Halloween 2014

Halloween seems to grow bigger each year, the costumes become that little bit more extravagant, the candy transforms into spooky surprises and you see more and more decorations popping up welcoming trick or treater’s.

2014 was Leo’s third Halloween experience, and as with everything else, this Halloween was extra exciting because he could get more involved than ever before. This year we had been invited along to a friend’s Halloween party, and although Leo had reservations earlier that day when presented with his Halloween costume, it only took me bribing him with a bucketful of Halloween sweets to get him to wear it… And you know what? Once he was wearing it he had the best time! The initial reservations were that he didn’t want to be scary, he told me ‘I want to be Leo!’. After explaining that he was still Leo and that he would be able to go trick or treating for the very first time he waved those initial fears away.

Unlike previous years where I have carved my own pumpkins, this year time ran away and I neglectfully forgot to purchase a single pumpkin. Leo didn’t seem to mind as he was far too excited about the party he was attending later that evening. We made our way over only to find that the host had gone all out, the house was dressed to the nines and the driveway lit with pumpkins welcoming guests.

Leo was away like a shot, no fear just pure excitement. He had awoken from his nap only half hour before we left and the first thing he had said was ‘I want to go to the party!’. So here he was finally at the party and on the hunt for cake. He didn’t have to look for long to discover where it all was, and he soon found a very festive Halloween spread laid out in the kitchen.

With darkness consuming the daylight on this All Hallows Eve night, we disappeared off into the night for Leo’s very first Trick Or Treating experience. Leo being the youngest at 3 years old followed the lead of the older children as they began to decide where to visit first. We kept our eyes peeled for signs that they wanted trick or treater’s to visit, and Leo couldn’t quite believe that knocking on the doors would reward him with sweets. I will have to make sure that he realises this is only acceptable one night a year…

Leo has such a great time running around with the bigger kids (Closely followed by myself!) and when the time came to head back to the party, he was not ready to wave goodnight to Halloween’s door knocking. I enticed him back under the pretence of cake, and that seemed to do the trick.

After everyone had indulged in Halloween dinner, more fun and games presented themselves. I had always imagined Apple Bobbing to be apples submerged in water, but the kid’s (And adults) participated in a slightly different version. The apples were all tied to string and then to the washing line in the garden. Everyone then had to eat their apple without using their hands! Of course Leo gave it a great shot.. Even if he did proceed using both hands!

Halloween concluded with one sugar filled 3 year old drifting off to sleep after a rather amazing evening, full of the spooky and unexpected.

Until next year…

Halloween Inspiration

2013 is whizzing by at an incredible speed, I just don't know where the time is going. We are already into September which means that we now entering the Autumn months. As our Summer begins to cool down and simmer away to rainy cooler days, we turn our attention to the upcoming annual events that come around once a year.

In just over a month we will be stocking our cupboards with sweets and treats for those who choose to take part in Trick or Treating this All Hallows Eve. Although Leo won't be joining the older kid's to go out and about, he will be dressing up at home and taking part in a spot of pumpkin carving! 

This will be my little guy's third Halloween, and even though he was only 4 months old when the first one rolled around we still got up to quite a lot... Leo was dressed up as a little pumpkin and while he napped I even took to carving my very first pumpkin. Although in hind sight I think maybe 3 was a little bit extreme for a first attempt!

Last year Leo was 16 months old, a walking talking little monster in his own right. This defiantly made it easier for him to take part and enjoy the activities more. I had found the perfect outfit for him earlier on in the year and snapped it up in readiness. A black all in one with a skeleton print all over, it was really effective and he certainly looked the part. 

I am still taking inspiration as to what Leo will be wearing this Halloween, and have been having a look at this infographic predicting the top costumes for 2013. I am secretly hoping that I may get invited along to a Halloween party so I can don the Fever Neon Skeleton. As for what Leo will be wearing... I am sure it will be something really scary!

If you already have plans for Halloween and are in the market for a new outfit then why not enter this competition to win a costume of your choice up to the value of £30.00!?

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Fancy Dress Ball

All Hallows Eve 2012

With Halloween upon us Leo and I spent the day together, we carved pumpkins and ate spooky cupcakes...by we I of course mean Leo ate cupcakes. Leo even proceeded to eat my cupcake after repeatedly signing for 'More' and very opening shouting 'More, more, more' at me. So yes.. 

I relented and let him feast. After all it was Halloween... 

I got Leo all dressed up in his very convincing Skeleton Halloween costume, and he looked super duper scary, don't you think? 

Together we had a very enjoyable, yet spooky Halloween! 

What did you all get up to? Carve any pumpkins this year?

 Can you guess what pumpkins we carved?

On a final note, this is my little man last Halloween at just 4 months old. Hasn't he grown up!?

