Last Minute Sweetest Day Gift Ideas

Sweetest Day is only a couple days away. Did you remember? Sweetest Day is always on the third Saturday of October. Originally known as Candy Day, Sweetest Day has roots dating back to the 1920s. Are you still searching for a last-minute Sweetest Day gift? Check out the following list for ideas.

Ideas for Sweetest Day Gifts

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  1. Candy: Sweets are the traditional gift for Sweetest Day. One of the first Sweetest Day’s observers, Herbert Birch Kingston, distributed candy and small gifts to orphans and the elderly.
  2. Flowers: A beautiful bouquet of flowers is a great way to celebrate Sweetest Day.
  3. Dance Lessons: Taking dance lessons together to celebrate Sweetest Day as a couple.
  4. Subscription Boxes: A monthly subscription box provides your loved one with a mystery gift for months to come.
  5. Tickets: Is your favorite team or band coming to a local venue? Grab tickets for a night out.
  6. Get Outdoors: Pack a picnic, go hiking, or view nature.
  7. Group Fun: Sweetest Day does not necessarily mean spending time alone. Invite other couples or families over for a BBQ or Bonfire. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate Sweetest Day.
  8. Haunted Fun: Go on a haunted walking tour. Or take a hayride through a spooky corn maze on a chilly evening. If you really like being scared, walk through a haunted house.
  9. Wine or Beer Tour: Go on a wine or craft beer tasting tour.
  10. Hometown Tourist: Spend a day going to local tourist attractions. Go to museums, historical sites, or art galleries.
  11. Gift Card: Almost every store including online shops offers gift cards.
  12. A Night In: Often the simple gestures are the best. Order take-out from your favorite restaurant, cuddle on the sofa, and binge-watch your favorite show.

Happy Sweetest Day! Every day is a reason to celebrate. Enjoy your day.  

25 Halloween Books for Kids

The weather is cooler, the days are growing short, and Halloween is just around the corner. Do you want to surprise your kids with Halloween books? Or do you need a list for your next trip to the library?  Check out the following list of fun Halloween books for kids.

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  1. “Creepy Carrots!” – Aaron Reynolds
  2. “Big Pumpkin” – Erica Silverman
  3. “Too Many Pumpkins” – Lina White
  4. “Ten Timid Ghosts” – Jennifer O’Connell
  5. “Pumpkin Countdown” – Joan Holub and Jan Smith
  6. “Little Witch” – Anna Elizabeth Bennett
  7. “The Little Ghost Who Was a Quilt” – Riel Nason
  8. Room on the Broom” – Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
  9. “Splat the Cat and the Pumpkin-Picking Plan” – Catherine Hapka and Loryn Brantz
  10. “Stumpkin” – Lucy Ruth Cummins
  11. “The Halloween Moon” – Joseph Fink
  12. “Rosco the Rascal Visits the Pumpkin Patch” – Shana Gorian, Ros Webb, and Josh Addessi
  13. “The Little Kitten” – Nicola Killen
  14. “The Scariest Book Ever” – Bob Shea
  15. “The Little Blue Truck’s Halloween” – Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry
  16. “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything” – Linda D. Williams and Megan Lloyd
  17. “Gilbert the Ghost” – Guido Van Genechten
  18. “Goodnight Goon” – Michael Rex
  19. “Pete the Cat: Trick or Pete” – James Dean
  20. “A Halloween Carol”- Sean M. Hogan
  21.  “How to Make Friends with a Ghost” – Rebecca Green
  22. “The Halloween Moon” – Joseph Find
  23. “The Witches” – Ronald Dahl
  24. “The Halloween Tree” – Susan Montanari
  25. “Snowmen at Halloween” – Caralyn M. Buehner

With all the books available, you’re certain to get into the Halloween spirit. Older children may like the Harry Potter series too. Have fun! Keep reading! And Happy Halloween!

Please note: “As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn income on qualifying purchases.”

Fall Family Photos to Capture this Season

Fall is a busy time of year. Apple picking, visiting pumpkin patches, viewing colorful foliage, Halloween, and Thanksgiving are all a part of the fall season. Each day provides numerous opportunities for family pictures. Are you capturing the best photos for lasting memories? If you need a little inspiration, check out the following list of ideas for fall family photos to capture this season.

