October 31, 2015 - Halloween

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 6 DAYS

Trick or Treat!!

Hey Hey Hey! It's Halloween!!

Are you ready for some costumed fun?

The entire gang over here is excited about the day and looking forward to dressing up for the evening festivities and some parading around the neighborhood!

But first, the day will start out with me very happily going for my much awaited mani/pedi (my nails are a huge mess) - it's seriously been like running around the mulberry bush to finally get this appointment!

After getting my beauty fix, we'll be taking Dominic to his class and then meet some of the Fam Bam in Old Town Tustin at Freesoul Caffe for a delicious lunch.

And then it'll be time for what I've really been waiting for...
Going to the Pumpkin Patch -
It's about time, right?
Well since my babies are so little anymore, we look forward to going with my little sweetie pie nieces!
Which means that we have to wait until their parents are good and ready to go...
What I've found is that not everybody is quite as eager to get up and go as frequently as I am.

So quite personally being that we've waited until the day of Halloween, I'm imagining that the patch will be rather busy today, but I hope that I'm wrong on this one.

Doesn't it sound like Elisa and the girls were hard at work and having plenty of fun at the stables yesterday?! Meanwhile my day was not even close to as entertaining. 

It was very productive (which I love) and there was also plenty of room for plenty of shopping, both online and is the stores.

But the stores seemed to be slightly more crowded than expected and when that happens generally there can be some annoying peeps in the bunch - which there definitely were.

So needless to say, I was more than happy to come back home and continue with some online shopping therapy!

Along with shopping for birthdays, Christmas and the fun random personal findings, I've also been shopping to replace a number of items that went missing with my lost luggage after my 2014 UK/Scandinavia trip (check out the pics!), and I'm very happy to share that I've been having wonderful luck finding perfect and identical replacements!

You probably have no idea how very happy this makes me - I was broken up to say the least and had so much anxiety over this issue for quite a while. It was BAD :(

The evening plans ended up being a bust due to my kiddos being not quite as eager to go out and go...
I had made plans to surprise them with a little treat at this new cookie bar called DIRTY COOKIE.
Putting a whole new spin on cookies and milk!

Well since I didn't tell what the surprise was (or that there really even was a surprise) Cosette made it very clear that she had no interest in going to the Tustin District - where this place along with our closest Whole Foods is located. 
Dominic didn't quite make as big a deal of it, but it didn't seem like he was too much in the mood to go out either! BORING

So after much frustration, I called the night off!

We stayed in, had dinner and no dessert.

As for tonight, sadly each and every year I hear about accidents and some crappy stuff that happens on the night of Halloween, so I've copied a list off of safekids.org on:

• Walk Safely
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross. 
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.  
• Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Trick or Treat With an Adult
• Children under the age of 12 should not be alone at night without adult supervision. (IMO you should ALWAYS be out there with an adult - How many times do you hear about missing kids who are older than 12??? Go out in groups people!) If kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, they should stick to familiar areas that are well lit and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Keep Costumes Both Creative and Safe
• Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors.
• Choose face paint and makeup whenever possible instead of masks, which can obstruct a child’s vision.
• Have kids carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers. 
• When selecting a costume, make sure it is the right size to prevent trips and falls. 
• Drive Extra Safely on Halloween
• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

And we can't forget about our fur babies. According to petmd.com here are:
​
10 Halloween Safety Tips for Pets
Halloween can be a festive and fun time for children and families. But for pets? Let's face it, it can be a downright nightmare. Forgo the stress and dangers this year by following these 10 easy tips.
 
1. Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets.
All forms of chocolate -- especially baking or dark chocolate -- can be dangerous, even lethal, for dogs and cats. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning may include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Halloween candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can also be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts of xylitol can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar and subsequent loss of coordination and seizures. And while xylitol toxicity in cats has yet to be established, it's better to be safe than sorry.
 
2. Don't leave pets out in the yard on Halloween.
Surprisingly, vicious pranksters have been known to tease, injure, steal, and even kill pets on Halloween night. Inexcusable? Yes! But preventable nonetheless.
 
3. Keep pets confined and away from the door.
Not only will your door be constantly opening and closing on Halloween, but strangers will be dressed in unusual costumes and yelling loudly for their candy. This, of course, is scary for our furry friends. Dogs are especially territorial and may become anxious and growl at innocent trick-or-treaters. Putting your dog or cat in a secure room away from the front door will also prevent them from darting outside into the night … a night when no one wants to be searching for a lost loved one.
 
4. Keep your outdoor cats inside several days before and several days after Halloween.
Black cats are especially at risk from pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. In fact, many shelters do not adopt out black cats during the month of October as a safety precaution.
 
5. Keep Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn out of reach.
Although they are relatively nontoxic, such plants can induce gastrointestinal upset should your pets ingest them in large quantities. Intestinal blockage can even occur if large pieces are swallowed. And speaking of pumpkins …
 
6. Don't keep lit pumpkins around pets.
Should they get too close, they run the risk of burning themselves or knocking it over and causing a fire.
 
7. Keep wires and electric light cords out of reach.
If chewed, your pet could cut himself or herself on shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.
 
