5 Ways To Trick-Or-Treat Safely

Halloween is almost here! And yes, obviously things are different. However, it doesn't mean trick-or-treating has to end. In my neighborhood many houses plan on passing out candy, including ours. But it's important to stay safe since cases are still rising. 

I have tips on how to do that! 

1. Pass out the candy yourself. 

In the past I would allow kids to grab what they wanted. This time I'll be handing it over. 

2. Have sanitizer nearby. 

I plan on using this many times throughout the night to be on the safe side. 

3. Wear masks. 

I'll have a mask on and so will my kids. I hope others will as well. 

4. If passing out candy makes you nervous, put the candy in bags and leave them out on a table. We won't be doing this since I worry someone might take it all, but you can always monitor from your porch. I know several people in the neighborhood are doing it this way. I just personally don't want to waste a bunch of plastic bags. 

5. Don't forget lights! Meaning, have your kids wear glow sticks on their costume so vehicles can easily spot them. Some wear dark costumes so it can be tough to see when the sun goes down. Gregory is holding a lighted spider that you can add to a costume. 

Halloween can still be enjoyable. And if you aren't comfortable going trick-or-treating, that's perfectly okay. Don't let anyone make you feel foolish. You know your family best. If you want to go trick-or-treating, be sure to use caution. I know we certainly will. 

Are you planning on trick-or-treating? 

Hey, It's Okay

 I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay.... 

....to still be going trick or treating on Saturday. We'll have masks and sanitizer. We'll also be passing out candy. I'll just put the candy in bags instead of allowing kids to grab their own as before. 

.....to be excited that The Mandalorian will start streaming on October 30th on Disney+. It's such a great show. Plus I love The Child. (And I have my own and his name is Steve. You can see him here!)

....to be reading A Week At The Shore by Barbara Delinsky. It's about a woman returning to the town she grew up in to help her aging father--and solve the mystery of his lover disappearing years ago. 

.....to be proud of Natalie for getting As and Bs on her first report card, so I paid for her to watch the livestream Billie Eilish concert last Saturday. She loved it! 

....to be amused by this ghost costume. I guess it's a social media thing to wear a sheet and sunglasses. Hey, if you need an easy costume, here you go!

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Easy Halloween Monster Fruit Cups

 I love easy. 

Especially when it deals with food. 

I know some parents love making elaborate snacks for their kids. And while I admire those snacks, I know I'll probably never, ever make them. I just don't have the patience, nor do I get any pleasure from making a sandwich into a fish/fairy/dog. 

I do like to amuse my kids, so I knew they'd like these monster cups. 

Do they look Pinterest worthy? Probably not. I mean, the crafty moms can probably make them look fancier, and that's great, but again, I'm all about quick and easy. 

All you need are grapes, marshmallows, clear cups, and a sharpie. 

You put grapes on the bottom of the cup:

Then you add marshmallows in the middle and add more grapes on top:

Draw a face! Make whatever kind you want. 

Hand over to your kids! My daughter was like, "These are cute, but you didn't do that great with the face." 

No, I didn't, but oh well. You get the gist of what I as going for. A monster. Yay. 

So if you're looking for something simple, try these Halloween Fruit Cups. Perfect for parties. Kids can decorate their own cups and will most likely do a better job than I did.

EASY HALLOWEEN FRUIT CUPS

Ingredients/items needed:

--bag of green grapes

--marshmallows

--black sharpie

--clear cups 

Instructions

1. Put a few grapes at the bottom of a clear cup.

2. Add marshmallows.

3. Top with more grapes. 

4. Draw a face on the cup with a Sharpie. 

5. Enjoy!

Are you all about simple in the kitchen too?

How To Deal With Teenager Mood Swings

 

Oh my gosh guys, I am so talented that I even annoyed my daughter's SHADOW!

For the most part, I get along with my teenagers. I have two of them: a thirteen and an eighteen year old. The eighteen-year-old is a boy, so he's much calmer, unless his video game lags or he loses or is killed off in said video game.

The thirteen-year-old can have frightening mood swings. One minute I'm joking with her, the next she's thundering up the stairs in a huff. I find that you have to treat teenage girls like a skittish wild animal: don't do too much, because you could scare them off.

I have tips on how to deal with the crazy mood swings! 

1. Give them space. I know in Full House all the adults would go up to the child's room when they'd stomp off, but no, trust me, that isn't Real Life. You must give them time to calm down, otherwise you'll be met with either A) screaming or B) dead uncomfortable silence. Teens won't immediately spill their problems with sad music in the background. They just won't. And if you force them to, they'll make something up so you'll leave.