Fall Family Photo Ideas

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  1. Walking down a hiking trail. (If you can do it, get your children to hold hands).
  2. Searching for the perfect pumpkin.
  3. Sitting in the pumpkin patch.
  4. Going apple picking.
  5. Baking a apple or pumpkin pie together.
  6. Doing leaf crafts.
  7. Attending a football game.
  8. Tailgating before the game. (Food is always a major part of game day photos).
  9. Playing catch football.
  10. Around a bonfire.
  11. Standing in front of trees with vibrant fall colors.
  12. Holding leaves out front of you. (For added fun, write names or wishes on the leaves)
  13. Raking and jumping in the leaves.
  14. Vising a local farmer’s market.
  15. At a community event.
  16. Making Halloween decoration together.
  17. Dancing to Halloween music.
  18. Carving pumpkins.
  19. Roasting pumpkin seeds.
  20. Volunteering.
  21. Drinking homemade hot cocoa in a new mug. (Do not forget the marshmallows.)
  22. Dressing up in Halloween costumes.
  23. A Halloween photo shoot in the back yard.
  24. Trick or treating.
  25. Decorating for Thanksgiving.
  26. Photo with extended family at Thanksgiving.
  27. Photo of everyone sitting at the Thanksgiving table.
  28. Kids choice. (Often children create the best photo shoot for your family.)

40 Halloween Candy Alternatives

Halloween is almost here! Are you ready for your trick-or-treaters? Are you thinking about handing out something other than candy this year? Perhaps you only get a handful of trick-or-treaters? Or you know some of your neighbor children cannot have candy. Due to allergies or other restrictions, many children are on strict diets.

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Alternatives to Halloween Cany

  1. Halloween Pencils/Erasers
  2. Temporary Tattoos
  3. Halloween Stickers
  4. Vampire Teeth
  5. Bouncy Balls
  6. Spider Rings
  7. Stampers
  8. Bubbles
  9. Lego Figures
  10. Mini Art Kits
  11. Halloween Activity Pads
  12. Halloween Color Books
  13. Halloween LED Rings
  14. Halloween Glasses
  15. Foam Putty
  16. Glow Sticks
  17. Slime
  18. Stretchy Skeletons
  19. Slap Bracelets
  20. Play Doh
  21. Rubber Duckies
  22. Slinkies
  23. Punch Balloons
  24. Halloween Wind-Up Toys
  25. Yo-Yos
  26. Whistles
  27. Kazoos
  28. Mini Paratroopers
  29. Finger Puppets
  30. Bookmarks
  31. Books
  32. Plushies
  33. Mini Flashlights
  34. Mini Fidget Spinners
  35. Halloween Crayons
  36. Spin Tops
  37. Hot Wheel or Matchbox Cars
  38. Halloween Jewelry
  39. Mini Nail Polishes
  40. Punch Balloons

Please note: “As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn income from qualifying purchases.”

How to Find the Perfect Pumpkin to Carve

Halloween is creeping in closer each day! Are you going to decorate your porch with jack-o-lanterns? Pumpkins are one of the best parts of Halloween. Now, who is going to the pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkin to carve? Do you know how to find the best pumpkin for carving?

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Tips for Finding the Best Pumpkin for Carving

The cooler weather, fresh air, and the big search for the perfect pumpkin is a great family-friendly activity. Bundle up warm and remember the following tips for finding the best pumpkin for carving.

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Color

One of the easiest ways to find the perfect pumpkin to turn into a jack-o-lantern is color.  When searching the pumpkin patch, look for a deep, orange color. The deep orange hue signifies the ripeness of the pumpkin.

The Thump Test

Yes, there really is a reason people knock on pumpkins. A hollow sounding pumpkin is ripe. Pick up and your pumpkin and knock on the side a couple of times. Listen carefully for a deep hollow sound when you tap the pumpkin with your knuckles. If your first pumpkin pick did not pass the thump test, keep looking.

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Check Your Pumpkin Over

Next feel your pumpkin over for bad spots. If a pumpkin is beginning to decay, dark spots or bruises may be noticeable. Press in on questionable areas.  Search for scratches or other imperfections.

The sturdiness of the pumpkin is essential. Using your thumbs, test the bottom of the pumpkin for firmness. A mushy pumpkin will not last until Halloween night. Try to find a pumpkin without any blemishes.

Cradle Your Pumpkin

Avoid picking your pumpkin up by the stem. If you break the stem, the pumpkin will decay at a faster rate. A firm, secure stem means a sturdy pumpkin.

