Hump Day Distractions

Hump Daaaaay!

Guys. Today is my baby boy Dugans' 2nd birthday!!!! Remember yesterday when I mentioned that I might be too obsessed with my dog!? Well, first of all, NO SUCH THING and second, how could you not be obsessed with this face:

LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

Dugans may not have come home to Dr. H and I until Nov. of 2015, but he was born on this day 2 short, but somehow seems like forever, years ago. I can remember getting the email from the breeder that there was 1 little dude puppy in the litter (I've only ever had male dogs and figured I'd stick with what I know) and that he was nearly completely white (only thing we'd said was "NYC is dirty, we don't want a white dog"). After a lengthy debate which seems truly insane now, we decided that this pup was for us and the rest is history!!!

In honor of Mister Dugs (pronounced Doogs) birthday, here's a doggy style (hehe) serving of hump day distractions. Enjoy!

* Here are some of the best dog instagram accounts. Personal favorites of mine are Toast, Muppet, The Dogist, Samson and of course DUGANS!

* Do you know DoggoLingo?!

* Adorable puppers grow up into adorable doggos

* I could go on for hours about the love affair blossoming between baby and puppy in my house (and I probably will at some point), but for now, THIS

* Halloween is coming and obviously in my house it's going to be a family affair!!!

* Dog memes are funny

Hump Day Delay - Halloween Edition!

Candy Corn makes me DANCE (or is that just the sugar!?)

Friends, lovers, ghost, ghouls and goblins... Today is National Candy Corn Day! HEEELLLZ YES! My most favorite seasonal treat (seriously. No, SERIOUSLY) is celebrating its greatness on the eve of my favorite holiday so it's pretty much orange-colored sugar-fest over here today. (#GoodthingIhaveDentistsinmyfamily) Since I didn't manage to make a Merry Meri appearance yesterday, I thought I would combine my hump day collection with my carefully curated food and drink inspiration for Halloween. 

* Because you've always wanted THIRTY different candy corn related recipes. 

* Do you know who BatDad is? BatDad is the man. Check him out in action HERE.

* 13 incredibly cool recipes for Halloween HERE... and in case that endorsement doesn't get you clickin, check out visuals of a few of my favorite edible creations:

 

* How about 31 last-minute Halloween hacks from the always reliable Buzzfeed? (some of them are really good!)

* 25 Halloween inspired cocktails to make sure your night is plenty BOOzy.

* Pretty sure my favorite thing about having a little kid is going to be dressing them up for Halloween (also, THIS). 

* Because humans aren't the only ones who can get into the Halloween spirit:

Click HERE for more DIY animal costume amazingness.

I cannot even handle this little dude's cuteness (and I'm so glad he's ok!):

Halloween Week Day 2 - Make your home BOOtiful!

Just in case your home isn't already this Halloween'ed out!

I love decorating for Halloween and I love that there are so many options, from store bought and scary to corny and homemade. There's a Halloween decor type and style for everyone!! Here to help you create your very own Halloweeny home are some inspirations, DIYs, tricks and treats from around the web!

I could pretty much just send you over to OhHappyDay for everything Halloween related, but since I gots my own blog to run over here, I thought I'd share some of my personal favorites:

10 HALLOWEEN DIY IDEAS HERE

GHOST ON A STICK HERE

I love these toilet paper roll bats and think they'd make a perfect craft activity for your kiddos before "flying" up to your ceiling and light fixtures!

FULL INSTRUCTIONS HERE

I'm a fan of a classic carved jack o lantern (Dr. H and I really need to get to work on that!) but HERE are some other ideas for decorating your haul from the pumpkin patch!

Babble has 25 ideas for decorating your house this Halloween, many err'ing on the more frightfully elegant, unique and classic haunted house side, so be sure to check out their full list (including the "monster in my toilet bowl" below!) HERE.

And finally, back from last year, the mummy door is still a big personal favorite of mine. I think I just might have to spend some time tonight mummifying apt 4F!

Happy Halloween Week!

boo!

Yesterday I rode the elevator in my apartment building with a tiny dragon. While walking through the park I passed a baby bumble bee. On Saturday my Instagram feed was filled with costumed pups on parade. Ladies and gentleman... Halloween is almost here! Somehow the black and orange love of my calendar year snuck up on me and now we're just 4 days away from All Hallow's Eve and I've barely said a peep (errr candy corn?) about it!! Do not despair, I've got your inspiration a'plenty from last minute costumes to recipes and decor. So gather your pumpkins and call in the ghosts, it's Halloween Week on Seek to be Merry starting with all the dress up inspiration a last minute reveler could need. Now get ghoul-ing!

Pop Sugar has a list of 20 last-minute costumes for those of you that still don't have a clue what to be. Click HERE for inspiration that will be sure to get the laughs (my personal favorites are the spider, candy wrapper and tourists, though "Nickelback" is pretty damn witty)

Because who doesn't love a good pun, HERE are some pun-tastic costumes courtesy of BuzzFeed. I personally almost went for the "Shooting Star" (kick it up a notch like this) and the "Pig in a Blanket".

