My Halloween memories.

I seem to have gone a full circle with Halloween. Going from not celebrating it at all, to going crazy about it when my girls were younger to now where I am not really bothered about it.

When I was child Halloween was not a big thing. I lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere and there wasn't much chance to go trick or treating as our nearest neighbour was just under a mile away. Thankfully the school I went to always had a Halloween disco so there was the chance to dress up and join in the spooky fun. My first memory of dressing up was when I was about 10 years old. Costumes and pumpkins weren't easy to come by so we used black bin bags for our costumes and my dad carved us turnips! Have you ever tried to cut a turnip/swede? It's hard work, my dad was a hero and I didn't even realise it at the time!

It wasn't until I had kids myself that I got into Halloween. The first year we really did anything was when Ellie was just over a year old, I had bought the girls witchy costumes and not long after Ellie was dressed as a witch she took her first steps and started to walk. We joked that it was the magic of the witch costume. hehehe

Since that Halloween we had a lot of fun each year. When the girls were still little, I started doing party teas. I would buy Halloween themed paper plates and bowls and we'd have a picky tea. We would always have the party tea on the Saturday that X-Factor would do their Halloween week. The girls would dress up and it was something different for them.

The girls used to love carving pumpkins even though they hated scraping the insides out. There was always a lot of screeching and shouts of "mam, can you do it". We have carried on the tradition of carving pumpkins, this has been the first year that we haven't done some in about 18 years.

When the girls were at school we would meet up with friends and go trick or treating and then my friend would put a party tea on for the kids. It was always a lot of fun and the amount of sweets that the kids got were crazy. People were so generous! The kids would be eating the sweets that they got for weeks.

Most of the time Halloween would fall during the half term break from school and we would always do some Halloween crafts, we used to review a lot of the Baker Ross sets which the girls used to love and I am sure that we still have those scratch art haunted houses in one of our memory boxes.

We would also do some baking too. We would cheat mostly and just buy the baking kits from the supermarkets. The one's where you just decorate cupcakes or cookies. The girls could do most of it themselves and we ended up with some yummy treats at the end of it.

Now the girls are older we don't celebrate Halloween as much. The last time they did was before Covid, they dressed up (the photo at the top of this post) and went trick or treating. This year Becky is working and Ellie and I don't have any plans at all apart from handing out sweets to any trick or treaters which might knock at our door.

I was going to say I don't miss celebrating Halloween but actually I do, we had a lot of fun times.

What have you got planned for Halloween?

A Halloween Tag!

Halloween is almost here and I thought I would get into the mood by doing a Halloween tag that I found online. Amazingly a lot of these questions are one's which I have never answered before.

What’s your favourite Halloween tradition?

Halloween has changed a lot for me over the years, I have a blog post all about my Halloween memories tomorrow but now I am at a part of my life where I don't really celebrate it but I do enjoy handing out the sweets to any trick or treaters which come knocking a the door. I love seeing the little one's all dressed up.

What’s your ultimate Halloween candy?

Anything Reese's. Do they still do the pumpkin shaped Reese's peanut butter cup things? I am also a sucker for any type of Haribo! 

What’s your favourite Halloween movie or TV special?

I am not a fan of scary movies, I was put right off them by The Ring. That girl Samara with the hair, who comes out of the TV makes me shudder just thinking about her now. I would say now looking back on it Ghostwatch from the early 90's was amazing! They made it out to be a real documentary and it was terrifying for my brother and I. We got so far into watching it when my dad realised it was too much but let us carry on watching it because he thought it would all be revealed it was a hoax at the end. It didn't! My brother and I didn't sleep properly for weeks along with the rest of the country. It has never been shown on TV since.

Do you decorate for Halloween? If so, what’s your go-to decoration style?

I used to when the girls were younger. We would keep it fun and cute with none of the scary decorations. Now I don't bother. All I have now is a cute Halloween gonk sat on my fireplace.

Do you believe in ghosts or the supernatural?

I do sometimes especially when I see videos on TikTok about spooky things but when it's late on a night and I am going to the toilet I tell myself that ghosts are defiantly not real! 

Have you ever visited a haunted house or done a ghost tour?

No, no and I don't want to. I used to watch Most Haunted on the TV where the crew would visit haunted houses and buildings and watching it was scary enough for me. I would not like to be in the thick of it!

What’s your go to spooky season playlist or song?

