I LOVE HALLOWEEN. The decor, the food, the costumes and all the kids ringing my door bell with "Trick or Treat!" It's just such a sweet, fun and great little holiday!
My little Snow White's First Halloween, 2011.
But with a one-year old and a four-year old, juggling taking my babes trick-or-treating and then running home to meet those kids trick-or-treating SOLO is not an easy task. Not only does it take some careful preparation, but it's all about timing and for me - simplicity. With such a long day getting things ready and then to continue well after my kids go to bed (when your youngest goes to bed at 7:30 p.m.), the door bell is ringing until at least 9 p.m.
So this year I'm working hard to slimline things without feeling like I'm cutting myself short on something I normally enjoy with a few tips to ensure Halloween is fun for me (as well as the kids!)
1) Order dinner - in advance
I know there are a thousand pins you have collected over the last couple of weeks to create the perfect Halloween-themed dinner, but let's face it - you can't do it all. Really. So I just make it a fun night and order a few cheap pizzas, pick them up AHEAD of trick-or-treating and then we're done. You can eat a slice before you go out and then a few pieces after you get home without any issue. It's cheap, easy, and fun! Just make sure to put your order in early since Halloween is a big night for delivery, so just avoid the wait (and more traffic on the road) and pick it up yourself. Between the ready-made pizza places like *Cici's, Little Caesars or Pizza Patron at around $6, you can't go wrong.
Sign up now for CiCi’s Pizza Perks and a you'll be in the loop to receive a coupon for 3 medium To-Go pizzas for $10. What a great way to treat your little goblins, ghouls, ghosts and princesses before they head out into the dark, candy-filled night!
2) Wear Comfortable Shoes
I've professed multiple times that I don't like shoes. We'll I do, but...they are a necessary for walking the neighborhood as we travel from house to house for trick-or-treating. I could probably just put on my houseslippers/flip-flops and walk out the door. However, since the probability of me bumping into neighbors I haven't seen in months. For this reason, I want to sport that mom's-still-got-it look rather than mom-lost-it that sometimes can be seen if you bump into me at the grocery store.
Thankfully, I just found a pair of shoes I'm currently in love with. No, they're not my normal Crocs, but a pair of Dr. Scholls. Now before you start to think I've borrowed a pair of my grandma's house shoes, you've got to take a look at these babies.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Scholl's Shoes/drschollsshoes.com
Aren't they cute? I thought so as well and this oxford-style shoe is totally on trend for 2012 (an added bonus for me!) This classic loafer called the Florenza is my go-to shoe for mom style, color and of course, my favorite - COMFORT! Imagine that all those inserts could be found in one shoe - memory fit foam, pressure relief and massaging gel insoles. Retailing at around $65, I feel like I'm standing out a litttle bit among the sea of Sperry's and Tom's most everyone is sporting and for me, I can still have the same feel of a flip-flop!
Available at more than 5,000 retail locations and online at Piperlime.com, Macys.com, Zappos.com and DrSchollsShoes.com.
3) Simplify the Bag Load
While I'm not a shoe diva, I am about my bags. I love big bags and can fill them at capacity if you let me (isn't that what moms are known for.) But on Halloween, with two trick-or-treat bags and all the other necessities - phone and keys, are about all I can handle and I still need both of my hands to lead the kids along the way. That's why we I found this scarf/clutch combo, I was ELATED.
Here's the Sholdit I have.
Photo courtesy of www.sholdit.com.
The Sholdit was created by a mom with the need to have her stuff and her hands, is basically a scarf with inside pockets to contain your basics and if needed, can fold back up to a small clutch - all in one! Scarves are my go-to accessory for making my mom uniform (a t-shirt) look cute quickly, while giving me a little style, and the fact that I can store my phone and keys without stuffing my pockets like a plumber, makes me so uber happy. And in so many cute colors and lightweight materials, you can securely store your stuff without adding 10 lbs. to your shoulders or hips. Get yours now for $49-$79 at www.sholdit.com.
4) Give Out What You Want
Another issue over the last few years that has really kept me worried is what food to give out. When I was growing up, if you scored a full-size candy bar from the guy up the street, you were set. But now, what you give out is less a reflection of what kids would enjoy as it is "Is this mom mindful of safety, health and fun?" And of course, costs for a bag of candy soaring more than $10 for a bag of 50 snack-size treats, trying to participate in Halloween has really turned into a chore.
This year I said no more and bought what I wanted my kids to eat and what I would be happy to serve from the House of Reo. For a reasonable cost of $6 a box with 35 bags of Utz Mickey Mouse Cheese Balls, Halloween Rice Crispy Treats and a small selection of chocolate. I stocked up on what I thought we would need for 2 hours and then if any was left over, I could use the pretzels for snacks and lunchboxes while mom and dad wouldn't have to sneak food out of the kids bags! Plus, Mickey Mouse still makes me cool AND they are gluten-free...SCORE!
DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC's 16 CFR Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")