Slipped Over into October
- FancySon Co.
- Oct 14, 2024
- 5 min read
Hey 👋🏾 hope all is well in your world. Feels like September ran up outta here like it had somewhere to be. Here we are in the spooky month already. The fall is here with temperatures, limited edition pumpkin spice flavored everything, and the annual fury of Mother Nature. I find myself in a part of the globe where hurricanes are also a constant threat. We pray and hope for the best of all outcomes. I’ll be sharing a few tips to get through what may be coming & a tidbit of what helped me get through the last month of existing.
The most celebrated holiday to come around this month is Halloween. We all hope that children are able to continue to properly enjoy this tradition. It’s so rich in examples of the community coming together to uplift and reward the youth, dark history aside. Adult’s definitely have a celebratory aspect to October 31st when it comes to parties, but it more-so is and has forever been geared towards the kids. Inclusion should always be at the forefront. All children should be allowed to participate in the trick or treating experience and feel fulfilled with the exchanges. I don’t just mean getting a full sized snickers bar or the best candy your money can buy.
I wanted to take a little time to educate someone, who may not know, what the colors of the Jack-o-lanterns mean. Colored pumpkins can help illustrate disability inclusion and support an array of other efforts. To beautifully display missions and/or support trick-or-treaters of all abilities, here’s what you need to know about the diverse hues of Halloween pumpkins. You never know what impact a nice and pleasurable interaction can have on a child that doesn’t expect to receive it, or has no idea what to expect.
Blue
Blue pumpkins and “blue buckets” are associated with autism spectrum disorder and other special needs. The National Autism Society says 1-in-36 children are affected by autism.
Teal
Teal pumpkins align with food allergies. 1-in-13 children in the U.S. have a food allergy. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), many popular Halloween candies contain nuts, milk, egg, soy or wheat, which are among the most common allergens.
Purple
Purple pumpkins promote awareness of epilepsy. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, 1-in-26 Americans will be diagnosed with epilepsy at some point in their life. Almost 500 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed every day. [ I have epilepsy and was officially diagnosed at the age of 29]
Pink
Pink pumpkins connect with breast cancer awareness month (October). Approximately 1-in-8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime and 1-in-39 women will die from breast cancer, per the American Cancer Society. The Pink Pumpkin Project encourages annual mammograms and provides emotional and financial support to those fighting breast cancer.
White
October is also pregnancy and infant loss awareness month. In the United States, 1-in-4 pregnancies end in miscarriage and 1-in-160 pregnancies end in stillbirth. Families affected by such loss may choose to display a white pumpkin in honor of their little pumpkin in heaven.
Red
Halloween is one of the deadliest DUI holidays, says Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). That’s why this nonprofit asks the community to spread awareness by displaying red pumpkins at home and throughout communities. The red pumpkin is intended to serve as a reminder to designate a sober driver during the holiday season.
3 Fun inexpensive things you can do for Halloween
DIY Halloween Crafts: Gather up some basic supplies like paper, crayons, scissors, and glue, and spend an afternoon making Halloween-themed crafts. You can create spooky masks, paper pumpkins, or ghost decorations. This activity encourages creativity and can be done with items you already have at home.
Pumpkin Decorating: Instead of carving pumpkins, which can be messy and require adult supervision, opt for decorating them with paint or stickers. This is a safer and cheaper alternative, and it's a fun way for kids to express their Halloween creativity.
Halloween Movie Marathon: Host a Halloween movie night at home with classic children's Halloween movies. Prepare some popcorn and enjoy the night with family-friendly films. This is a cozy and inexpensive way to get into the Halloween spirit.
I try my hardest to stay on top of food preparation to ease my day to day worries. How often has figuring out what’s going to be on your plate been a genuine aggravation? If you are like most people I’m sure its quite often. I shared my grocery list and a few meals in the previous post to give a few ideas of meals and I want to continue that here.
My lists rarely shift but I try to add new dishes ever so often so I don’t get bored.https://www.afancyvibe.com/post/falling-into-some-tips I am rarely ever the person to invent a dish, simply execute them to the best of my abilities and I want to show you where I learned to make. Usually some sort of online source. Below I have included the links at which I viewed the recipes and what my outcomes were.
The Creamy Chicken Spinach Wrap can be found below:
Broccoli Crust Pizza
My toppings were Alfredo sauce, red onions, beef bacon, chicken and spinach.
Blueberry & Pecan Yogurt cups
- place granola, yogurt, fruit, and pecans in freezer safe container and enjoy
Pasta and toasted Naan
Your choice of sauce and noodle along with the naan bread side will always be a win. I make my sauce from scratch out of beets, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots. I mention the recipe in detail in a previous post https://www.afancyvibe.com/post/moving-past-may . The veggie choice was a bag of frozen carrots and peas found in the back of my freezer. Yall know I like to just throw stuff together, this time it worked, for me. You can try other veggies.
Hurricanes are so unpredictable once the season starts June 1 it tends to build in intensity through November 30, when it officially ends. The uncertainty is what drives the fear, and being slightly prepared can alleviate just a little bit of that anxiety. I know that not everyone will need, can afford, or would like everything on this list. Being a newer adult myself (mentally), I was left stumped even knowing where to begin when preparing for hurricanes or emergencies in general. If you are like me, then take a peek below.
There have been significant loss and devastation from multiple hurricanes. I hope that you and your loved ones fare well against anything disaster that may arise against you.
This post is sort of long because I have been trying to get this information out for weeks. I like to stay transparent with you guys, and life has been a bit more complex for me as of lately. The classroom has taken on a dual tone and balancing it as a teacher and a student is hard, but I’m managing. I’ve survived midterms, successfully. I’m so proud of me. I’m sending you well wishes on your journey. Give yourself grace. I want to call attention to another component of life for many individuals at this time of the year who experience extreme sadnesses. Sometimes it may be a little bit more than depression. It may be S. A. D. Seasonal Affective Disorder.
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