Keeping Your Easily Agitated Pets Safe from Harm

If you’re hosting a party in your home or invite trick-or-treaters to your door, one of the best ways to keep Fido (and those who are visiting) safe is to remove him from the situation completely. You can kennel your animal somewhere else for the night or put them in a room that’s off limits to guests. If your cat or dog is normally skittish around people, it’s best to keep them away from all the commotion on Halloween.

While many animals will freak out from all the holiday hoopla, there are some who love it just as much, if not more than you do. Here are some tips to allow your people loving, socialite pet to get involved in the festivities in a safe way.

Let them enjoy your visitors – from a distance.

You may find that your pet is not bothered by the costumes at all. Maybe your puppy or kitty likes to go to the door and welcome your guests. If this is the case, make sure he or she does not dart out the door while you’re handing out treats. Try leashing your animal within a safe distance from the door so they can enjoy the guests while remaining safe inside.

This will also help the children who like to see the animals but don’t want to touch them or be close to them. Because animals scare some children while others get very excited and want to run toward them and be the aggressor, a leashed animal will help you stay in control of the situation and allow both the children and your pet to enjoy the experience. 

Candy and Pets Don’t Mix

If you have children who will be trick-or-treating, you’ll have to pay careful attention to your pets once you return home for the night with the kids’ treats. While sorting and eating the goodies from the evening, make certain that all candy, especially chocolate, is out of the cat or dog’s reach. Chocolate, even in the tiniest amounts, can be deadly to animals. Refrain from letting your little ones dump their trick-or-treat bags and buckets on the floor to sort their candy. Instead, head to the dining room table or a counter to pick through the yummy treats.

You Know Your Pet Better Than Anyone

As the “parent” to your pet, you know his or her temperament better than anyone else. If this is your first Halloween with a pet, don’t be surprised if he or she doesn’t find the day as pleasurable as the other members of the family. Keep these simple, yet often overlooked safety tips in mind this year. By taking simple precautions beforehand to prepare for the night, you can ensure everyone in the family and all your guests have a healthy and safe Halloween.

Material List

• Paper Plate (One per child/adult)
• Scissors 
• Leaves  
• Glue Sticks 
• Orange Construction Papers   
• White Construction Paper
• Black Construction Paper
• Washable Black Marker
• Black Yarn (optional)

Adult Preparation: (To Be Done Prior to Actual Wreath Making)

Cut the center from each paper plate prior to giving one to each child. These will be the base for the homemade wreaths.

Day 1: Grab the kids and head outdoors.

Gather as many fallen leaves of different shapes and colors as you can find. Once you’ve collected enough leaves to cover each paper plate, head back inside and glue them to the paper plates. You can glue the leaves to cover the entire plate, randomly around the plate or even as a border around only the edge, whichever you prefer. Once you’ve glued the leaves to the paper plate, leave the plates to dry for 24 hours or at least overnight.

Day 2: Creativity

Depending on how much time you have to complete this project you can have the children do the next step after the leaves have been glued on, while you’re waiting for them to dry or you can make another day of it.
Let the children draw Halloween images on the construction paper. Here are some ideas for each color of paper:

Orange – Pumpkins (Use the black marker to draw the face on their pumpkins)

White – Ghosts, Mummies, Bones

Black – Cats, Witch Hats (You can use the yarn to put a tail on the cat and hair on the witches head if you’d like to put that under the hat)

Once the children have picked out and drawn which decorations they’ll be using, carefully cut them out and paste them to the wreath.

Tip: Pre-placement (before gluing) will give the child an idea of what the wreath will look like once it is all glued together. When the children are happy with the way the decorations are placed, it’s time to glue them to the leaves.

Again, allow the decorations to dry completely.

Day 3: Decorating Time

Congratulations! You’ve made your very own homemade Halloween wreath. Enjoy your child’s creation by hanging it on the front door or his or her bedroom door for all your friends and family to see and admire.

The time is upon us. The weather is starting to get chillier, the leaves are falling, school has started and that can only mean one thing: Halloween is around the corner! This time of year is all spooking a few friends, stocking up with goodies on the big night and having fun. So, here are some ideas to help your children (and you) have a great time this Halloween. Have fun! 