This Is Halloween off Nightmare Before Christmas. I Googled it and before writing this I did not know Marylin Manson sung it.

If you could spend Halloween in any fictional universe, where would it be?

It would have to be Harry Potter! I would love to spend some time in Hogwarts with all the professors, students and magic of course.

What's your ideal Halloween party like - scary, funny, or cosy?

Ohh! I like the sound of a cosy Halloween party. I imagine lots of sweets and treats. Hot chocolate, a roaring fire, sweet smelling candles and yummy food.

Would you rather be a vampire, witch, or werewolf for Halloween?

I've watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer enough to know that they all have their advantages and disadvantages. I think the one that comes out the best is a witch, well as long as your girlfriend doesn't get killed and you go out killing people to get revenge. hehehe

What would you answer for these questions?

An evening without the internet!

A couple of weeks ago we had just eaten tea and I picked my laptop up planning to do the online grocery order and the internet was off!! We tried resetting it, it sometimes plays up and the whole switching it off and on again usually fixes it but not this time. I used my phone to check our internet provider and there was a fault in our area. Stu delved deeper and it said it could be two days before it was fixed. I think that was just worse case scenario but what a nightmare, time without the internet!!

I can remember a life without the internet so I should be fine without it, nope! The old saying you don't realise what you have until it is gone is so true. I wrote a blog post a little while ago about Things that I like to do on my laptop, all of those things I need the internet for.

To start off I couldn't do the online food shop. That wasn't a massive problem but it did mean I had to go out and buy milk the next day to see us through until I could get the food shop delivered.

Usually on an evening I will play some games on my laptop and that is fine until I realised that most of them needed the internet to play! Even The Sims, I went to offline mode and it still kept trying to update and shutting it down. Hmmf. I ended up going old school and playing Plants V's Zombies. It is ages since I last played it and needed some tips but of course I couldn't just nip on Google to find the answers, I had to wing it.

There was no watching good TV shows as I either watch them off catch up or stream them via Netflix or Disney+. Just before Ellie went to bed it dawned on her that she couldn't watch TV as her TV comes through a Amazon Firestick. She said she would just read a book and listen to some music which was a good idea but her music comes through the Google thingy and it is streamed from the internet. She read in silence. Eek!

Obviously that night was the night when some massive celebrity news happened. Poor Liam Payne died. I found out from texts from Becky who was at work telling me to check the news. I had to find out the news the old way by watching TV. Thank goodness for Sky news.

I went to bed. Usually I will use my phone and have a scroll on Instagram and TikTok but there was none of that for me that night. I found a book in my bedside cabinet that I had never read before and started reading that. Why Mummy Swears! I am betting that mummy swears because the internet goes down. hehehe

Thankfully by the time the morning came around the internet was back on! Phew! I then had to break the news to Ellie about Liam Payne, she didn't believe me! I am glad I could get online and show her all the news articles.

How do you manage when the internet goes off? It shouldn't really be a question, the internet is a luxury, we shouldn't really depend on it but I know I do.

Our weekly meal plan! 28th Oct - 3rd Nov. #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan was a bit hit and miss, mostly miss. lol We ate some of the meals, not on the days that I had planned, some were scrapped and new one's were added. I knew we were planning on having a lazy half term so there was no big issues and no food went to waste. We had a nice meal out on Friday at the all you can eat place in Hull and a look around the shops.

We are back on the Gousto boxes this week. I like how they give me the motivation to cook each evening and try new recipes. If you want to try Gousto do feel free to use my invite link. I get £20 credit and you get 70% off your first box and 25% off all other boxes in your first two months.

We don't have much on this week, Ellie is back at college and that is as exciting as it gets. It is of course Halloween later on in week, we haven't got any plans for it apart from handing out sweets to any little trick or treaters which come knocking. I did see that a nearby shop has a sign up saying they're not selling flour or eggs to young people until after Halloween. I didn't realise that was still a thing. Eesh!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Gousto meal - Asian-Style Chicken Burger With Sesame Fries.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Creamy Pork Meatball & Mushroom Tray Bake.

Wednesday - Gousto meal - Sticky Hoisin Sausage Traybake.

Thursday - Gousto meal - Hearty Beef, Carrot & Mustard Pie.

Friday - Pizza. Just frozen one's.

Saturday - Burgers in buns with fries, corn on the cob and salad.

Sunday - Toad in the hole, mashed potato and vegetables.

What are you eating this week?

