As L. M. Montgomery once wrote, ‘I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.’ I was trying to put my finger on what I love about this season; and while there are many, many pumpkin flavored things on the list, I realized that this time of year allows my fussiness to shine. I’m thoroughly enjoying planning and coordinating fall activities with family and friends: corn mazes, pumpkin patches, and Halloween movie nights (Halloweentown anyone?) with my husband and kids make my heart squeeze!
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A few things I am fussing over this week:
Make Your Home a Haven
I recently read an article by Joanna Goddard called How to Make Home a Haven and it felt very timely. We are at a point in parenting where our kids are facing some complex situations – social pressures, increased expectations at school, etc.
These are normal growing pains that I, as a parent, want to empower my children to handle; which means I have to learn to sit on the sidelines. But I do have the power to create a place where they are safe, loved, and accepted. A space where, when the world is not so nice, they can walk in and find reprieve.
So I am filling my home with tangible comforts, making favorite meals (beef stew when it’s 80 degrees outside!), and listening to their stories in the hopes that my boys find a haven in their home.
Apple Cider (with or without salted caramel whiskey!)
This time of year I am here for all things apple cider. My favorite adult way to enjoy it is warmed up with a splash of salted caramel whiskey – Foggy Mountain out of Boyne Falls (I love supporting local!) makes my favorite. I am not usually a whiskey person, but trust me this is good!
Other delicious way to incorporate apple cider into cooking are these mustard apple cider pork chops (swap in chicken if you prefer!) or this apple cider roast.
A Spooky Yard Decoration
We go all out for Halloween here – my husband even coordinates a halloween light show on our house set to music! (More on that later!) I am at the point where I am trying to be, well, fussy, about what decorations I add to our collection. So I was very excited to find this cauldron on a tripod and will be using a fogger (we just upgraded to a larger option, but here is a lower cost one I have that works well!) to create a very spooky ambiance for trick-or-treaters.
Not-So-Spooky Halloween Movies
Earlier sunsets mean more movie nights in our house, and there are so many Halloween movies to pick from! We are not big fans of the horror genre, so here are our top 5 Not-So-Spooky Halloween must watch moves!
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Halloweentown – Debbie Reynolds! As mentioned above, this is the one I look forward to the most. I love feeling all the nostalgic 90’s vibes.
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The House with a Clock In Its Walls – I would rank this the scariest of the bunch. It is based on the 1973 young adult book by the same name (and takes place in Michigan!)
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The Good Witch – Those who know me know my fondness for Hallmark, and I just love this movie series staring Catherine Bell. The TV series is great as well, but this time of year I always find myself going back to the original movies.
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Ghostbusters – My boys are the perfect age to appreciate this quirky classic.
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It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – Can you even make a Halloween movie list without including Charlie Brown? It isn’t a holiday in our house without Linus, Lucy, and the gang.
I would love to add to our movie repertoire, please comment below to let me know your family’s must-watch Halloween movies!
Don’t forget to check back Wednesday for our next book club recipe! We will be continuing What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking by Caroline Chambers (available at Bookshop.org, or Amazon). I will be making my idea of the perfect fall weeknight meal, Caroline’s One-Skillet Balsamic Mushroom Braised Chicken.