2. Be available to talk when they calm down. Sometimes when my daughter is stomping up the stairs I shout to her retreating back "I'm here if you need me." 

3. Send encouraging texts. I sent one that said "when you stop acting like a feral cat, I'll be here." 

4. Lure them out with food. Seriously, teens love to eat. This always worked for my son. My daughter enjoys McDonalds fries, so all I have to say is, "I have McDonalds!" and she suddenly is in an amazing mood. I know experts might be like, "Food should never be used an award" but quite frankly, they can kiss my pale ass, because yes it certainly can.

5. Let them know you love them even if they are acting like Linda Blair in The Exorcist and you're wondering if they're about to curse at you in Latin. Sometimes they just need to hear this. Being a teen isn't easy, especially these days. There's social media, there's cameras around ALL THE TIME, and there's Algebra. I promise, they'll come to you. Eventually.

Having teenagers keeps me young. And makes me eat lots of chocolate. But it's also an adventure. 

One I wouldn't give up for anything. 

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay.... 

.....to be going to see Beetlejuice with my kids this weekend at Flix Brewhouse. I love that they show older movies for a cheaper cost. They'll be doing it for Christmas too! We hope they'll be showing Elf. 

....to be trying a new recipe in a few days. I found one for Salisbury Steak. It can go either way. I can be pretty awful in the kitchen.

....to currently be reading I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman. It's about a mother and daughter going on college tours--you all know how teen girls can be, so there are ups and downs!

....to be glad that Natalie is enjoying In Person school. She started 2 weeks ago and says things are "fine" because she's a teen and doesn't like to expand. But trust me, if she were annoyed, she'd let me know. 

....to be so proud of my son. As most of you know, he has autism and started college this fall. It's virtual for now, and he's been doing awesome. He has As and Bs, and he self advocated for himself and set up his own disability meeting. 

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5 Ways To Master A Hover Board

**We were sent a Hovertrax Prizma in exchange for a review. No other compensation was exchanged.*

Many of you know Razor. They have some fantastic scooters out there (and we own two), but did you know they also make hover boards? 

Yup, they have the Hovertrax Prizma, which looks pretty awesome.

It has a run time of 40 minutes and can go 9 MPH. Plus there's flashing lights. 

But the thing is, Natalie has never been on a Hover Board before. So to be on the safe side, she decided to practice inside. Here's what she did to learn.

1. Get a helmet. It's important to be safe because you probably WILL fall a few times. This helmet is actually for small kids, but she says Hello Kitty was her aesthetic or something, I don't know, so she went with this one. 

2. If you're nervous, practice inside. It doesn't hurt as much if you fall.

3. Because like I said, you WILL fall. But laugh it off and try again. Natalie fell many times. 

4. Learn how to use your hover board properly. Natalie figured out how to make it go forward and backward before getting on. (She used her hands.) I liked how there are anti-slip foot pads. 

5. Pick up a quality Hover Board. The Hovertrax Prizma from Razor is just that. Natalie liked the multi-color LED Light Bars. She felt safe on it and it handles well. 

It can take a few tries to figure out a hover board, but if you keep at it, you'll be riding around in no time. Plus, what I love, is that there are two modes: a training AND a normal mode. The training mode is perfect for first time users because they learn to keep their balance and it moves slower. Then you can move to normal mode. 

To learn more about Razor, you can click here to learn some tips and tricks, plus some cool crafts. 

You can also buy the Hovertrax Prizma here. (It comes in 3 different colors!)

Natalie and her frog Gerald give it two thumbs up. (Do frogs have thumbs? No? Well. He gives two RIBBITS up.)

To learn more about Razor, check them out at the following places:

their website

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Have you ever ridden on a hover board before? 

Unboxing The BoxyCharm October Box

Yay for good mail! We always get excited when the BoxyCharm box arrives. You can get your own BoxyCharm box for less than $30. It's full of beauty products that are worth way more than $30. 

You'll get new items each month. 

Here's what was inside. And you might notice our frog. We got him at Michaels and his name is Gerald. Gerald was also eager to see what we got.

First up was the Tarte Maracuja Miracle Mist Setting Spray. This will come in handy for the hot Texas days. It had a nice scent. Gerald approves MSRP: $23

Next was the Pretty Vulgar Nesting B##%% Face Palette! I was amused by the name.

Check out the colors. Gerald said he liked the pinks the best. MSRP: $32.

