Hodge Podge Halloween

The last few days of October kind of became a hodge podge of Halloween and other holiday celebrating. Some things were celebrated on their day and some were celebrated "observed." So here we go.

I asked Jet a while back what he wanted to be for Halloween. He told me, "Batty." I definitely went with a joke in there but also decided I could make him bat wings so he could be "Batty." Jeremy made bat ears for him.

He loved his bat wings so much, he wore them a lot. One day when they were all finished, he asked to watch an episode of Wild Kratts about bats. He wore his wings and watched the episode then told us things he knew about bats. "They sleep upside down." He said that as he was lying on his back trying to get his feet all the way up into the air. Have I mentioned I love that kid so much?

That day was October 29, National Cat Day (not to be confused with National Black Cat Day two days earlier). I took a picture of the neighbor's cat skeleton decoration again.

It was also National Oatmeal Day but we were too busy to celebrate that day. Jeremy and Lucky volunteered to make balloon animals at the Primary Carnival the Young Women put on. Jet got to test run his bat wings and ears. He enjoyed playing games and getting prizes and treats. He also decorated a sugar cookie. 

The Young Women really put on a good event. Besides the things Jet wanted to do, they also had face painting and freeze dance contests and musical chairs and crafts. I was impressed.

We celebrated Oatmeal Day the next day, October 30, which was actually Haunted Refrigerator Night. So Lucky and I made oatmeal muffins and I fried up some eggs (from the refrigerator- Boo!) for dinner.

Lucky: It looks like a duck face.

 

Earlier that day, our friend Stephanie came over to watch a spooky movie with Nichole and me while we drank hot chocolate and ate toast. Mmmmm. The movie was Something Wicked This Way Comes. I watched that movie when I was a kid and it was creepy. It's still creepy now that I'm an adult. I won't recommend it to my sensitive child.

October 31 was Halloween, National Breadstick Day, Frankenstein Friday, and National Knock Knock Joke Day. Jet and I did knock knock jokes a few days before when we were talking about that holiday coming up.

Jeremy got us donuts as a special treat for Halloween breakfast.

Jet did a really good job going in to school that day (he doesn't always). I think he was excited about Halloween and his costume. I watched Jet and Lucky in the elementary school Halloween parade. 

At home after Nichole got back from classes, she helped me make dinner. That was really helpful because besides working on the food, I was also running around picking kids up after school. 

Jet got fangs at school (which he calls a jaw- it makes sense), so a few times he told people he was a vampire bat. 

Because of Nichole's help, we were able to eat before trick or treating. Spaghetti Monsters to celebrate Halloween, National Breadstick Day, and Frankenstein Friday. 

The three youngest went trick or treating with me around the neighborhood then the whole family loaded up in the van and went trick or treating at my sister's house then went in to visit for a little bit. It's tradition. Every year, Jet talks about trick or treating at his aunt's house.

While we were out trick or treating, Jr. Jr., dressed as a jester, showed people juggling tricks and they gave him treats.  

Jet as you know was a bat (Batty).

Lucky dressed as Quirrel from Hollow Knight, the video game. Jeremy made his costume.

Hodge Podge Halloween celebrating. It's fun.

Kangaroos and Greasy Foods

October 24 was National Kangaroo Day. I hopped like a kangaroo in the morning when I went to wake the boys. Jet and I watched The Rescuers Down Under that night.

It was also National Food Day. For dinner, I was going to do Chicken Tikka Masala and Garlic Parmesan Broccoli from A Season of Family Meal Plans, volume 4. Rice would be good to go with those. I thought I could easily do another Indian food to go along so I made chana. Then I realized we had plain yogurt left from the tikka masala marinade, and I had a cucumber left over from when I made cucumber sandwiches, plus other ingredients to make a yogurt sauce to combat the heat of the food. I didn't have time to make a flatbread, though.

That Garlic Parmesan Broccoli was so good and I was able to make it from frozen broccoli. Thank you, Jordan Page and The Page Company. Yummy meal.

 

October 25 was... are you ready for this?... Pablo Picasso's Birthday, World Pasta Day, Greasy Food Day, and National Breadstick Day. We celebrated with abstract art made from Spooky Spaghetti & Meatballs (from the same cookbook) and Focaccia Breadsticks (from Shelf Cooking 101). It was also Frankenstein Friday so anything spooky counts for that.

Orem Reads: Frankenstein

I decided to do something for myself again in October... all month long. My family was good to support me in it.

I participated in Orem Reads. This year the theme was based on the book, "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. I got a free copy of the book, read it, participated in several library events and other activities for it, and earned my way to the finale.

The kickoff event was a one woman production of "Mary's Monster," about the life of Mary Shelley and her inspiration for the book. Jeremy was able to go to that with me.

 

I took time to be creative with my reading (and shared about it on Instagram).

I even celebrated some holidays with it. October 6 was Mad Hatter Day and National Noodle Day.

They had two events of Orem Reads: Chat and Snack and I was able to go to both. Basically bring a snack to share and have a discussion about Frankenstein. I loved it.

This is what I wrote about Orem Reads in an Instagram post:

I enjoyed participating in Orem Reads this month reading Frankenstein. The events and book discussions I went to were great. It was nice to get together with other people who love books.

The Finale tonight was a book tasting. We spent five minutes at each table getting to know a genre and seeing samples of books in that genre. 11 tables. 11 genres. There were also snacks and fun decorations. 

I want to give a shout-out to Amy Sorensen and other staff members of Orem Public Library. A lot was put into this throughout the month and that effort is appreciated. Thank you, Amy. From the kickoff to the finale, it turned out great.