Showing posts with label Halloween

Have fun in the kitchen with your kids and Kidstir

in , , , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Thursday, October 24, 2019

Something magical happens when you bring your kids into the kitchen with you. From the time my girls were able to stand on a stool to help me prepare sweet treats or just their afternoon snack, I’ve loved watching their faces as they work in the kitchen. Sure, there will be messes and plenty of patience testing minutes- but all that is well worth all the fun you’ll have in the kitchen. I received my first box from Kidstir, a cooking kit subscription company recently and I wanted to share it with you today.



Kidstir Spooky Celebration kit #ad

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Tyler Perry's Boo 2! A Madea Halloween movie swag giveaway

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Scary movies abound this time of year with Halloween rapidly approaching. I'm not much for gore and guts, preferring a more Hocus Pocus style of movie and I know I'm not alone in my desire to laugh more and scream less. I think laughing truly is one of life's best medicine's and that's what makes Tyler Perry's Boo! movies such a hit. I'm excited to partner with today's sponsor to offer up this fun Boo 2!A Madea Halloween  movie swag prize pack for those of us who love to laugh!

Tyler Perry's Boo 2! A Madea Halloween movie #ad
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Help your pets have a stress free holiday season

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, October 26, 2016
For many families, Halloween has become the unofficial start of the holiday season. We decorate our homes, ourselves, our kids, and our pets, if they will allow it. While the holidays can be a fun and happy time for us, they can be very stressful for our pets. Today I’m sharing helpful tips with my fellow pet owners, which hopefully, will help us avoid potentially hazardous situations and keep our pets (and us!) safe, healthy and stress-free throughout the holiday season. 


This post is sponsored by Royal Canin®, #royalcaninhealthypets. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Royal Canin’s veterinary-exclusive gastrointestinal diet this #Halloween, but all opinions are my own. Royal Canin is not responsible for the content of this post.



Dottie at the door help your pets have a stress free holiday


Meet Dottie ‒ our 9-year-old indoor cat who loves to be in the same room with you while you go about your day. She loves seeing outside and we captured this photo of her looking out the front door onto the porch recently. Her sweet face seems to ask ‒ why are you out there in the scary dark? Please don’t stay out there. Changes in her routine, like me not working from home one day, or visitors, can really stress out Dottie.
Do you know some of the other signs of stress in your pet? According to MyPetReference.com they are:

  • Poor Appetite
  • Decreased interaction with their owners
  • Gastrointestinal disturbances



With Halloween less than a week away, I know my cats will be stressed and upset every time the doorbell rings! We may do trunk-or-treat again to relieve this problem.  Do your pets run in fear of trick-or-treaters and holiday guests too?


If yes, here are a few tips to help prevent stress in your pet:



Royal Canin pet products



1. Make sure you feed your pets at their regular feeding time and spot. Now is not the time to change things up! Feed them their preferred food type in a line that provides all the nutritional support your pet requires, like Royal Canin®. 

2. Provide a stable living environment for your pets. They need routine! Try your best to keep your pet’s schedule and routine as normal as possible.

3. Reinforce positive behavior in your pets like using their scratcher, or not clawing furniture etc.



Dottie, happy cat in the window

4. Make sure their favorite spots are available to them! Dottie adores seeing out the windows to our front yard, which is full of birds, squirrels and nature. We added a ledge to the dining room window for her and our other indoor cat, Fiona.

Fiona, happy cat in the window
This ledge is the preferred cat seat in our home, but when the holidays come and guests arrive, both our cats dash for the safety of our bedroom instead, so we added an additional viewing ledge in our bedroom window just for them. It’s a little thing for us humans, but to our cats, it’s a welcome gift of security and routine. 


Another tip to a less stressed pet is to keep holiday décor and foods that are hazardous to our pets away from them! 


The holidays are also a time when there are more treats and food around the house. Guests may not realize that your dog or cat shouldn’t eat table scraps or that they should keep their appetizer plate out of the pet’s reach.




Here is a quick reference list of the most toxic holiday foods for pets to eat:

  • Chocolate, especially dark chocolate
  • Unbaked bread dough
  • Alcohol
  • Sugar-free candy and gum, jelly and baked goods (when ingested, artificial sweeteners can cause a sudden release of insulin in an animal’s body, leading to dangerously low blood sugar)
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Turkey, bones, and other meats with fatty portions
  • Grapes and raisins
  • Onions and garlic



It’s very important to let your holiday guests know that no matter how sweetly our pets may ask for food, we should never give in to temptation! Make sure pets can’t raid the garbage can or eat treats left on plates sitting around the house.