Week 43 of #Project365 20th - 26th of October. A photo every day for a year!

Hello there and happy Sunday! Did we all remember to put all the clocks back an hour? I think we have got them all, even the one on the microwave but I am betting there'll be one that we have missed.

We have had a good week, a lazy one with us not doing much at all but it has been nice to have a break from our usual routine. Yesterday was filled with the housework that I've been putting off all week and catching up on Eastenders. I had from the beginning of September to watch and needed to catch up.

Now for a photo every day!

294/365 - 20th October

Me! I got dressed up a bit and Stu and I went out for lunch at the pub. It was the Sunday carvery and I love it. I always overdo it on the roast parsnips and stuffing balls but they are just so good. It was nice to have some time together, just the two of us.

295/365 - 21st October

I know it's normal for it to get dark on a night but every year it always surprises me how early it gets dark and it will be even earlier from today. Eek! The sky looked so spooky.

296/365 - 22nd October

A new nail colour for me, I had planned to go for a darker green but after I put it on I didn't like the matte look to it so went over it with this gel look one.

297/365 - 23rd October

Ellie had her hair cut and dyed, just her usual dark red. I am getting better at dying it. There is a lot less dye on me and her. lol 

 

298/365 - 24th October

I left the house on the morning with a thick coat as it was so cold, I was even thinking about putting a woolly hat on. On the way home was a different story, I was carrying my coat and had to get my sunglasses out of my bag! It was so warm and the sun was so bright!

299/365 - 25th October

We went for lunch out to our favourite place in Hull, Wings the all you can eat buffet! We had a lovely meal and stuffed ourselves. I got to eat lots of my favourite cola chicken.

300/365 - 26th October

Becky had just got in after a night away. She was out last night clubbing, she's running on 4 hours sleep. She's off to bed now, she has a night shift to do tonight. Eek!

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This week my Word of the Week is: Lazy! #WotW

This week my Word of the Week is:

I could have used other words to describe our week: relaxed, calm, quiet but I have decided to go with lazy. That's how I've felt. Ellie has been off college for half term and it has been nice to have a lazy week, not being productive at all. It's been a week filled with no plans, hot chocolate and playing games on our computers. I haven't really done much apart from catch up on TV shows that I've been wanting to watch and the minimum amount of housework and cooking. I am actually amazed that I haven't spent more time in my pj's. I have made a point of getting dressed even if it was just leggings, baggy t-shirts and cosy jumpers.

I mentioned in my Friday Favourite post about how we have had lazy mornings and the laziness has just carried on for the rest of the day and week too. Life has been busy for us since the start of the summer so having a week off from taking Ellie to and from college has been a lovely break for me. Sitting on my bum on my armchair is much nicer than sitting on buses. Ellie has enjoyed the break too, college is hard work and the days are long.

The most productive thing that we have done is cut and dye Ellie's hair, that was a chore. She has been undecided about her fringe, whether to keep it or grow it out. She still hadn't decided when I started cutting her hair, it was that much of a last minute decision. She's keeping it and it's at that stage where it's too short to push behind her ears but too long to keep on her forehead. She says it's very annoying. hehehe

We of course went to see my dad during the week, we had a fast walk there trying to warm up and a slow walk home as the sun had came out and we were sweating in our big coats. My dad was not expecting us and he was being far from lazy. I gave him a telling off for working too hard. He stopped to have lunch with us and then carried on working. Eesh! 

Yesterday was the only non-lazy day that we had. Ellie and I were up early and went to town, met up with Becky and her girlfriend and had a look around the shops getting some ideas for Christmas. The shops are really starting to fill up with all things Christmas now. It's crazy to think that this time next week we will be in November. Yay! We also treated ourselves to lunch out which meant I didn't have to do much cooking last night as we were still full up. 

The holidays from school/college are not going to last forever, Ellie only has this year and maybe another in education and then I won't have an excuse to have a lazy week so I am making the most of it while it lasts.

We have one little last bit of laziness over the weekend with the clocks changing, we get an extra hour in bed. Hooray! I probably will still get up at my usual Sunday time of about 10am but the extra hour will be nice.

I hope you have all had a good week! I am of course linking up with Anne who blogs at Rasie Bay for her Word of the Week linky!

What I have loved this week! Week 43. #FridayFavourites

My youngest has had a week off college for the half term break and it has been lovely having no real plans or busy days. I have found myself watching a lot of TV and some shows that I have really enjoyed. I am here today sharing my favourites from the week and of course linking up with Erika and Andrea.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story - Netflix!

