My wife Beth and I have been together now for almost 23 years. While the two of us have definitely enjoyed imbibing on more than one occasion, neither one of us has ever really been a binge drinker. The only time I remember differently was our first Halloween night together. Beth threw a party in New York City and I met many of her friends for the first time, even though it was in costume. I first had to pick up Beth at her parent’s house in Brooklyn. Fortunately, I had already met Beth’s parents once, but then again, it was only once. Even though I loved getting dressed up for Halloween as a kid, many years passed since I last wore a costume. I really struggled with ideas of what to wear for Beth’s special party night. To this day, I’m still not sure why I took advice from one of my best friends from high school as to what would be a great costume. Somehow she convinced me that I should get dressed up as a woman. The momentary lapse in judgement and independent thinking by me led to a night of unending torture for my future wife. Not only did my in-laws see me wearing a dress, a long wig and a face full of make up, but I was also introduced to many of Beth’s closest friends as a woman. From the moment I showed up at her door until the second she was sprawled across the bed in a drunken stupor, Beth just kept asking “why?” It went from a coherent and dismayed “why?” to a mumbling and tear ridden “why?” I don’t know quite how many drinks Beth ended up consuming that night, but it’s safe to say that is was well beyond what she was capable of handling. Fortunately, my poor judgement didn’t cost me my future with my wife. Thankfully, she ended up being a good sport about the whole evening, realizing that dressing as a woman was not going to be a way of life for me.
Maybe that whole night could have gone a lot more smoothly if I didn’t struggle so much with a costume selection. Had the same thing happened today, I would have just gone online to a company like 3wishes.com that offers plenty of choices for men’s costumes. It would have saved my wife the agony and embarrassment she endured that Halloween evening. Now who is to say that one of the costumes I could choose from now wouldn’t have been an embarrassment for my wife? It would probably be wise for me to stay away from a few of the selections like “Pimpin in Style”and “Buck Wild” outfits and stick with some more of the conservative choices like the “Big Bad Wolf,” “Gangster Guy” or “Robber” costumes. The online site offers a very wide selection of costumes to choose from and they can be delivered to your house within days.
Now if you are a parent and are thinking about checking out the site for your next costume party, be careful about not having children around when you are browsing. In addition to offering adult costumes, clothing, jewelry and many different accessories, 3wishes.com specializes in relationship enhancement garb and products that are best left unseen by kids. That doesn’t mean you should feel guilty about viewing the site. Navigating through the site is very easy and the content is tastefully organized. While human sexuality is not a topic often covered by Role Mommy, we are not blind to the fact that many people out there look for ways to spice it up a bit with their partner. Who those people are and descriptions of what they do to improve their relationships doesn’t need to be addressed here. But if you and your partner are seeking a relationship spark, then 3wishes.com could be a great site for you. And if you are concerned about what may show up a your front door, the company has a discreet worldwide shipping policy along with hassle free returns.
It will be difficult to go through the site and not laugh just a bit or even a lot. I’m sure you will find yourself saying, “never in a million years” a few times as well. And that is what makes the site uniquely appealing. They have a wide selection of everything and for everyone. From the guy like me who could have just used a good Halloween costume one night to the woman looking to get dressed up as a French Maid for her husband on their anniversary, 3wishes.com has something for everyone.
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by 3wishes.com. However, my incredibly embarrassing costume story and my review of the site’s offerings are entirely my own.
Trunk or Treat?
For the second year in a row, mother nature tried to ruin Halloween! October 29th, 2011 there was a rare snow storm in the tri-state area. Since the trees still had so many leaves on them, the heavy snow pulled down branches and trees and power lines. Many people were left without power for days and many towns cancelled Halloween. With two little kids, we braved the snow and cold and live wires, but it was not pleasant – for anyone. On October 29th, 2012 hurricane Sandy paid the east coast a nasty visit. This storm was unlike anything we had ever seen. People lost their homes, their valuables and even their loved ones. Trees crashed through houses, blocked streets and people are waiting on line for over 3 hours to get gas for their cars or generators. All over the tri-state area, it looks like a war zone and who knows how long it will take to get back on track.
But to my eight year old and five year old, it was Halloween and they wanted to dress up and get candy. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do. They were already disappointed that they didn’t have their school party and parade… but it just wasn’t safe to walk around the streets with trees dangling and live wires all around. Then a friend of mine had a brilliant idea. She sent out the following email to all the moms and posted on Facebook: “So there’s no school, no power and it’s halloween. Not safe to trick or treat in pitch black, but let’s not cancel halloween entirely! I propose we meet in the parking lot behind the school and let the kids trick or treat car to car. Costumes! Candy! Friends! What could be better? Tell a friend! Let’s make this fun!”