How To Carve a Pumpkin

Last Halloween Leo was just a tiny dot compared to the monster he is establishing himself as this year. This year he is going to know that something very unusual is going on, something spooky and I am sure that he is going to want to take part.

Leo will be donning a little Halloween costume all of his own, and completing pumpkin carving (hollowing at least), I can just see the mess he is going to make with all of the pumpkin seeds in my minds eye right now, but I can see the fun that he is going to have too!

I always loved Halloween as a child, I loved the thought that anything spooktacular could happen on this one night of the year. I want to make sure Leo finds the magic in Halloween, and enjoys all of the fun that comes with it. I don’t think I will ever outgrow the buzz that comes with Halloween and I must confess, I love to dress up and display a few tricks, I have even discovered that I can carve a mean looking pumpkin.

For Leo’s very first Halloween I bought 4 juicy pumpkins from a local farmer and attempted to carve a ménage of pumpkins to display on the front porch. After hollowing out the first one I was shocked at how much effort went into just one pumpkin, and instantly regretted buying four! I stuck at it though, and eventually had four pumpkins, hollowed out and ready to be carved. I had to work quickly having Leo as a small baby, with time ticking by quickly Leo would soon be wanting his next feed!

My finished pumpkin’s for 2011 consisted of a witch riding on her broomstick, one very spooky looking ghost, a crescent moon and of course you’re traditional Jacko Lantern.

There are so many other designs that you could attempt, I chose the above designs as I am no artist and after discovering just how time consuming carving a pumpkin can be….. I decided to take the easy road!

How to carve your own pumpkin

What you will need to carve your spooky pumpkin?

- A pumpkin (obviously!)

- A small sharp knife

- A marker pen

- A pair of hands (preferably your own)

- A tea light candle

To start the carving process you are going to need a small sharp knife. With the knife you will need to carve around the top of the pumpkin to take the top off. When cutting around the top (later known as the lid), try and cut it so it stays as one piece. You will need this at a later point when putting the finishing touches to your spooktacular pumpkin.

Once you have the lid off you will see just how much guts and seeds are inside. All of this…Well it needs to come out! I found the most effective way to get everything out was to scoop it up with my hands.

With your hollowed out pumpkin ready to go, you can either draw your design on or print a template to draw around on the pumpkin flesh. This is where your marker pen comes into play!

With your design now prominently on the pumpkin you are ready to get carving. Take your knife again and begin to go around the edges of your template. I found that by applying pressure to the area that I was working on made it easier to loosen up the pumpkin flesh, and eventually enabled me to push out the desired section.

With your template now replaced by the desired holes in the pumpkin flesh, the time has come to insert your tea light candle, light it, place the lid back on top and put it out on the front porch for all of your trick or treaters to marvel at!

Happy pumpkin carving everyone and happy Halloween!

The First Halloween

Yesterday was Leo's first ever Halloween. I wanted to mark the occasion and make our own festivities! I know that Halloween is not on any level compared to the likes of Christmas, but I wanted Leo to know that I made the effort right from the start.

Poor Leo had come down with a nasty cold, so he wasn't feeling his jolly old self, but he looked just lovely in his bright orange pumpkin costume and matching hat. Although he wasn't 100% he was still smiles and chuckles, even through his blocked nose!

We ran around all morning on the hunt for pumpkins....which apparently you cannot buy in the shops on Halloween...everywhere was sold out, which I have to say is just un-believable! Finally we managed to hunt 4 big juicy pumpkins down at a farm in Cropthorne, after hitting up all the local supermarkets and always coming up short!

I personally have never even considered carving a pumpkin, let alone 4! I rose to the occasion and found some ideas online, and set about cutting them all open and removing all the flesh. Then the tricky part....putting my useless drawing skills to the test!

Some how...I don't know how....all my efforts paid off and I was rewarded with 4 rather distinguished pumpkins to sit on my front porch. Leo's first ever pumpkins!

I know Leo is far too young to even remember, let alone appreicate these gestures but I wanted to make the effort this year more than any. I want to make our own family traditions and I want to implement them from the very start.

I am rather envoius of Mothers who are in the position to be Stay at Home Mummies, especiallay when they don't seem to realise how lucky they are to be in that unique situation, they get the oppurunity to do all these fun and exciting things with their children and they don't make the effort too.

Every year I will make this effort, especially when I return to work. Next year I am sure we will be able to get into a mess pulling the flesh out together! Next year we will even bake some spooky cupcakes!

For now though I feel I have marked Leo's first Halloween, and these pumpkins will always be his first....and my first triumph in pumpkin carving.

Family traditions are very important to me, and I cannot wait until I can put our Christmas traditions in place, and tell Leo all about Father Christmas and all the magic that comes with it.

Happy Halloween all!