Monthly Musings: October 2025 Halloween Edition

 It's the last Thursday of the month and time for Monthly Musings with Patty and Holly. I nearly didn't join in this month since our questions are all about Halloween and I have never really been a Halloween fan but I just enjoy this link up so much I figured even with short answers it was worth participating! I definitely have lots of throwback photos of Halloween from when the boys were little. 

 

 

1. Favorite Halloween traditions-- Other than trick or treating my boys and I used to enjoy Zoo Boo days at our local zoos. Since we homeschooled we could go during the day when it was pretty quiet. They'd trick or treat and we watched all the animals enjoy their pumpkin treats. The animals were usually more active in the cool weather. Admission was free for kids in costume so it was an economical day too!

 zoo boo 2012:



 2013: 


2014:

 
2015 

 




2016


 2017 


 2. Any special Halloween dinners or spooky snacks? The only time I prepared any themed food for Halloween was for our homeschool Halloween parties. Each family had to bring a healthy snack and activity to share. 

One year we made this monster fruit salad.


Another year we made witches hats-- it's just pie crust sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and rolled to look like hats baked in the oven.  

 


3. What do you typically do on Halloween? When the boys were young we'd take them trick or treating. Now we don't do anything at all. 

for a couple of years in a row we'd meet up with both my sisters and their kids and trick or treat together in one of their neighborhoods; they both lived in very walkable areas unlike where we live.

 

4. Do you carve or paint pumpkins? While we don't do either one anymore we have done both in the past.

 







5. Favorite Halloween candy? I don't really have one; I like peanut butter cups, kit kats, Almond Joy... those are the only ones I can think of that I consistently see around Halloween time. 

6.  What are you giving out for Halloween this year? Nothing, I have never really lived in a house that trick or treaters visited so I've never passed out Halloween candy. 

7. Full size or fun size? For eating? Full size. I tend to eat too many of the fun size thinking that small size doesn't really count but they add up quick!

8.  Favorite Halloween costume of all time? I don't have a favorite one for me as I HATE dressing up so much. As for my boys I think I've liked so many of theirs that I'd be hard pressed to pick just one favorite.

 







9. Favorite Halloween movies? I only like Addams Family, Ghostbusters, and Casper that I can think of. 

10. What are the trick or treat hours where you live? I had no idea there was such a thing as trick or treat hours... 

Linking up with: Thinking out loud, 


 

Comments

  1. Good Better Best FoodOctober 30, 2025 at 5:47 AM

    Thank you so much for joining us today. We did Boo at the Zoo a few times too over the years. I loved seeing the throw back photos of your boys!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Maria RineerOctober 30, 2025 at 6:28 AM

    The fruit salad you made is awesome! Love seeing the photos of the boys when they were younger. So true about the fun size candy bars and thinking they don't count as much since they're small...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 6:43 AM

      Thanks! It was surprisingly easy to make that fruit salad... so much easier than carving a pumpkin.

      Delete
  3. HollyOctober 30, 2025 at 6:28 AM

    So glad you joined us- these pics are priceless! I am sure you are so happy you have all of these wonderful memories captured! Southwick Zoo knows how to do it right for sure!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 6:44 AM

      Aw, thank you! I definitely am so happy to have these memories captured.

      Delete
  4. Amy ScottOctober 30, 2025 at 6:37 AM

    Those witches hats are so cute! I have never seen them before. There are too many Halloween activities to choose from today in my area. I feel like the kids might be all costumed out by the actual day.
    Good point about big bars v. fun size.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 6:45 AM

      My boys used to rotate out which costumes they wore to which events since we often had a costume box with their old costumes too.

      Delete
  5. JoyceOctober 30, 2025 at 6:44 AM

    Halloween has changed a lot since mine were little. It's like a whole week long extended celebration now. I do love seeing my grandkids all dressed up and my older daughter's family does a family costume and they've had some really good ones. This year it's a Monty Python theme and hilarious. I can't wait to see them all together. The boys are knights and the costumes are great. I'm sure what you say about fun bars is true. Probably why I prefer them lol. You think you're eating less, but are probably eating more. You have some great pictures. I was a little lazy in digging mine out. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 6:47 AM

      My youngest sister and her kids usually do a family costume too; we never did that since I hate dressing up but I love seeing the creative costumes people come up with.

      Delete
  6. Kathrine EldridgeOctober 30, 2025 at 7:17 AM

    You make me want to look back at old photos of my sons in their costumes! I don't really like getting dressed up either. Christmas is more my jam.

    https://www.kathrineeldridge.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dara @ Not In JerseyOctober 30, 2025 at 7:57 AM

    The monster fruit salad is so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tanya October 30, 2025 at 9:10 AM

    What fun memories and great pictures. We still hand out candy (actually pretzels this year), but that's about it for Halloween festivities.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 2:24 PM

      Thank you! I often feel like we're missing out not having anyone to hand candy out to.

      Delete
  9. Allstarme79October 30, 2025 at 10:53 AM

    Oh yeah, I forgot about Addams family; love those movies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 2:25 PM

      I made a Morticia Addams costume one year when I was in high school and have really loved that movie ever since.

      Delete
  10. Lyssy in the cityOctober 30, 2025 at 11:49 AM

    All those halloween costumes are so fun!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Jodie's Touch of StyleOctober 30, 2025 at 12:19 PM

    We aren't lovers of Halloween but I do love seeing the kids and the funny outfits.
    It's the nice thing about living in a retirement community is that we don't have to give out candy. As a dentist, that was always the hard part...
    Xoox
    Jodie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lindsay's Sweet WorldOctober 30, 2025 at 12:29 PM

    That monster fruit salad is AMAZING! I've never seen anything like that! And our city actually does do the trick-or-treat hours. They started that about 10 years ago maybe? Although, I think most people don't care and just do what they want anyway. Haha.

    ReplyDelete
  13. JeanieOctober 30, 2025 at 2:08 PM

    These look backs are so much fun. Boy, do I miss Jack o' Lanterns and carving them with the kids. It's not the same without them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne October 30, 2025 at 2:26 PM

      Thank you! Gosh I HATED carving pumpkins.. the slimy feeling of the inside and that awful smell... I usually left it to my husband to oversee.

      Delete

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