Halloween Riddles for All Ages

1. What did Dr. Spook give the witch who had a sore throat?
Answer: Coffin Drops

2. What do Ghost’s wear when their eye sight is failing?
Answer: Spookicles

3. How do you make a witch stew?
Answer: Make her wait!

4. What do lady ghosts put on their skin?
Answer: Vanishing lotion

5. What do you get when you cross a witch with an iceberg?
Answer: A cold spell

6. How do bats learn to fly?
Answer: They take batting lessons.

7. If you worked in a mortuary, what would you call your free time?
Answer: Coffin Break

8. Why do skeletons always catch a cold?
Answer: the get chilled to the bone.

9. What is a vampire’s favorite fruit?
Answer: Necktarines

Tombstone Quotes to Make You Giggle

Bonnie Parker (Bonnie and Clyde): “As the flowers are all made sweeter by the sunshine and the dew, so this old world is made brighter by the lives of folks like you.”

Tombstone Arizona: “Here lies Lester Moore; Four slugs from a .44; No Les No More.

Pennsylvania Tombstone, US: “Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake. Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.”

England Tombstone: “The children of Israel wanted bread and the Lord sent them manna. Old Clerk Wallace wanted a wife…and the Devil sent him Anna.”

Massachusetts Tombstone: “Under the sod and under the trees, lies the body of Jonathan Pease. He is not here, there’s only the pod. Pease shelled out and went to God.”

Dentists’ Tombstone: “John Brown is filling his last cavity.”

Can you come up with more funny or spooky tombstone ideas?

Who Can Make the Most Words?

On a piece of paper write the words “Trick or Treat”. See who can make the most words using only the letters found in the phrase.

Possible Answers: (There may be more, but here are quite a bit to get you started): rock, ate, tick, tack, race, oat, are, rate, crate, car, rack, trace, tart, tort, crater, racer, rice, track, or, tea, tire, ace, ice, ore, tore, rico, roar, kite, tear

Here’s a Halloween poem kids will love:

Witches and Goblins and Ghosts, OH NO
By Sheilah Warner Blackledge

Out on a night called Halloween
I’m dressed like a dog and my mom’s a queen
The sounds of ghosts make me turn green
I think I’ll run, but instead I scream
The witch over there behind those trees
Put me and mama on our knees
A goblin grabbed me by the arm
It was my friend Jo who meant me no harm
Oh my, oh why do I want to go?
To hear witches and goblins and ghosts, OH NO!

Pictures, albums and home video may be the only way children ever know they even participated in trick or treating as a baby. Who are we kidding? We all know the fun of baby’s first Halloween or two is more for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings. Here are some suggestions for saving money on baby’s first trick or treat experience as well as safety tips to make the night as fun as it can be.

Be Frugal with Baby’s First Halloween Costume

The first Halloween costume should be special, but that doesn’t mean it has to break the bank? Before you go crazy spending out of your budget for a Halloween outfit for baby, try networking with other parents. Many parents save their own children’s first costumes. They may be open to swapping costumes with you or willing to sell their little one’s old costume at a minimal cost. If this isn’t an option for you and you find you need to purchase your baby’s costume, there are lots of children’s thrift stores and boutiques that carry precious Halloween outfits in the month of October. Another option for making sure baby’s first costume is cute and inexpensive outfit is to check eBay.

Safety Tips to Keep Baby’s Safe and Sound

• Pass On Inhibiting Costume Items

Babies do not like to wear masks and most will fight and cry in discomfort if you put them in costumes that restrict their movements.

• Avoid Scary Masks and Costumes

Don’t be surprised if older babies are frightened by other people’s masks and costumes as well. This is not a time to instill fear into your baby. Sometimes adults and older children find it funny to show babies “the ropes” without realizing they can inadvertently scare infants.

• Keep Weather Conditions in Mind

When choosing your costume, keep in mind what your weather will most likely be that time of year. In the northern part of the U.S., it is not unusual for children to wear coats over their costumes. The more south you go, you may have children overdressed in 80 degree weather. That adorable fur bear or lion outfit may not be the most comfortable outfit for baby if you live in an area that’s still a bit warm on Halloween. Don’t over or undress baby.