8. Don't dress your pet in a costume unless you know they'll love it.
If you do decide that Fido or Kitty needs a costume, make sure it isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict movement, hearing, or the ability to breathe or bark and meow.
 
9. Try on pet costumes before the big night.
If they seem distressed, allergic, or show abnormal behavior, consider letting them go in their “birthday suit”. Festive bandanas usually work for party poopers, too.
 
10. IDs, please!
If your dog or cat should escape and become lost, having the proper identification will increase the chances that they will be returned. Just make sure the information is up-to-date, even if your pet does have one of those fancy-schmancy embedded microchips.

Well I'm gonna call it a wrap and see ya back here with lots of pics tomorrow...

Have a happy and safe Halloween,
​-T

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 13 DAYS

Happy Halloween!!

HAAALLLO and Happy Halloween!

I so love when Halloween falls on a Saturday!  It makes for a full weekend of spooky celebrating.

Yesterday was a total blast at the barn.  In the first place, the weather was a perfect Fall day.  Sunny, brisk, breezy and beautiful!

Everyone was getting ready for the Halloween Festival!  The food trucks were already set up by the time we arrived and the riding arena was jumpin' with music from the Deejay!

Vito, owner of Dream Come True Farm went out for a bit and returned with a car full of pumpkins!!  Kelsey and I got to work decorating the entranceway to the barn by adorning the hay bales with pumpkins and gourds of all sizes.

Since it was a school day for most of the kids that ride at the barn, Gianna and Kelsey were the only youngsters throughout the day being that they had off yesterday.

They had a ball helping with last minute "to do's" before the "Feast-ival" began.  They also helped out with the pony rides, for which, they were paid for doing so! (Gianna was thrilled about this!)

A good portion of the afternoon was spent making the costumes for both the girls and their respective horses for the Halloween Parade today.

It was encouraged that the costumes be "food themed" with the whole food truck event happening.  

So, Kelsey opted to dress up her horse, Ace as a hamburger and herself as french fries.

Gianna, decided to go with a candy theme and chose to be a candy corn, with Diamond Girl dressed as a "treat" bag.

Mine and Kelsey's handiwork

Working on Ace's Costume

Ace's Hamburger costume

Alittle grooming in between the festivities (featuring Penny, the horse)

It was a long day, arriving at noon and staying till 7:30pm, but, I have to say, the hours flew by as there was so much going on.  As evening approached and the sun set, more people arrived.

The music also shifted as well, with a live band, dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz.  
Me and the girls munched on a variety of bad choice foods that included zeppoles, deep fried oreos and deep fried twinkies. YUM!

Hanging out with the horses in the barn at night was truly a treat for the girls - they were in their glory!

The band dressed as The Wizard of Oz

Saying goodnight to the horses

Gianna & Kelsey with their trainer, Concetta

Considering the hour long drive back home, I decided to get on the road an hour before the festivities ended for the night.

But, here we are, back at the barn, bright and early this morning.

More fun, more food and of course, the big Halloween Parade!! 

I'll fill ya in on all the details tomorrow with lots of photos a well!

Ok, after some research, I found, what I consider to be the ​Top 5 Best Places to Visit for Halloween. Consider one of these for next Halloween!!

1. Salem, Massachusetts
Clearly, number one because of its fame for the Salem Witch Trials in which 26 people were tried and put to death for being witches. 

Each year, during the month of October, Salem hosts numerous events which includes tours of haunted and infamous spots, trial and hanging re-enactments, witches’ circles, fireworks, and a parade.

You can even visit the Witch House museum on the corner of North and Essex Streets, the only building left in Salem that has direct links to the Salem Witch Trials.

2. Dracula's Castle, Romania
Second on my list is none other than Dracula's Castle, better known as Bran Castle, once said to be the home of Vlad the Impaler, the reputed inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula.

Located in Transylvania, Romania, the castle is open to the public for tours and a history about Vlad the Impaler, who legend says impaled tens of thousands of his enemies on stakes, leaving them to die.  

3. New Orleans, Louisiana
Halloween is the second most celebrated time in the New Orleans, after Mardi Gras. With its well-known reputation for voodoo, New Orleans is a  great destination if you are looking for a spooky place to visit for Halloween!

Haunted History Tours, is considered one of the best for scary tours of the French Quarter and New Orleans' famous cemeteries.

4. Oaxaca, Mexico
There are celebrations all around Mexico for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), but perhaps the biggest occurs in Oaxaca, specifically in the Xócalo main square.

With streets decorated with flowers, skeletons and skulls, the streets of Oaxaca transforms into a huge  street festival for this holiday.

5. Sleepy Hollow, New York
Remember the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the famous Washington Irving ghost story?  Well, in this Hudson Valley village, there are still stories of ghosts of headless horseman told!

The Old Dutch Burying Ground is one of the oldest cemeteries in the United States, and the Sleepy Hollow cemetery is where Washington Irving is buried, hosts daytime and nighttime lantern tours.  These book up early, so be sure to book in advance.

Well, friends, hope your Halloween is spooky and safe!!

-E
xoxo