A true story about the 1996 convictions of Lyle and Erik Menendez for the murders of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. It shares their story and the events surrounding the brutal slayings. Both were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

This was a hard watch but so interesting at the same time. The acting is incredible and I was really hooked. I only watched it as I had seen something on the news about the Menendez brothers. I really don't think they should still be in prison now.

Lazy mornings!

My youngest and I have not been setting the alarm clocks so have been waking up naturally, most mornings I have not been getting out of bed until around 9am. We really have been making the most of half term. hehehe When we have got up we've not rushed to get dressed and have had brunch every day. Pancakes, bacon sandwiches and pastries. Yum, yum! 

Lunch out!

I know I am having a no spend month but I have been really good and decided we needed a treat so my fella and I went out for Sunday lunch. It is a carvery so you get given the meat and help yourself to the vegetables. My fella is sensible and gets a bit of everything but I go overboard with the roast parsnips, they're my favourite and there's no rules saying that I can't have 6. hehehe

Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare - Netflix!

Kirat Assi spent nearly a decade as the victim of an elaborate catfishing scheme now the focus of Netflix’s new documentary! This is the incredible tale of a young woman, Kirat from London who meets a man named Bobby via Facebook. The story began in 2010 as a Facebook friendship that evolved into a serious romantic relationship. However, whenever she attempted to meet Bobby in person, he always had an excuse: being shot, being in witness protection and having a stroke!

I used to love watching the TV show Catfish so I knew where this was heading but the lengths the fake Bobby went to were crazy! I wanted to scream at the TV, stupid woman but she was fooled and blinded by love. This was a good watch and I was hooked wanting to see how it all came out in the end.

This t-shirt!

Gilmore Girls!

This has been on my to-watch list for years. I think I started watching it a few years ago and didn't get past the first episode for one reason or another but this time I have stuck with it and I love it. There's no big drama, it's just life and it's nice and calm. The worst to happen so far is a cat has died. 

The mother daughter duo of Lorelai and Rory bond over everything they do and are essentially inseparable. Their lives depend on each other for the most part and to some extent on their close friends.

What have you loved this week?

Your week by week plan to prepare for Christmas from November!

As soon as Halloween’s over it's officially socially acceptable to start thinking about tinsel, mince pies, Mariah Carey and all things Christmas. To help you stay on top of things, here’s a week by week guide to help you prepare for Christmas starting from the 1st of November!

Week 1 - Starting November 1st.

Planning, Budgeting & Early Preparation.

Make a Budget: Set an overall budget for gifts, Christmas dinner on a budget, decorations, and other holiday expenses. It’s the least fun part of Christmas, but it’s essential.

Create a Gift List: Write down who you're buying gifts for and brainstorm ideas so you’re not left in a last minute frenzy.

Check Last Year’s Decorations: Are your Christmas lights still working? Do you need to replace that one bauble that the cat knocked off the tree last year think about any new one's that you want to buy.

Plan Travel: If you’re traveling, book tickets early for better prices. The prices only go up the closer we get to December.

Calendar Marking: Block out important dates for parties, gatherings, or work events.

Week 2 - Starting November 8th.

Begin Shopping.

Start Shopping for Gifts: Begin buying gifts! You’ll not only beat the December rush but also have time to grab those special, thoughtful gifts rather than panic-buying socks at the last minute. Plus, if you shop now, you can take advantage of early November sales and Black Friday is just around the corner!

Buy Advent Calendars: Pick up or make an advent calendar for December. There are so many fun ones these days, from chocolate to gin to beauty products, it’s a little festive treat for you every day leading up to Christmas.

Book Events: If you’re attending any events now is the time to book them: winter markets, the panto or maybe even an ice skating session. Popular events fill up fast, so be sure to get in early!

Menu Planning: Start thinking about Christmas dinner and any special meals that you are going to cook. If you are entertaining check on likes/dislikes and allergies.

Week 3 - Starting November 15th.

Get Crafty and Organised.

DIY Gifts and Decorations: If you’re making homemade gifts, start working on them. Whether you’re knitting scarves, making personalized photo albums, or whipping up some homemade fudge, starting now gives you plenty of time to get creative without feeling rushed.

Gift Wrapping Supplies: Stock up on wrapping paper, ribbon, and gift tags.

Post Early: If you’re sending gifts or cards abroad, consider posting them now to avoid delays.

