Friday Things
1. We had such a fantastic weekend with our friends visiting! The weather was beautiful so we got to enjoy time at the local apple orchard for their fall festival on Saturday. We did a lot of eating, sipping apple cider, and the kids got to do a lot of playing.
I love how enamored Joseph is of their little girl, Della. This is the second time they’ve visited in a year, and the two of them just play together non-stop. Since they left on Sunday, Joseph has asked every day if Della can come visit again and if she can eat dinner with us. Dominic took a little while to warm up, but by late Saturday and Sunday morning, he was chasing the two of them around and playing, as well :)
2. We did our gender reveal as planned on Friday night. It was SO much fun and I can’t wait to share the news with you! (Keep an eye out on Monday!)
3. Are you doing trick or treating or handing out candy this weekend? Our neighborhood does it on Halloween, so not until Tuesday night here. We won’t be going door to door with the kids since this is probably the last year Joseph won’t understand it and given his allergies, it’s just easier right now to avoid (because seriously, I’ve looked, and I think every piece of chocolate candy, while it may not HAVE nuts, has a “may contain” warning on the label).
Jessica was telling me about the teal pumpkin project, which I LOVE, but we could end up walking all over the neighborhood and not having a single house giving out anything he could have, and then… ? I suppose next year I could have snack bags of the stuff he CAN eat, and then swap them out at home if that’s the case. If any of you have kids with a food allergy, how do you handle Halloween? Especially if they’re small and don’t really understand the whole allergy thing yet?
4. Each year when I talk about Thanksgiving dinner, I mention that we deep fry our turkey using an indoor turkey fryer. At least a dozen people always ask about the fryer I use, so I figured I’d give you a head start on Thanksgiving prep this year! This is the model that we use: Butterball XL Turkey Fryer (there is only 1 review, but that’s because this is the new model, the old one has over 1,500 reviews).
5. I’ve talked multiple times before about the Lutheran Church Charities Comfort Dogs ministry, and how much I absolutely love the organization. NBC recently did a short documentary following teams of dogs as they deployed to Las Vegas after the mass shooting; it’s a great video and I’m so happy that the organization is getting such great exposure.
6. My buffalo chicken dip recipe has been going absolutely bonkers since football season started! Have you made it yet??
7. Our pediatrician’s office shared this story on Facebook >> The Importance of Chores for Children. I loved it; growing up we didn’t have a chore chart, but it was expected that we help take care of the home and do age appropriate things, since we were part of the family and everyone pitched in. Joseph is still little, but he LOVES being a helper and it gives him such a sense of pride, so he regularly asks to help unload the dishwasher (will hand me everything but the silverware – that’s still off limits – and he’ll put away his sippy cups in the correct drawer), to push the Swiffer, let Duke outside, help feed him, etc. As long as it’s not anything that is dangerous for him to do, we embrace his enthusiasm!
8. Did you hear that the show Supermarket Sweep is coming back on TV!? I wanted to be on that show so badly when I was younger! I remember always watching it at my grandma’s house and thinking about how fast I could get through that store! I guess I do my own version of supermarket sweep every time I’m at the store now, lol!
9. Speaking of TV, our friends were telling us over the weekend that they watched the first episode of Mindhunter on Netflix and how good it is, and then I promptly saw three other people mention it on Facebook. Have you seen it?
10. TGIF! True story: Duke sleeps with his eyes open sometimes and it’s totally creepy! But he’s so sweet :)
We don’t have allergy issues here, but I have a lot of far away friends whose kiddos do, so I’m planning to hand out raisins, play-doh, and dum-dums. I still need a teal pumpkin to let neighbors know we have special treats though!
These bars are showing up in my local grocery store, you can give them a look at. They say dark but it’s not bad at all. https://enjoylifefoods.com/our-food/chocolate-bar/boom-choco-boom-dark-chocolate/
Oooh thank you! I’ve bought that brand of chocolate chips before, but didn’t know they made bars. Thanks so much!
My 3 year old is allergic to nuts too! Halloween can be a total pain because of it but we’ve learned to make it really fun. Most chocolate candies are off limits but the sugary ones are usually no problem (twizzlers, skittles, lollipops). Our rule is he can’t eat anything until mommy looks it over and tells him it’s safe. He’s only 3 but (since I’m a psycho about it) he’s already really good about asking if something is safe before eating it. At night, I let them fill up a sandwich size ziploc with any candies they want to keep and they leave the rest of the candy on the table for the Switch Witch to scoop up overnight. They’re more excited about the gifts the Switch Witch leaves for them in the morning than they are about the candy! It’s an easy way to get anything unsafe out of the house without a fight!
Soergels Orchard has an allergy safe trick or treat. You have to register ahead of time.
Thanks for letting me know! I checked and they already had it, but great to know for next year!