There was also some Ace Beaute Draw It Up Lip Liner. These looked like some nice colors. I admit, I haven't tried lip liners before. MSRP: $16

Gerald wanted the Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Kiss Tinted Lip Butter. He was a huge fan of the color and thought it would compliment his green skin. MSRP: $20

Finally, there was the Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser. I have been using this and like it. My skin can get incredibly dry during this time, so it helps! MSRP: $40

You can order your own BoxyCharm box here. There are different options. We're on the regular monthly BoxyCharm box which is $25 a month and as you see, the items we got are worth so much more than that.

What is awesome is that you fill out a form before you get your first box on what you'd mostly like in it. For example, Natalie wanted mostly makeup, so I made sure to write that down. You also can pick what colors you prefer.

If you want your own box click here or use the code Amber-AREMLXCK at checkout! We'll get charms if you do this so we can shop at the store on the BoxyCharm site with them. You can cancel whenever you want.

What was your favorite item this month? Gerald says his was the lip butter. 

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay.... 

.....to have thought the kids got a 3 day weekend. But no. They get Election Day off instead. 

......to currently be reading The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin. It's about a woman who strikes up a relationship with a guy--and then he disappears after 9/11 and she realized he might not have been who he seemed. 

.....to be checking out Amazon Prime Day. Sometimes you can find some great deals. 

.....to be missing my husband, but I am grateful that we can see him via Facetime. 

.....to love this Piggy Paint natural nail polish we were gifted. It's non-toxic, water based, free of harsh chemicals, cruelty free and vegan. The colors are gorgeous. The nail polish remover is eco-friendly. Check out their webpage here to buy!

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Saying Goodbye Never Gets Easier

 

It sucks.

Saying goodbye to your spouse sucks.

Even if you've done it many times before, it still sucks. 

I had to say goodbye to my husband Tom. He has to go away for a bit thanks to the military. This has happened several times in the past. This isn't our first goodbye. But it still stings. 

Here's what happens when he goes: my heart squeezes. My stomach feels hollow. I walk around the house and try not to cry when I see the glass he sips water from. I press my palm against his side of the bed. For the first few days I'll still be able to breathe in his scent, but soon that'll go. I find some dirty clothes in the corner and while it normally irritates me, now it makes my eyes water. His part of the bathroom is empty, but there's still some remnants of his hair in the sink because he shaved the night before. A part of me doesn't want to wash it away. It's gross, but I think, it's part of him, and I won't have him for a long time. 

He left an old pair of boots behind, so sometimes I'll look over and think of him. His spot on the couch remains empty in the evenings when we'd normally watch our shows together. 

It's not like I won't see him though. He'll Facetime, but sometimes the WiFi is shaky, so he freezes mid-sentence. It's not the same. 

I don't spend my days wallowing. I can't. I have things to do. But sometimes in the evening? It hits me that he's gone. 

Saying goodbye never gets easier. 

Hey, It's Okay

I got this idea from Glamour magazine. You can link up any day of the week. All you have to do is make a list of what you're okay about. Simple! Please do not link up a post that has nothing to do with Hey, It's Okay. It's rude and I'll delete the link.

Hey, It's Okay....

.....to have taken the kids to see Hocus Pocus on the theater over the weekend. I'm also buying tickets for Beetlejuice! I love when theaters play older movies for a cheap cost. 

.....to find it bizarre that it's still called Columbus Day. Google it. He wasn't a good man. We should change it to All This Land Belongs To Indigenous People Day or something. 

.....to hope Natalie does well going back to in person learning. She said she liked being back but let's see if the work is done. 

.....to have enjoyed Enola Holmes on Netflix. If you're looking for something sweet to watch, I recommend it. My daughter Natalie is obsessed because of the boy in it, the one who played the Marquis of Tewksbury or something like that. It was a long title. 

.....to have bought this from Target. Yes, I totally got Little House Of Horror vibes. Which is why I needed it. 

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Pop's Diner At Carolina Beach Review

 I absolutely LOVE diners, so I love when I find one. It seems they can be few and far between. When we were in North Carolina, we found a place called Pop's on Carolina Beach.

I love how it looked inside. Very retro!

The menu had your typical diner foods. Lots of fried stuff!

We got burgers and they were all generous. The onion rings had an amazing flavor. 

This is the BLT and let me tell you, that was some tasty bacon. 

I love greasy food, so this is my kind of place. 

Plus they had so many amazing sounding desserts. We tried the fried oreos. They were incredible. 

The prices were fair but be warned: use cash or they add on a fee for credit cards. 

Check out Pop's Diner if you're ever in Carolina Beach. You won't be sorry!