Clean and Declutter: Do a deep clean and declutter your home to prepare for decorations and guests.

Week 4 - Starting November 22nd.

Decorate and Continue Shopping.

Decorate for Christmas: Start decorating your home. Yes, it might feel early for some but many people like to have their decorations up by the end of November so they’re ready to welcome December in full Christmas spirit.

Finalize Christmas Cards: Write out and send Christmas cards particularly if you have a large list.

Order Food: If you’re ordering your turkey, ham, or any specialty foods do this now. You can even start planning your grocery shop, most supermarkets have their early Christmas slots by now!

Black Friday Sales: This year it is on the 29th of November It’s the perfect opportunity to snap up some last minute gifts or even treat yourself to something special.

Week 5 - Starting November 29th):

Advent Begins!

Final Gift Shopping: Use this week to finish up shopping and by the end of it you’ll have most of your gifts sorted and you can shift your focus onto the fun stuff like festive movies and hot chocolate!

Start Advent Calendar: Open the first window on December 1st.

Plan Christmas Day: Finalise your Christmas Day menu and make sure you’ve listed all the ingredients you need and start thinking about what you can prep ahead of time.

Prepare the Guest Room: If you’re having guests start prepping any accommodations.

Week 6 - Starting December 6th.

Food Prep and Wrapping.

Stock Up on Non-Perishables: Things like crisps, biscuits, and drinks and don't forget the Christmas crackers.

Wrap Gifts: Doing the wrapping gradually will save you the stress of trying to wrap everything on Christmas Eve. Pick a couple of evenings put on a Christmas movie, and get wrapping!

Buy Stocking Fillers: Little things like chocolates, socks, or small toys can quickly disappear from shops the closer we get to Christmas.

Baking Prep: Make Christmas cake, mince pies and any other sweet treats that you want to make. A lot of festive baking can be done ahead of time and frozen until the big day.

Week 7 - Starting December 13th.

Final Preparations.

Deep Clean: Time to give your home a final deep clean before the big day, especially if you’re hosting guests.

Prepare Christmas Eve Boxes: If you do this tradition get that ready with treats like hot chocolate, cosy pyjamas, or a new book.

Host a Pre Christmas Gathering: If you’re hosting a small gathering before Christmas, now is the time.

Week 8 - Starting December 20th.

Christmas Week.

Final Food Shopping: Make your list and don't forget things like tin foil, batteries and gravy!

Finish Wrapping: Ensure all gifts are wrapped and ready.

Prepare for Christmas Eve: Get any last minute items, prepare things like stuffing or sauces ahead of time to make Christmas Day as stress free as possible.

Relax: Enjoy some Christmas films, listen to carols and take some time to unwind before the big day.

How do you plan for Christmas?

What I want to do by the end of the year!

We have had a bit of an up and down sort of year. I've made so many plans in my head over the last 4 months that had fallen through but things in our lives seems more settled, I've said it now I am half expecting everything to go wrong. lol but I have a list of things that I want to do by the end of the year, all fun things, a sort of bucket list if you like.

Have at least 3 Christmas lunches!

It's coming to the time of year where all places that you can eat start offering Christmas meals and I already have my sights set on 3 different one's from 3 different places. Three courses, a prawn starter of some sort, turkey with all the trimmings and a nice dessert!

Get a new coat!

I want a winter one which is waterproof, not too thick but thick enough to keep me warm. It needs to have a hood and decent pockets. I'm not asking for much.

Sort Ellie's driving lessons out!

They have been put on the back burner since Ellie turned 17 but I need to sort them out and get her a driving instructor.

Have a night away with Stu!

Stu and I have never had a night away without the girls and we are in the middle of planning one! It will terrify me leaving the girls but they are old enough now to be home alone. For goodness sake when I was Becky's age I had owned a house and was pregnant. lol

Read at least one book! 

I love reading but I never make the time for it. I want to read at least one book by the end of the year. Ellie has quite a collection of books and there's quite a few that I fancy reading.

Have a few trips to the cinema!

There are quite a few movies which I want to see towards the end of the year. Paddington in Peru! Wicked, Moana 2, Mufasa: The Lion King and Better Man, the Robbie Williams movie! 

Finish preparing for Christmas by December the 1st!

I want to have all the Christmas presents bought and wrapped by the first of December and then I can really enjoy the run up to Christmas!

Take more photos!