Can I just say I LOVE your Netflix recommendations. You have yet to disappoint and then later I find out my friends or family also were buzzing about how good the show is. I’m going to watch the first episode of Mindhunter tonight. A friend recommended Doctor Foster to me on Netflix, and it was so, so good. Drama, mystery, some romance, and some thrilling parts. Plus it’s a mini-series, but only 7 or 8 episodes. It was highly recommended to me, too. The pics and story of Joseph and his admiration for his little friend Della is so, so sweet! Duke sleeping with his eyes open is so funny! My cat does that sometimes, and yes, it’s creepy and I always grab my phone to put it on snapchat for a laugh. Love your Friday posts!
For my son with a nut allergy, we “buy” his unsafe candy from him – basically give him a coin for each piece. I make sure I have safe stuff on hand too, but he usually gets enough skittles, twizzlers, fruit snacks, etc while out. You’re right, safe chocolate candies are tough to find – we like rolos, little Dove chocolates, whoppers, and milk duds.
Congrats on your pregnancy!!
Thank you Kari!!
My son is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. When he was little, I bought treats for him to swap after trick or treating– he got things safe for him and I gave the unsafe treats out to other trick or treaters. He will still bring home things teachers or classmates hand out at school for a “trade.” (And he’s in high school at this point) Best to teach they can do the same as everyone else and enjoy the various events. Even at school he had his own treat box for those days others brought in treats he couldn’t share.
Hi Emily, I like getting in the mindset that they can do what everyone else is doing and then to swap for something safe after the fact.
I love this website: the recipes, your family news (including Duke) and everything else you deem to throw in the mix. However I find it disheartening that I can’t share in many of the articles you reference because they are on Facebook. Just to let you know I’m missing out & wonder how many others have this dilemma.
Ahhh I know a couple of the videos I linked to were on Facebook, but they should be public pages, so you should be able to watch the video without having a Facebook account. If that’s not the case, I do apologize!
Hi Michelle! I loved this post. It just made me feel so happy for so many reasons but mostly your sweet boys. I am intrigued by frying a turkey so I am taking the plunge and trying it this year. I just ordered the turkey fryer you suggested and while it makes me a bit anxious to deviate from tradition I am excited to try it. I was wondering if I need to order anything g besides the fryer and also would you mind giving instructions on what you do. Thanks. Can’t wait for the reveal.
Hi Marla, The only other thing you’ll need to fry the turkey is oil. Before we found out about Joseph’s allergies, we used peanut oil (it’s expensive though!) and now we use canola oil, and we honestly can’t tell the difference. I’ve also done brines and no brine, and again, no one could tell the difference, so I go easy on myself and no brine, ha!
Thanks! I am excited to try this and I will definitely go the easy route too. You’re always so good about responding and I appreciate that more than you can know. I hope you feel better soon!
That’s so sweet how Joseph is with Della! Sounds like you had a great time! My dog also often sleeps with her eyes open! Can’t wait to get the gender results.
Mindhunter is REALLY good. A little gory at times, but excellent show. We are loving it.
I LOVE Supermarket Sweep and was so psyched when I heard it was coming back. When it was on originally, I once dreamed that my mom and I were on it and she kept trying to buy stuff that she had coupons for and I kept yelling at her that we were SUPPOSED TO SPEND MONEY.
As for the Halloween candy, I know people who would go to their neighbors ahead of Halloween and give them something for their child that the child could eat. Most people are happy to help out and this way the child gets the thrill of trick or treating and you don’t have any arguments afterwards about swapping stuff with them.
Oh that is such a funny story about the dream, I laughed so hard!! And that’s a great idea about working with neighbors.
Re Dominic’s Halloween treats, we have the same problem with our son, plus we don’t like giving him all the artificial colors, dyes and flavors that’s found in conventional candy. We trade him all the candy he collects on Halloween for a special toy or a Halloween basket made up of organic or natural candies and chocolates. We explain it to him and prep him before the big day so he isn’t surprised. After a couple of halloweens, he knows what to expect and looks forward to the special toy and candy surprises.
I hope this works for Dominic too. 😊
I like the idea of the swap!
Oh the comfort dogs! What a sweet story! Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! Love, love, love the comfort dogs!
Mindhunters is AMAZING! We just watched the whole season in a marathon weekend tv watching session! I also recommend on Netflix the series “The Killers.” Crime drama and it’s GREAT! There are 4 seasons and the last season came out in 2014, I believe, so there will be no more but they ended the last episode of the 4th season so well, I was okay with that.
Thanks for the tip on The Killers; hadn’t heard of it, and will check it out!
I’m intrigued by your turkey fryer. I’ve never used one. How long and at what temp do you cook the turkey?
Hi Megan, I think it heats the oil at 400 degrees, and the time depends on the size of the turkey. If I remember correctly, it’s 3-4 minutes per pound.
Halloween with allergies….Does your community or a church or non-profit in your area do any kind of “safe halloween” or “trunk-or-treat” kind of event? Our local community center has a free event for kids under 10 that’s less about the candy and more about going from station to station where they can do activities. Kids can still have fun dressing up.
They do hand out a goodie bag but I take them and say, “Mama will carry this and we’ll have our treats later.” That gives me a chance to go through it and pull anything I don’t want them eating. (We don’t have allergies but I seriously regulate the sugar/junk food consumption for my 3 & 4 year old).
