Halloween is always a fun time of year for our family. It’s the kickoff to the holiday season—Halloween, Thanksgiving, St. Nicklaus Day, Christmas, New Year’s Eve… We celebrate them all because we love excuses for celebrating.
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, and then offer suggestions in the comments for Halloween movies or activities that would be fun for the family!
For those interested, here’s my health update:
It’s Saturday! And today, I feel more like myself, although I’m sure I’ll be napping before midday again. Wednesday through yesterday, I was pretty miserable—the usual body aches, nausea, and fatigue after chemo day on Monday. My toes, fingers, lips, and tongue remain tingly. Pluses? I have no facial hair. Even the menopausal peach fuzz is gone. No arm hair. My head is shaved, but I still have some stubbly patches on my scalp. On Wednesday, I only made the trip upstairs once—and with lots of heavy breathing. Yesterday, I made the trip five or six times without my legs feeling like Jell-O. Yay.
I barely touched my computer. I didn’t sit for even five minutes on Wednesday. I read my email on Thursday and did maybe 10 pages of edits. Yesterday, I made it through 25 pages. Incremental progress. I keep track because that’s just me. I like being able to predict what I’m capable of accomplishing the next go-round.
My family is getting used to the new normal. The 15-year-old likes to keep me company during afternoon naps. We have our phones out as we lean against pillows until we fall asleep. She brings me fresh ice water and popsicles. For whatever reason, sugar-free popsicles are particularly appealing to me now. I try to keep away from sugar and carbs. Cancer loves sugar. I’m trying to eat more iron-rich meat due to my low red blood/platelet count. I eat smaller portions of food because I get nauseous when my belly’s full. The 11-year-old likes to bring her crochet to my room while keeping me company.
On Monday, I’ll have another blood draw, and my oncologist is going to set up some scans, I guess, to see if I’m improving. I feel better. No stomach pains. No back aches. In the meantime, I’ll look for a family-friendly Halloween movie to watch with the kids. We look for normal activities, ones we can share. I know how lucky I am to have my family around me. I can’t imagine going through this alone. And it’s not all Debbie Downer stuff. We find plenty of reasons to laugh.
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4:25–I’m really not very good at these because I know what it’s supposed to look like at the end! 🙂
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I enjoy Casper, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and Hocus Pocus
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I love painting on pumpkins. Not big fan of carving them, let’s be real sharp knife, clumsy me, and gooey messy stuff not my idea of a good time. Oh, a scavenger hunt is always fun, Halloween themed – endless possibilities. Movie night by candlelight is a hit too.
Sugar free Werther’s Hard Carmel candies are delicious BTW. Still praying for healing Hands and peace all around you. I appreciate the health updates as well. Hugs and Prayers, T
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I rather like the Halloween series of movies. They feature Debbie Reynolds. And they are kind of cute. Very family friendly. Hocus Pocus is always fun too. Good thoughts and positive energy. HUGS
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I love Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, and Casper.
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
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First of all thank you for the health update. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Second thank you for the gift card I just won – I purchased the paperback -Tyson.
Now for the question: Bob for apples, watch any and all Halloween movies, Carve pumpkins, make cookies, etc. the list is endless.
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We always make S’mores.
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The Nightmare Before Christmas
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I like to watch Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic.
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I have been looking at Halloween costume patterns. Some of them are really funny. I know you like crafting so you all could try to figure out how to make the costumes better or out of creative stuff.
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My favorite movie for Halloween is “A mock, a mock, a mock” Hocus Pocus!!! i would try popcorn you make on the stove. It is all over instagram, get two pieces of foil, put in popcorn, butter and some candy caramels, seal it all up and use a griddle. It reminds me of Jiffy Pop!
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Hocus Pocus is an annual favorite for me _ I haven’t seen the new version yet. Also, Practical Magic, Casper, Legend of Sleepy Hollow (with Johnny Depp), The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, the various Ghostbusters movies, Hotel Transylvania (there’s a couple in that series).
Glad to hear you are coping with chemo – glad you have your family to help you thru it and distract you to make the time pass.
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Watching the Great Pumpkin and trying to make it through corn mazes.