I have been taking more photos of myself but I want more photos of my family. Not necessarily family photos of us all together just more of my family, the girls and Stu.

Do some Lego! 

I got a couple of sets last Christmas that I haven't got around to doing. I know I need at least 2 days per set and up until now I haven't had 2 days in a row where we've not had things going on. I need to complete the sets as I've seen more that I want for Christmas and Stu has said no until I do my already owned sets.

Feed the birds!

I need to get back into a habit of feeding the birds. We still have our bird feeder which I've had for years which is still going strong.

Visit a Christmas market! 

I so want to go to one of the big Christmas markets. I want to see the twinkling lights, smell the mulled wine and hear the delightful sound of Christmas carols! I'm not even bothered about going there to buy gifts, I am in it just for the amazing food and drinks!

Keep up to date with the soaps!

I love watching the soaps but never keep up to date with them, by the end of the year I need to have caught up! As of writing this I have 4 weeks of Neighbours to watch and about 2 months of Eastenders!

Have a night out for my birthday!

My birthday is in the middle of November and I want a proper night out. I want to drink wine and dance.

Print out photos!

I want to print out some photos and put them in albums. It's nice having them all on my laptop and Stu's computer but I would like to go old school and have them in albums.

Do you have anything that you want to do by the end of the year?

Halloween costume ideas for kids which are easy to make!

Halloween is just around the corner and if you're a parent you know that coming up with a great costume idea for your child can be a daunting task. With a little creativity and some basic crafting skills you can whip up an amazing costume that's sure to make your little one the star of the night.

Here are some fun and easy DIY costume ideas that will have your kids excited for trick or treating and Halloween parties!

DIY Space Explorer

What You Need:

Silver or white coat/jumper/hoodie and trousers or leggings.

Cardboard or foil for making a space helmet.

Stickers and markers for decoration.

Plastic or paper tubes for rocket boosters (optional).

How to Make It: Dress your child in a silver or white outfit to mimic a space suit. Create a helmet by covering a bowl with tin foil or painting a cardboard box silver. Add some stickers and marker details to make it look like a real space helmet. For extra flair, you can attach plastic tubes to the back of the outfit to serve as rocket boosters.

A Classic Ghost

What You Need:

White sheet or fabric.

Scissors.

Black marker.

How to Make It: Cut eye holes out of a white sheet and let your child wear it over their clothes. Use a black marker to draw ghostly eyes and a mouth on the sheet for a classic, spooky look. Simple to make and a timeless classic!

A Magical Unicorn

What You Need:

White or pastel coloured clothing.

White felt or foam.

Glitter or sequins.

Headband.

How to Make It: Transform your child into a magical unicorn with a white or pastel coloured outfit. Create a horn using a piece of white felt or foam, rolling it into a cone shape and securing it to a headband. Add some glitter or sequins to make the horn sparkle.

A Superhero Sidekick

What You Need:

Solid-coloured top and bottoms.

Felt or fabric for cape and mask.

Fabric glue or tape.

How to Make It: Design a superhero sidekick costume by using a solid coloured top and bottoms. Cut out a cape from felt or fabric and attach it to the top. Create a matching mask from the same material. Let your child choose their favourite superhero colours or symbols to make the costume uniquely theirs!

An Under the Sea Mermaid

What You Need:

Light coloured leggings or bottoms.

Shimmery fabric or foil.

Shells or sea themed decorations.

Headband.

How to Make It: For a sparkling mermaid look, start with light coloured leggings or pants. Create a tail fin by sewing or gluing shimmery fabric or foil onto the pants. Decorate with seashells or sea-themed decorations. A headband with added shells or seaweed will complete the look perfectly.

A Dinosaur

What You Need:

Green clothing.

Felt or fabric in different colours.

Craft glue or hot glue gun.

How to Make It: Create a dinosaur costume with green clothing as the base. Cut out felt or fabric in various colours to create scales and spikes. Glue them onto the clothing, starting from the back and extending down the arms and legs. You can also make a dino tail by attaching a piece of fabric to the back of the pants.

A Kitty Cat

What You Need:

Black clothing.

Felt or fabric for ears.

Face paint or makeup.

How to Make It: Transform your child into a kitty cat with black clothing as the base. Create cat ears using felt or fabric, attaching them to a headband. Use face paint or makeup to draw on whiskers and a nose. Add a tail made from black fabric for a complete feline look.

A Pirate

What You Need:

Striped top and bottoms.