Since your boys are so little you could maybe end the day with some other treat – a trip to the ice cream shop or a stop at the Dollar Store so they can pick out a toy or a pack of stickers or something.
And, if they do catch us pulling out treats, well, that’s when they learn about the Halloween Tax, payable to mom and dad…
I have heard of trunk or treats, but none specifically in our area. Thanks for all of the ideas, I appreciate it!
Halloween is hard with allergy kids. My youngest is allergic to eggs, peanuts and most preservatives (like almost all store bought junk food is off limits) so halloween candy is OUT for her. With 2 older siblings it’s hard, but I just make sure to make her favorite cupcakes, and have a platter of favorite homemade treats at home that she can enjoy at home when the kids get back. The act of trick or treating is what’s fun to her, and as long as she feels like she’s included AND indulging in junk food too, she’s been fine so far…?
Plus, you know, it’s a great excuse to make junk food.
Love the notion of just getting to be included and having her own special treats!
Not my children, but my nephew has sever allergies to nuts and some fruits as well which eliminates a huge amount of candy options. They have mainly done 2 things. The switch witch that comes later that evening and swaps out the candy for either safe candy they pre-ordered. We also use the Vermont Nut free chocolates. It is easier for them now that they know most of their neighbors relatively well so on their street they will sometimes prep the other houses ahead of time with safe treats and let them know what my nephew will be coming dressed as, but i’ve heard of others doing this as well. .
Side notes Mindhunter was awesome and hearing about Supermarket Sweep made my day!
We only know a couple of our neighbors well, but I did think of that as well – giving them something Joseph could have so they’re prepared.
Supermarket Sweep – what a blast from the past! I also always thought it would be a so much fun to race thru the store – when we were little, we thought it was all about the meat for the “high-priced” items – now we know to head straight for the spices, nuts and wine! Thanks for sharing your wonderful week with us all!
Mama V
Hi Michelle – for the food allergy/Halloween dilemma, consider the “Switch Witch”. My oldest, now 22, has anaphylactic allergies to tree nuts (and scaly fish but that was irrelevant with candy!) and back when he was a kiddo, NO ONE knew or cared or accommodated food allergies. A friend suggested the Switch Witch and we loved the idea so much that we stuck with it for all 3 kids. On the night of Halloween, when he’d come home from trick or treating, we’d pick out 3-5 pieces of “safe” candy (like twizzlers, etc) and then the rest he would leave in his little pumpkin bucket outside his bedroom door (sort of like the shoes and St. Nicholas tradition) – while he was sleeping, we’d switch out the candy for a surprise like a new Thomas the Train set or Lego set or Matchbox cars, etc. In the morning, he would be SO excited that he’d totally forget about the candy, which I would sometime that week drop off at the police station. I loved getting the candy out of the house, and he had a toy that kept him much busier than a bag of crappy “snacks” :) Hope that helps!
I’ve never heard of the Switch Witch, but when I was little, my mom did the same thing with the “Happy Ghost”. Both my sister and I would trick or treat for hours in our busy neighborhood and would come back with massive pillowcases full of candy. My mom would have us take a few pieces and then would tell us that if we left the rest for the “Happy Ghost” he might bring us a present. We always gave our big bags right away! Good way to get the candy out of the house!
LOVE this idea Kristin! You all are so creative, we’re going to have a lot of options next year. Appreciate you sharing :)
My son is allergic to dairy, but we still go trick or treating. I buy a stash ahead of time to hand out, but hold some back for him, and we trade, piece for piece, all the candy he can’t eat. It works for us! Praying for a good year for you.
Great idea, Jaime! Thanks for sharing!
Have not watched Mindhunter yet but plan too. Did you know it was filmed in Pittsburgh? And I loved Supermarket Sweep too!
Love your Friday Things column and the pictures of all your boys (and Della).
I didn’t know it was filmed in Pittsburgh! Now I want to watch it even more!
I’ve been dying to read about your gender reveal ever since you mentioned you might do it last weekend. Can’t wait til Monday!!!!!!!!!!
My child has a peanut allergy as well. The first bite of peanut butter at age 18 months was anaphylactic. We decided to have the Great Pumpkin come visit like the Easter Bunny would😊 My child is now 8 and still enjoys it.
We were able to trick or treat in our downtown business area last year because several businesses offered something from the teal pumpkin. It was very exciting!!
That is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
Love this idea of the Great Pumpkin!
My daughter, now 19, is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I order her candy for every holiday from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates. They have a variety of candy in all shapes and sizes, and it’s delicious. At 19 years old she still looks forward to getting their candy. They even have baking chocolate. If you’re not familiar with this website check it out. It was started by a mom with a child with food allergies.
I hadn’t heard of Vermont Nut Free Chocolates; thank you so much for sharing, will check it out!
Joseph is definitely “smitten” with Della and her with him.
Heartwarming to see their happy faces.
The best part of the weekend was watching them together; it was so wonderful!