A Halloween Checklist

Halloween is just a tad over a week away.  Thanksgiving will follow soon after.

And I feel totally unprepared and uninspired.

I am a little overwhelmed with life at the moment.  There are so many things going on - transitions to anticipate and navigate.  I think my efforts to keep my anxiety to a minimum has resulted in a dampening of other emotions and has left me uninspired and lacking in creativity.  I am going to set some goals right here, right now in an effort to fire up my imagination and enthusiasm.

1).  Make caramel apples

2).  Light the Autumn candles

3).  Make pumpkin bread

4).  Make caramel corn

5).  Watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

6).  Light the fireplace

7).  We have been invited to a friends Halloween gathering and I will need to bring some treats.  I think I will make these Eyeball Pinwheels and these ghost pretzel rods or this Halloween zombie chex mix or Boo Bark.

8).  Maceo will perform at an event at the theatre - Gargoyles and Ghouls.  This will be on Halloween so that should be a good time!!!

9).  I am behind on my housecleaning but hopefully Halloween (then Thanksgiving) fun will give me incentive to get caught up.  If so, I will pull out the decorations.  I have some cool ideas pinned on my Halloween pinterest board that I would love to use, maybe redo my mantle.  And, of course, I will have to set a fun Halloween table.

10).  Halloween lunch will, of course, include Papa Murphy's jack-o-lantern pizza.  Tradition does dictate it.  But, let's see, what to serve with it?  For the vegetables I will either cut carrot slices that are shaped like pumpkins (http://www.littledairyontheprairie.com/carrot-pumpkins/#_a5y_p=4535380) or I will make these adorable veggie jack-o-lanterns.  We will likely make the ghostly chocolate covered strawberries that we made a couple of years ago and dessert will consist of these these equally ghostly brownies and/ or these ghostly pretzel rods.

11).  After the theatre gig will be Monday night football; Bishop's favorite team will be playing.  So, I will most definitely have to get out my football-shaped light-up jack-o-lantern and I will have to prepare some Halloweeny game time foods for dinner.  I think I will do some sort of warm sandwich - totally undecided!  The side dishes will likely include the Spooky Spider Deviled Eggs, the Graveyard Taco Dip and the guacamole vomiting jack-o-lantern.  There should be plenty of sweet treats left over from festivities to utilize this evening.

In order to make all the Halloween day food a reality I will have to be very organized as I do have a doctor's appointment in the morning and Maceo will have a vocal lesson in the afternoon.  Hmmm... I might be able to get jack-o-lantern shaped donuts from Kristpy Kreme after I have completed my doctors appointment.  That would be yummy!

12).  Carve jack-o-lanterns.

13).  Drink apple cider.

I think this list will suffice for now.  I can already feel a small spark of enthusiasm within.  Hopefully, I will make good progress over the next week and will then be ready to dream a little about Thanksgiving!