• Give Family & Friends a Call Ahead Before Visiting

You have special people in your life that you’ll want to share baby’s first Halloween with. A phone call ahead to these people to be sure they are going to be home will help ensure that pictures (or videos) of baby with this special someone can be taken. Try and make your plans up to a week ahead. You don’t want to be disappointed later when trying to scrapbook your child’s first trick or treat experience and someone is missing.

Celebrate Baby’s First Halloween Again and Again

Just like every other first for your little one, you’ll want to keep record of his or her first Halloween with pictures, video and other keepsake items. One way you can do this is by creating a scrapbook that will preserve these items for years to come. Get creative in how you layout your album. Don’t be afraid to take pictures with props that symbolize the holiday and the season. Hay bails and pumpkins are just a few ideas; you can also check with your local craft store for other embellishments such as stamps, stencils and more.

Memories are something we all have. With some extra care and planning, Halloween and your baby’s first trick or treat experience can be most memorable for everyone involved. Who knows, that adorable first Halloween costume might find its way into the senior year book later.

No matter what costume you choose or how you remember the day, keep the tips and suggestions above in mind for a safe, happy and fun Halloween.

Cooking Articles

1. Christmas Cooking
2. New Years
3. Ideas for Warming Up On Cold Winter Days
4. Chocolate
5. Stocking The Pantry
6. Saving Dollars With Smart Shopping
7. Ten Ways to Cook Your Meals
8. Healthy Eating
9. Canning
10. Cooking with Kids
11. Halloween Recipes
12. Quick & Easy Breakfast Cooking
13. Veggie Articles
14. Fourth of July Articles
15. Cool Off Food

1 C of water
1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 (6 oz.) carton vanilla yogurt
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C cold milk
1/2 t vanilla extract
10 ice cubes

Orange Smoothie Just for Mom Recipe  Instructions:

Pour the water in the blender.
Add the juice and yogurt to the water.
Carefully stir in the sugar, milk and vanilla.
Cover the blend until the mixture is smooth.
While blending add in 3 to 4 ice cubes at a time and blend after each addition.
Continue to add the ice cubes until you have reached the thickness you desire.

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: approximately 5 minutes
Blending time: approximately 5 minutes
Total time:  approximately 10 minutes

This drink will have Mom asking for more. Garnish with a cute little umbrella and a piece of orange slice and give Mom 30 minutes to bask in the dream of being on the sunny beach. She will treasure the moment forever.   Any type of frozen juice concentrate will work.

1 1/2 C of cold milk
1/2 C brewed coffee, cooled
1 (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
12 chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
1 1/2 C frozen whipped topping, thawed

Mom’s Mocha Pudding Delight Recipe  Instructions:

Pour the milk into a large mixing bowl.
Add the coffee and stir slightly to combine.
Sprinkle in the pudding and pie filling.
Whisk for 2 minutes or until blended together well.
Transfer half of the pudding mixture into 4 dessert cups.
Crumble 2 cookies into each dessert cup.
Fold the whipped topping into the remaining pudding mixture.
Transfer the mixture equally into the 4 dessert cups.
Top each dessert with a cookie.

Makes 4 servings

If you’re Mom likes chocolate and coffee this dessert is right up her alley.  Chocolate chip cookies can be used in place of the sandwich cookies.  Instead of topping this dessert off with another cookie add a red or green maraschino cherry.

6 T of butter, cubed
1 C light brown sugar, packed
2 T light corn syrup
1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into slices
12 maraschino cherries, drained well
3 eggs
2 C of sugar
1 C vegetable oil
1 (8 oz.) container of sour cream
2 t vanilla
2 1/2 C of flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Pineapple Cupcakes Upside Down Recipe Instructions:

Preheat the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Grease the cups in a muffin tin with a non stick cooking spray then line with wax paper.
Place the butter into a saucepan positioned over low heat.
Allow the butter to melt completely then stir in the brown sugar and corn syrup.
Adjust the heat to medium and stirring continuously cook about 3 minutes or until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Spoon 1 T of the butter mixture into each prepared muffin cup.
Place a pineapple slice into each muffin cup then add a cherry to the middle hole of each pineapple slice.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and beat slightly with a fork.
Add the sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture thickens and turns lemon in color.
Add the oil, sour cream and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Add the dry mixture to the egg mixture and blend until well moistened.
Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full of the batter.
Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cupcake comes out clean.
Invert the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 cupcakes