Word spread through social media, and at 4 PM cars lined up and the trunk or treating began! It was great, the kids had a blast. People even brought decorations and hung them in their cars. It was the perfect (safe) way to celebrate Halloween. The kids were able to wear the costumes they had picked out months ago (why does the costume catalog have to come in the mail in August??) get lots of candy and hang out with their friends! It was nice for the parents too- we could socialize and not stress out about trees and wires and cars. And when the kids got chilly and wanted a break, they could hang out in the trunks!
People are trying to put the pieces of their lives back together, literally. So many people still have no power and it’s getting so cold. So many people have lost their home and have nowhere to go. Communities are coming together to donate and do whatever they can to help those effected by Sandy. It was great that my children and the other neighborhood kids could celebrate in a safe and fun way, however; let’s hope this doesn’t become a new Halloween tradition.
Halloween is Coming!
Can you believe that Halloween is right around the corner? My kids have been talking about halloween for months, and it’s finally time to get them their costumes. Every year I dread going to one of those costume shops, waiting on line, just to find out they are out of the size I need. Now, there is an easier, and less painful way to get your kids (and perhaps you and your hubby) the perfect Halloween costume. The Amazon Halloween Shop has tons of amazing costumes to choose from. Everything from super heroes, angry birds and animals to princesses, Harry Potter characters and witches! They even have adorable costumes for your pet.
The Amazon Halloween Shop also has a great selection of candy, decorations and trick-or-treating accessories, making it a one-stop-shop for all things Halloween! As always, with many items eligible for Amazon’s fast free shipping options and free returns, even last minute shoppers can skip the long lines and over picked selection at the party store.
Take a look at these adorable pictures and visit the Amazon Halloween Shop for all you need for Halloween! Many costumes are even on sale so check it out today!
Argh Me Hearties
Win a treasure chest filled with Pirate’s Booty!
With just a few more days until Halloween I hope everyone has their costumes ready to go and something to give out to those trick or treaters when they come knocking at your door! Some parents are terrified thinking about the amount of candy their children are going to consume. “Halloween can be a challenging time for parents who encourage their kids to eat healthy throughout the year,” said Emily Whelan Anschlowar, MS, RD, and in-house nutrition expert at Pirate Brands, makers of all-natural snacks including Pirate’s Booty.
Here are some “Healthy Halloween” tips from Pirate’s Booty:
• Fill ’em up. Feed children a full, nutritious meal before heading out to trick-or-treat. That way they’ll be less likely to devour candy while out on the trail.
• Trade agreement. Offer coins or a coveted toy in place of the candy.
• Cavity cutback. Some dentist offices have actually started implementing candy buyback programs the day after Halloween. Kids receive a monetary reward, while the candy gets shipped to different organizations like U.S. troops abroad.
• Treat others. Donate sweets to a local food bank.
• Divide and conquer. Measure out the candy into individual serving sizes. Two to three little treats after a meal will fill that sweet tooth.
• A helping hand(out). Distribute non-candy treats such as a baked, low-fat snack like Pirate’s Booty.
Send me a picture of your little matey in a pirate costume with your name and address and you could win a treasure chest filled with jewels, eye patches, swords and of course, delicious Pirate’s Booty! Send pictures to danielle.rolemommy@gmail.com by Tuesday November 2nd.
For more information visit: www.piratebrands.com.
Peanut Treats
My kids are already counting down the days until Halloween. It’s one of their favorite holidays… they love to pick out the perfect costume (we spent over an hour at the costume store last week) and of course the CANDY. Between the school parties, neighborhood parties and trick or treating the amount of sweets can get out of control.
Besides throwing some out, hiding it or eating it yourself (we all do it), the National Peanut Board has cooked up some tasty alternatives to standard sugar-loaded treats with fun new recipes just for the occasion. USA-grown peanuts and peanut butter are smart options because they’re packed with protein, nutrient rich and full of antioxidants. So grab your little witches and ghosts, make these yummy treats and then gobble them up!
• Peanut Butter Ball Spiders (Peanut butter, wheat pretzels, chocolate chips)
• Witch Faces (Peanut butter, frozen waffles, raisins, fruit leather)
• Zombie Fingers (Chicken breast cutlets dusted in peanut flour and pan fried)
• Mummy Milk (Milk blended with peanut butter and chocolate syrup with whipped cream)
The Halloween from Hell
Back when my kids were toddlers, I used to enjoy Halloween. I remember how fun it was stepping inside the Disney store to purchase the most exquisite princess dress, complete with tiara, shoes and a fake wig. For my son, I remember the days I dressed him up as a little pirate, Superman, Spiderman and even a knight in shining armor.