My Cat, Fiona asking for my food, but I resist!



Even with our best efforts, our pets can show signs of stomach upset and GI issues. Here are four signs to watch for:

  • Vomiting
  • Regurgitation
  • Diarrhea
  • Refusal to eat

If you notice these symptoms in your pet you should contact your veterinarian immediately to determine the best course of action. They could actually be signs of an infection, chronic illness or a more serious condition. 


In many cases there are simple solutions. Ask your vet about Royal Canin’s line of veterinary-exclusive gastrointestinal diets. Royal Canin offers multiple options to help veterinarians provide individualized nutritional solutions for pets experiencing gastrointestinal issues. You can learn more about Royal Canin products by visiting their website and by getting social with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.



Don’t forget to check out My PetReference.com for a host of valuable resources. With a little education and prep work, we can help your pets have a stress-free holiday season which will make ours jolly and bright as well!



Please share in comments: How do you share the holidays with your pets?

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Trick or Treat- List of top 20 U.S. Cities for the best candy haul, including Nashville

in , , , , , , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Saturday, October 22, 2016
We are just nine days away from the second most celebrated holiday of the year in the United States! Whether you go all out with your decorations, host an epic block party, or are known for your crazy witch cackle, Halloween spending across the country is expected to exceed 8 billion dollars!
 That’s a whole lot of decorating and candy buying for our trick or treaters. If you plan on heading out with your family for a night of fun, check out this handy list of the top 20 cities for the best candy haul courtesy of my friends at Zillow. Did your city make the list this year?




Trick or Treat list of top U.S. cities for candy haul




There were some major shifts in the top ten city ranking from last year’s trick or treat map folks. Philadelphia came on strong and took the number one spot from San Francisco! My beloved bay area did well in overall standing with San Jose keeping its number two spot of the list and San Francisco coming in a respectable third. Click here to see my map share from last year. 




Top ten U.S. cities for trick or treating 2016



As you can see from this infographic, Zillow comes up with their lists by using four equally weighted variables: median home value, housing density, population age and crime. 





The Top 20 Cities for trick or treating 2016 are:



Top 20 cities for trick or treating 2016



I’m proud to see that Nashville moved up one spot in the rankings to 19th! If you are in the greater metro Nashville area, here are the top five neighborhoods to go trick or treating in for the best candy haul, walkability and safety.

  • Green Hills
  • Tulip Grove
  • Cherokee Park
  •  Sylvan Heights
  •  Historic Old Hickory Village



I love that Zillow compiles this yearly list and hope they make this an annual Halloween tradition! I invite you to stop by Zillow today to read their trick or treat post for even more neighborhood rankings, and to learn more about their mission to help you find your way home by helping you find your perfect home in the perfect neighborhood.




From my family to yours, we wish you a happy and safe Halloween!



Please share in comments: Did your city make either list? Are you surprised to see a certain city or region listed? 

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Top 20 U.S. cities for trick-or-treaters including Nashville, TN!

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Saturday, October 17, 2015
With two weeks to go until Halloween arrives, Americans coast to coast are gearing up for this fun filled night in a big way. At our house, we still need to carve our pumpkins and find a few more accessories for our costumes, but we will be ready to celebrate in style! Yes, we do have to drive to celebrate now that we live in a rural area, but there is fun to be found in neighborhoods all around us.  As a matter of fact, Nashville, TN. made the list for top 20 cities for trick-or-treaters compiled by Zillow. 

Top 10 best cities for trick-or-treating 2015

This map shows the top 10 cities. Zillow says they picked areas with the greatest share of their residents are under 15 and the houses are closest together. That would help explain why San Francisco tops their list for the 5th year in a row! 


Top 20 cities for trick-or-treaters 2015

Another way these cities made the cut was by giving out the most candy to all those cute goblins! Speaking of candy, do you know that the average kids gets at least 50 pieces of candy on Halloween? Some kids have reported getting more than 100 pieces! I know we gave out and received a huge amount of candy each year we lived in suburbia, maybe that helped Nashville, TN. make the top 20 list! 


How did your city do? Are there any surprises on the list? I was delighted to see Milwaukee on the list. Can you imagine all those brave parents and kids bundling up against the cold to go trick-or-treating? Way to go! Please stop by Zillow to read all the fun facts on how they came up with their top 20 list and see the in depth neighborhood breakdowns. 


Happy Halloween 2015


From our home to yours, we wish you a happy, safe, and fun Halloween!