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Heading out to the pumpkin patch for your perfect choice is a great Halloween tradition. When searching, take your time. Enjoying the atmosphere is part of October fun.

35 Quotes for Halloween

It’s Halloween time! Are you sending out cards and want to add a Halloween quote? Or do you need a quote for your Halloween bulletin board? Check out the following list of 35 quotes for Halloween.

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  1. “There is something haunting in the light of the moon.” Joseph Conrad
  2. “Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it’s about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves.” Elvis Duran
  3. “Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can’t see where it keeps its brain.” J.K Rowling
  4. “When the witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ’tis near Halloween.” Unknown
  5. “Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.” Steve Almond
  6. “On Halloween, witches come true; wild ghosts escape from dreams. Each monster dances in the park.” Nicholas Gordan
  7. “I love Halloween, and I love that feeling: the cold air, the spooky dangers lurking around the corner.” Evan Peters
  8. “During the day, I don’t believe in ghosts. At night, I’m a little more open-minded.” Unknown
  9. “There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand.” Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
  10. “Halloween wraps fear in innocence, as though it were a slightly sour sweet. Let terror, then, be turned into a treat …” Nicholas Gordon
  11. “Shadows mutter, mist replies; darkness purrs as midnight sighs.” Rusty Fischer
  12. “Magic is really very simple; all you’ve got to do is want something and then let yourself have it.” Aggie Cromwell, Halloweentown
  13. “Sticky fingers, tired feet; one last house, trick or treat!” Rusty Fischer
  14. “Where there is no imagination there is no horror.” Arthur Conan Doyle
  15. “October was always the least dependable of months … full of ghosts and shadows.” Joy Fielding
  16. “When black cats prowl and pumpkins gleam, may luck be yours on Halloween.” Unknown
  17. “Everything seemed cut from soft black velvet or gold or orange velvet. Smoke panted up out of a thousand chimneys like the plumes of funeral parades. From kitchen windows drifted two pumpkin smells: gourds being cut, pies being baked.” Ray Bradbury
  18. “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” William Shakespeare
  19. “Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere.” Charles M. Schulz, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
  20. “Oh how the candles will be lit and the wood of worm burn in a fiery dust. For on all Hallows Eve will the spirits come to play, and only the fruit of thy womb will satisfy their endless roaming.” Solange Nicole
  21. “It’s as much fun to scare as to be scared.” Vincent Price
  22. “Darkness falls across the land, The Midnight Hour is close at hand.” Rodney Lynn Temperton
  23. “It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night.” Edgar Allan Poe
  24. “Listen to them—the children of the night. What music they make!” Bram Stoker
  25. “Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story.” Mason Cooley, American Aphorist
  26. “Not every witch lives in Salem.” Unknown
  27. “I would die for her. I would kill for her. Either way, what bliss.” Gomez, The Addams Family
  28.  “Believe nothing you hear, and only one half that you see.” Edgar Allan Poe
  29. “Villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue.” Ichabod Crane, Sleepy Hollow
  30. “Halloween is an opportunity to be really creative.” Judy Gold
  31. “I’m a witch every day. Not just for Halloween.” Unknown
  32. “Hocus pocus. Time to focus.” Unknown
  33. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself… and spiders.” Unknown
  34. “Werewolves howl. Phantoms prowl. Halloween’s upon us now.” Richelle E. Goodrich
  35. “Witch and ghost make merry on this last of dear October days.” Unknown

Journal Prompts for Halloween

Are you keeping a journal? Do you want extra Halloween-themed journal prompts? Check out the following Halloween writing prompts to add to your October journal entries.  

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  1. What does Halloween mean to you?
  2. What is your first memory of Halloween?
  3. What was your favorite childhood Halloween costume?
  4. What is your favorite Halloween costume as an adult?
  5. What is the scariest Halloween decoration that you have viewed? Why did the decoration scare you?
  6. My favorite Halloween activity as a child was _________________.
  7. My favorite Halloween activity as an adult is ___________________.
  8. Write a poem about a pumpkin.
  9. If on Halloween night, you could fly a magic broom stick, where would you go? Why?
  10. Did your school have Halloween parties? Did you dress up? Go on a parade route?
  11. What is your favorite family Halloween activity?
  12. Do you visit haunted houses, corn mazes, or other types of themed event for Halloween? Do you go your family or friends?
  13. What Halloween themed event is your favorite? Go into details.
  14. Did you go trick or treating as a child? Where did you go? Who did you usually go with?
  15. Did you carve or paint pumpkins as part of Halloween as a child? Where did you get your pumpkins?
  16. Are you carving or painting pumpkins this Halloween? Where did you get your pumpkins?
  17. Did you visit pumpkin patches as a child to find the perfect pumpkin? What do you remember the most about this activity?
  18. What is your favorite Halloween candy? Why is this special?
  19. Who is your favorite Halloween character? Write a letter describing why.
  20. What makes Halloween spooky?
  21. Write a paragraph about a pumpkin, scarecrow, and a werewolf.
  22. Are you hosting a Halloween party this year? Why or why not?
  23. What was the last Halloween party you attended? Describe the event.
  24. What Halloween traditions do you practice?

