tradition with their young ones today!

    Reply
  14. Mariko says

    November 1, 2009 at 5:07 pm

    Perfect. I am doing that next year. I wish I had known about it before.
    I never cared about traditions as much as I do now that I have a daughter.

    Reply
  15. Chel says

    November 1, 2009 at 9:30 pm

    I love traditions, too. I wish I had thought of the Halloween bag years ago.

    Reply

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍

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