So Jordan of OhHappyDay is pretty much the Queen of adorable kids costumes of the DIY variety. And while these are no doubt perfect for the wee one in your life, most would also be perfect in the full-grown version. Check out great unique costumes like UFO, Urkel, Sound of Music, all things Hipster (these are pretty great!), sailor, butterfly, iconic musicians (x2) and more over at OhHappyDay. (For the full collection of "homemade halloween" posts from Jordan, click HERE).

And finally, Ms. Conrad's blog has an awesome little collection of feminine and chic last minute costume ideas, including, quite coincidentally my very own Wednesday Addams inspiration! (Though I love that pineapple idea and do have a bright yellow dress!!)

Homemade Halloween?

This post brought to you by the fabulous (parent)thetically speaking.

I write this as I take a break from one of 3 “sewing” projects that I’ve got going. I say “sewing” because while what I am doing involves taking two pieces of fabric and joining them with needle and thread, I am doing so in an incredibly crude and amateur way (7^th grade home ec for the win). My mom did give me her sewing machine, and boy is that a fear I need to conquer. So by hand is how I do.

star wand in progress.

My little girl has opted to be a pink sparkle flower star fairy (inspiration image here, she enjoys the PBK catalog, just like her momma). Homemade tutu and star wand are under way. She is so so excited about it, and that makes me so happy. Little Mister is still an age where he actually has no clue what Halloween or costumes are. So I figure this is the time to have fun with it. We were thisclose to having him be The Dude, but Harry Potter prevailed. I’m working on a fleece Gryffindor scarf (thank goodness it doesn’t have to be very long).

scarf-spiration

How do you do Halloween? Do you use what you’ve already got? Do you find an inspiration image and get supplies to bring it to life? Do you go to Party City and get the whole kit and caboodle taken care of in one shot? I see benefits to all paths. There are times when you want to be what you want to be, and store-bought is the easiest, and surest, way to get the complete vision. There are times when a mix is in order. Like Potter for instance. I’m making the scarf and wand. I bought a little black cape and a gray and scarlet sweater vest from a local kids consignment place. There’s just no way to DIY that stuff (with my skill level at least). 

I think the same can applied to most anything – homemade vs. store-bought…food especially. It comes down to what you have the time, skill, energy and enthusiasm for. (do you like how I ended that with a preposition? I’m 30 and I still don’t know how to avoid that…7^th grade language arts, not for the win) Do you have certain things where homemade is an absolute priority? Other things that are just as good off the rack?

For all things fabulously (parent)thetically speaking, click HERE.

Happy Halloween!!

Tricks & Treats for all!!!

One of my favorite things about Halloween (besides the dressing up, and the candy, and the decorations, and the parties???) is seeing witty/super creative costumes. Once I ventured onto the witty side (devil with a blue dress on) but that's nothing compared to some of these pros:

Celebrity Jeopardy genius.

Buzz Light Beer of course.

She's a brick.... house.

50 shades of grey anyone?

Dunkin' Donuts!!!

And last but not least... Stevie Wonder Woman.

Wishing you a most fantastic and Happy Halloween, be sure not to eat too much candy!!

one too many treats...

Hump Day Distractions

One day a "Zach Morris phone" reference will draw
blank stares from my children. Sadsies.

I need this week to get a move'on it. I feel like every day has at least 25 hours (26 of which are spent at work). In my post-election day haze (a 1:30am acceptance speech Mr. President!? Really?) a mind-numbing few minutes browsing internet goodness is definitely in order. Happy Wednesday my friends.

* Cheaters never prosper (especially when your eyesight is as bad as THIS kid's).
* The most adorable game of Memory ever
* For once, I'm happy that the country is feeling blue:) 

* An awesome retro hairstyle for those of us with only moderate hair DIY skills (Pin it HERE)

* Ahhhhhh... *contented sigh* [via CupofJo]

* These people absolutely nailed "Halloween at work" 

* Kids are always good for a smile (#7 and #9 are personal favorites:)

* Lastly, NYC (as well as so much of New Jersey, Long Island, Westchester and Connecticut) are all still recovering from Hurricane Sandy. If you live in the city and want to help, click HERE for a great list of ways to aid in the recovery efforts.

Hump Day Halloween/Horrible Sandy Distractions

Light the night with a little Halloween cheer.

If ever there was a time for distraction, this is it. Today is lacking in fun tricks or treats for my beloved NYC and so many others in the northeast. For the first time in four decades, the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade has been cancelled and there are no school children proudly boasting costumes because NYC schools are still closed. All "three New Yorks" are still recovering from Sandy. But in the midst of destruction, let's find a moment of laughter, a distraction from whatever Hump Day challenges you face. Wishing all my merry readers a very Happy Halloween... may you find some delicious candy and a moment of spook-tacular fun no matter what else your day has in store.

* Google's homepage is a creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky good time today.