Have fun! Happy Halloween!

31 Drawing Prompts for October

Cooler days are perfect for arts and crafts. Drawing is one of the easiest art projects to begin. Even the local dollar store carries pencils, crayons, markers, colored pencils, and art paper. The possibilities are endless. Do you need a little inspiration? Check out the following drawing prompts for October.

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  1. Self portrait
  2. Mushroom
  3. Acorn
  4. Leaf
  5. Clouds
  6. Pattern
  7. Tree
  8. Squirrel
  9. Sun
  10. Sunflower
  11. Key
  12. Insect
  13. Harvest
  14. Windows
  15. Fence
  16. Curious
  17. Nature Scene
  18. Dragon
  19. Fairy
  20. Mermaid
  21. Pinecone
  22. Historical place
  23. Water
  24. Weather
  25. Family
  26. Friends
  27. Moon and stars
  28. Owl
  29. Crow or bird
  30. Artist’s choice
  31. Happy Halloween!

Self-Care Ideas for October

October is a great month to concentrate on self-care. Committing to taking care of yourself is critical to your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Do you need inspiration for October self-care ideas? Check out the following list.

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  1. Make a commitment to take care of yourself. Announce your dedication. Post it on social media. Let everyone know you plan to take time out for yourself.
  2. Eat outside on a fall day to soak up the sunshine and enjoy the fall crisp air.
  3. Read
  4. Take a long hot bath.
  5. Take the time to listen to your favorite podcast. Yes, listen to the whole podcast at one time.
  6. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Try mulled cider or herbal teas.
  7. Create a playlist for fall.
  8. Declutter your living space.
  9. Go stargazing.
  10. Write or draw in a journal.
  11. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or pet rescue.
  12. Listen to inspirational videos. (TedTalk)
  13. Go on a day trip with your besties.
  14. Step away from social media for an afternoon or entire day.
  15. Learn breathing techniques to reduce stress.
  16. Watch the sunrise or sunset.
  17. Learn meditation exercises or guided prayer.
  18. Cook your favorite meal.
  19. Call an old friend to chat. Yes, call not text.
  20. Get outdoors! Go hiking or take a nature walk. Don’t forget your camera.
  21. Create something. Draw, paint, or do a craft.
  22. Get extra sleep.
  23. Buy yourself something.
  24. Go out to the movies.
  25. Treat yourself with in-home spa treatment.
  26. Create a vision board. Use Pinterest. Or go old school and decorate a poster board.
  27. Get a library card to check out new books.
  28. Watch funny videos on YouTube.
  29. Go on a solo date. Take yourself out to dinner.
  30. Light a scented candle.
  31. Happy Halloween! Dress up, act like a kid, pass out candy, or attend a community event.

Enjoy your October!

Please note, as an Amazon Affiliate, “I earn income on qualifying purchases.”

31 Photo Prompts for October

Are you ready for another month of photo inspiration? October brings beautiful foliage, pumpkins, Halloween, and much more. Capture as much as you can before the season turns into cold winter days.

31 Photo Prompts for October

  1. Selfie
  2. In the morning
  3. Nature
  4. From above
  5. Weather
  6. Texture
  7. Looking out your window
  8. Pattern
  9. Family
  10. On the floor
  11. Miniature
  12. Words
  13. Friends
  14. Side view
  15. Signs
  16. Black and white
  17. Trails
  18. Clouds
  19. Photoshopped
  20. 3pm
  21. Upside down
  22. Tradition
  23. Silhouette
  24. Motion
  25. Food
  26. Trees and leaves
  27. Distance
  28. Animal
  29. Favorite thing
  30. Photographer’s choice
  31. Happy Halloween!