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Color of the Month- October -Raven Black

in , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Happy October! We are well on our way to Halloween, that frightfully fun night where we get to dress up, have fun with family and friends and eat candy! This month's color was inspired by a book I'm currently reading as part of fan-girl style book club I have with my teen daughter. It's called Raven Boys and I'm enjoying the read!


Raven Black October Color of the Month


Here's my Pinterest board for the month. As always I hope you enjoy it! From my family to yours- I wish you a happy, safe Halloween!



Please share in comments: Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? What will you wear/become?
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Be a mouse this #Halloween and win a cozy blanket

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, October 31, 2014

It’s Friday and it’s Halloween. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with another giveaway!  You all love a good giveaway from the looks of the Fire Pit giveaway and the Eco-Friendly e-cloth giveaway I’ve got going.  Have you entered them?


Happy #Halloween #Pumpkin


This giveaway is a little different. We are going to have some fun being a mouse! Yep, you get to play a rodent in Orkin’s #MouseInAHouse game below. Okay, you may be asking yourself why a mouse in a house Orkin? Good question! Here’s what Orkin says.



About Orkin Mouse in the House:
“Fall has arrived, and cooler weather has come with it. Whether or not you know it, your warm house is an open invitation to unwanted guests looking for a cozy winter vacation: rodents. Each fall, rodents migrate from their outdoor “summer home” to the warmth, food and shelter of their “winter timeshare” – your house!”

I do not want rodents in my home, that’s for sure, but I also feel a bit sorry for the poor little rodent who is just looking for a warm, safe place to stay. Sorry it can’t be in my home and if you do come in, I’m calling the Orkin man! I’m going to follow them on Facebook and Twitter and you can too using those links.  

Since we humans have the advantage, why not try being a mouse on Halloween by playing the chose your own adventure game that puts you in the shoes of a rodent looking to survive the upcoming harsh winter season? Try your best to stay alive and see how long you last as a mouse!


 Play Choose-Your-Own-Adventure #MouseInAHouse Game!




The Giveaway:
One lucky reader will win Orkin #MouseInAHouse Cozy Fleece Winter Blanket (4'x6').  A good size fleece throw always comes in handy for snuggling under during movie night, or stowing in the car for road trips.

Terms:
Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form below. No purchase necessary to win. Open to U.S. residents 18 +. My WAHM Plan not responsible for prize fulfillment. The prize will be sent via FedEx or USPS. No P.O. Boxes please.
To make sure everyone has an equal chance of winning only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: 
My thanks to Orkin for sponsoring today’s giveaway via Partners Hub. I will receive a cozy fleece winter blanket for hosting it. This giveaway is in no way endorsed affiliated or associated with Facebook, Twitter or any other Social Media Networking Site. This giveaway is valid in the Continental United States Only. This event will end on 12:00 AM (EST) 11/14. My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment.I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. 

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Wordless Wednesday- Boo!

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, October 30, 2013



Hulk mask #Halloween
Melissa-Hulk Say Boo!


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Happy Halloween- For some

in , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, October 30, 2012


It is so sad but true: Mother Nature is going to wreck another Halloween for some. Our hearts and prayers go out to all who have been affected by Hurricane/Tropical Cyclone Sandy. 

I was thinking about how blessed we are here in middle Tennessee, where the worst thing that will happen is that my daughters will have to wear their winter coats to go trick or treating.  Actually, we go trunk or treating at our church.  



pumpkins
Courtesy: dreamstime.com

If you have never tried trunk or treating, I highly recommend it. Trunk or treating is a fun, safe alternative to walking or driving in rural neighborhoods like ours.  We just bring our pumpkins, decorate our trunk, (but you don’t have too) bring candy and walk around the parking lot. Our church sets up a big grill so you can B.Y.O.M. (bring your own meat), so it’s a real family affair.  One of the best things about this option for me is it allows teens to stay with families and have fun too.   

Speaking of teens, did you know that about 19% of Americans surveyed by Nextdoor.com  think that 13 is the cut off age for trick or treating? I don’t agree because I know how my 13 year old daughter would feel if she were told she was too old to participate.  She is still having fun being a kid! Why rush her into growing up? 

What do you think is a good cut off age? 

I’m thinking by the time my daughter turns 16; we will have to brainstorm an alternative. Maybe she would rather host a pizza party/candy exchange. Maybe she will volunteer to help out at the trunk or treat event at church. We have time to sort it out. 
 I would love to hear what you do with your older teen!  For now, my family will go out and enjoy ourselves for a few hours. 

Does your family celebrate Halloween? 

Whatever you and your family do this Halloween, please stay safe, watch out for those fast moving kiddies and remember to smile and have fun in the moment. Treasure the memories you are making! 








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