* Light up your power-less apartment with an awesome Jack-o-lantern. Free stencils HERE.

* And speaking of Jack-o-lanterns... these people are sick.

* A simple way to Halloween-ize your manicure.

* THIS is the coolest way to use a Bjorn EVER.

* Why have kids if you don't mess with them every once in a while?

* Same could be said for your pets.

Master of Disguise

Boo!

For the third installment of my "I freaking love Halloween and you should too" series (recipes HERE; decor HERE) I thought I would tackle the trickiest of all the Hallo-weeny topics: costumes. Sure you can always go to the store and purchase a packaged costume in a bag (Marie Antoinette was a fan favorite of those for me) or, if you are a lady, be a "slutty ___" (nurse? construction worker? referee?) and pull it off, but sometimes a little DIY can make you the star of the party. Here are a few ideas (from my crazy brain and around the web) to help get your creative juices flowing.

* Get Witty

This is GENIUS!

Rock, paper, scissors anyone!?

This little girl is legit my hero. Easy peasy
how-to instructions HERE

Think about a play on words, your favorite food or a classic song... how can you bring it to life? Maybe you need to be a "Devil in a blue dress" or "Hell on wheels" (devil costume + roller skates!)? Cup of Jo has an AMAZING collection of ideas for adults and kiddies HERE and Coolest Homemade Costumes is an online gallery filled with genius inspiration.

* Be a Star

Khakis, jacket, button down, hat =
instant Indie

Dr. H will forever be attempting to match the
greatness of the year he was "Most Interesting"

Put your LBD to work!

One of my favorite costumes from recent years was when I dressed as Ms. Holly Golightly of Breakfast at Tiffany's fame. Black dress, sunglasses, gloves and a tiny tiara instantly transformed me to another era. Consider Indiana Jones if you're an action movie kinda guy, or a recognizable television or commercial character (two friends once donned maid of the mist ponchos to perfectly portray The Office's Pam and Jim on their wedding day).

* Go Classic

Frank is as iconic as Halloween itself!

A witch, ghost, mummy or Frankenstein are all exceptionally easy to execute and probably require very few purchases beyond what's already in your closet. For a Witch: black dress, black tights, black nail polish. Buy the pointy hat and a broom as well as some green face paint if you're going for authenticity. Ghost: White top sheet and a friend to help  you mark where to cut your eye holes. Frankenstein: Black suit and a black shirt. Purchase some green face paint and use eyeliner to make your "stitches and seams". Black spray-in hair color completes the look.

* Keep it Simple / Pick a Theme

Halloween-y & HOT!

If you're looking for a way to mix up your Halloween party costume theme (because you KNOW I love themes) consider encouraging people's creativity with something like "Heroes & Villains  or "Twice as Nice: Your best costume ever, again" (I literally JUST thought of that and I'm tooootally doing it next year. Is dressing up as Raggedy Ann 3 times in 1 lifetime too many!?) If you know your audience isn't big on theme participation, maybe a simple "Masquerade" or "Black & Orange" is the way to go. 

It's not often that adults are invited to dress up like children (without being considered whack-a-doos) so don't miss your chance to play pretend for a night!

No tricks, just treats.

Frightfully delicious! (HERE for Pinterest, HERE for direct sitelink)

Happy Monday my friends! As promised last week, I'm here to help you prep for all that is fabulous and Halloweeny with inspiration for crafts, eats, costumes and more. Thanks to my internet bff Pinterest, festive food recipes and ideas are easier to find (and prepare!) than ever before, so check out some of my favorite treats below... Have you planned your BOOze & Schmooze yet!?

This cheesecake is so (candy) corny. Pinterest
HERE, link to great site w/ lots of great ideas HERE

Get wrapped up in one of these pizza mummies (hehe).

Witches broom. Frighteningly easy:)

Freeze creepy crawlies into your ice cubes to
take your cocktails to the next level  

Frankenstein never looked so delicious (isn't it amazing what
a sharpie and some food color-ed pudding can become!?)

No one will "boo" this dessert!

These are my go to homemade sweet treats, Halloween-ified

Boo-tiful Seasonal (witch)Crafts.

It's Halloween! Come over & fang out!!

If there's one thing you need to know about me (NEED to know), it's that I freaking LOVE Halloween. I love to carve pumpkins, dress up, eat candy corn, throw parties, decorate... you name it, I will Halloween-ize it and love it! So in preparation for the glorious night that is All Hallow's Eve I thought I would share some of the (easy, but totally impressive looking) crafty little things I've discovered on Pinterest (which by the way, is a holiday craft lovers paradise!) This will be the first in a series of weekly Halloween posts (I warned you!) which will also include thematic recipes, pumpkin inspiration and costume ideas for every level of Halloween enthusiast. Happy Haunting!!

So easy, so genius, so spooky!

Mummy said you can come right in!

Seasonal server ware. 

Milk, it does a boo-dy good!

Never underestimate the power of googly eyes

This one's a little more advanced,
but sure to wow the kiddos in your life!