Red or black bandana.

Eye patch (can be made from black felt).

Toy sword.

How to Make It: Set sail for adventure with a pirate costume. Dress your child in a striped shirt and pants. Add a red or black bandana and an eye patch made from black felt. Finish the look with a toy sword for an authentic pirate vibe!

A Farmer

What You Need:

Overalls or denim clothing.

Felt or fabric in various colours.

Farm animal accessories.

How to Make It: For a fun farmyard look, dress your child in overalls or denim clothing. Create farm animal features like ears, tails, and snouts from felt or fabric, and attach them to the clothing. You can choose to be a cow, pig, chicken or any favourite farm animal!

Have you ever made your children home made Halloween costumes?

Our weekly meal plan! 21st - 27th October #MealPlanningMonday

Last weeks meal plan went well. I did swap a couple of days around. I woke up on Wednesday not feeling too great, I had caught Becky's cold so thought the Chicken & Almond Curry would be perfect to have and it was. It was full of flavour and a little bit spicy which was just what I needed. I am over the cold now, it wasn't a big one or long lasting one! Phew! 

This week is half term, a week off college for Ellie and as of writing this we don't have any plans at all. It's not a bad thing, she wants to relax and have a few lazy mornings but I am sure we will find something to do on the afternoons. I've decided to have a break from the Gousto boxes, there wasn't lots of meals that we fancied this week and with us not knowing what we're doing it's going to be easier not to spend money on food that we might not eat.

Ellie seems to have changed over the last few weeks when it comes to food. She has never been a big salad fan but loves it now, even cucumber and she would only eat mushrooms if they were hidden in meals but now she has decided that she loves them. She even had them on a fried breakfast last week. Now she's made a list of mushroom things that she wants. Garlic mushrooms, the big cheese and garlic stuffed mushrooms and she's got it into her head that she wants to try mushroom soup. I think that's because once Becky had it at the pub and said it was amazing. I think freshly made mushroom soup and some out of a tin is going to be slightly different.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - A fry up! Bacon, sausages, eggs, black pudding, hash browns, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast.

Tuesday - Loaded waffle pizza fries. Sort of like this. Waffle fries topped with pizza sauce, onions, pepperoni, salami and cheese.

Wednesday - Sweet and sour chicken with egg fried rice. The sauce is just coming from a jar and when I sorted the freezer out the other week I was shocked with how much chicken we had.

Thursday - Jacket potatoes with either baked beans and cheese or tuna. We will decide what we fancy at the time.

Friday - Fish finger sandwiches.

Saturday - Hot dogs in buns with fries and onion rings.

Sunday - Pie, mashed potato and vegetables.

What are you eating this week?

Week 42 of #Project365 13th - 19th of October. A photo every day for a year!

Hello Sunday! I hope you are all staying safe in the storm which is supposed to hit today. It was grey and wet here yesterday so we stayed home and had a quiet day. I started watching the Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story off Netflix and will most probably be finished it by today. It got me well and truly hooked. It was shocking to watch and from reading about the brothers online I don't think they should still be in prison now.

We have had a good week, just plodding on with life. Half term has started now so Ellie has a break from college which is very welcome! This half term from September to October always seems like a long slog so we're looking forward to a few lazy mornings. We don't have much planned for the week but I am sure we will find some fun things to do.

Now for a photo every day!!

287/365 - 13th October

A lazy Sunday playing The Sims and drinking coffee.

288/365 - 14th October

Ellie in what I call her I call this her Freddy Krueger dress. Perfect for this time of year, a bit Halloweeny and it's also quite warm.

289/365 - 15th October

I can't just have one of Mr Kipling's French Fancies, it always has to be two and not the lemon one. Yuck! 

290/365 - 16th October

Becky was all ready for work but despite her smiles was not happy about going. She was just getting over a cold and had eaten a big meal so was feeling rather lazy. She was fine when she got to work though.

291/365 - 17th October

After the internet went off on Wednesday evening I have been reading in bed since. I only manage a few pages a night before my eyes get tired. It's a good thing, I could lay for hours and scroll through TikTok and lose track of time. Books and better than phones at bedtime.

292/365 - 18th October

A Friday night treat! Mini rum truffle cakes. They were from Asda and were only £1 for a little carton of them. 

293/365 - 19th October

My laptop said rain was coming which did make me chuckle, it needed to catch up a bit. The rain was here and had been on and off for most of the morning.

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