But now they’re old enough to pick their own costumes and the fun as I remember it, is officially over. It actually started back in August when the Costume Express catalog arrived on my doorstep. At first, I didn’t think much about the costumes until my kids made their selections. My daughter went for the Heavenly Devil costume – a skimpy frock that was half angel/half devil and sported red and white wings. And my son, well he selected a classic. A zombie complete with a bony torso that can gush fake blood. Maybe I was busy on Facebook or Twitter the afternoon I placed that order, but I really didn’t think that I would suffer the consequences from my hasty online purchase.
Fast forward to Halloween. We had an incredibly hectic day – soccer game, softball game and a baseball playoff game. And while the weather was quite balmy, the raindrops start pelting us just as we were about to start the trick or treating festivities. After my son’s team had won the big game (so proud of him), we raced home so the kids could slip into their costumes. Once I helped my son on with his ghoulish get up, I then reached over for the container of fake blood and started pouring it into his plastic heart pump. While I carefully poured the contents inside, I then attempted to close the cap tight and then it happened. The blood started to spill all over my hands. And when I tried to wash it off in the sink, it wouldn’t come off!
I frantically tried to rub off the dye with anything I could find underneath the sink and yet no matter what I did, my hands were still blood red. I grabbed a paper towel and then wiped the blood off the plastic pump and then thought I tightened the cap so that the contents wouldn’t spill anywhere else. Next, I tried to stick the fake torso on my son’s body but the velcro that was holding it together pretty much lost it’s sticking power. As my son complained that his bones were falling off, we hurriedly raced to the car to meet our friends and start ringing doorbells for candy.
And then it happened. Moments before we entered the car, I warned my son not to spill the blood in the back seat and I bet you can guess what happened next. Just as we were pulling up to my friends’ house, my husband made a sharp turn, the fake heart went flying and the fake blood spilled on my upholstered seats in the back of the car. My daughter shrieked as the blood landed on her skimpy costume and then I screamed in horror when I realized the fake blood I couldn’t remove from my hands was now leaving an indelible imprint on my leased car seats.
As we raced inside our friend’s house, one of their guests suggested covering the stain in salt and so I grabbed a box of the kosher cooking version and spread it across the seats. Meanwhile, my son was nearly in tears because he forgot his trick or treat bag at our house and his bones kept falling off. Oh, and the blood continued to spill out all over the place and this time, it landed on my jeans.
Meanwhile, we finally hit the open road and the candy consumption began. Except this year, parents were going a bit overboard in their efforts to give away healthy treats. One house handed one of the kids a box of Dentyne gum squares (with a few pieces missing) and then gave my daughter a package of Pop Tarts. And at another house, the kids walked up to the front door and when no one answered, they discovered a bucket of rocks and empty snail shells. And so, they grabbed a few rocks, dropped it in their bags and hit the road. While there were classic goodies that my kids flagged for me (Dots and super Double Bubble gum), this year’s expedition was a bit of a bust because it started pouring 45 minutes into our journey. As we raced back to the house, I checked my car first to assess whether the kosher salt was doing the trick, and lo and behold, it wasn’t.
This morning, while still attempting to scrub the dye off my hands, I posted a query on Twitter and Facebook about my unfortunate fake blood incident and received several suggestions on how to remove it – from hairspray, to oxiclean, peroxide, rubbing alcohol, steel wool and lava soap.
Here’s hoping one of those items will work, but for here on out, I’m banning shoddy ghoulish costumes with blood red substances that stain everything in its wake from our home. And rather than forking over my credit card number to Costume Express, I may be sending them a bill next year for cleaning my car upholstery.
Halloween with Hasbro
I know we’re less than two weeks away from the most sugary day of the year (that would be Halloween of course), so I wanted to let you in on a cool offering straight from the folks at Hasbro. This year, some of your kids (and mine) favorite classic toys – from Mr. Potato Head to Playdoh are getting in on the action. Before you slip on costumes and head out trick or treating, you can get your kids into the Halloween spirit by decorating their very own Trick or Tater – that would be Mr. Potato Head in costume. Or you can create fun Halloween shapes with playdoh. So if you’re looking for an activity that doesn’t involve sour gummy worms or $100 princess costumes, then head out to your local toy store today and pick up a Hasbro Halloween goody bag for your kids (and yourself too)! Plus, if you’d like to give away something other than candy this year, check out the Hasbro website – they have a ton of great products you can drop into those goodie bags that’ll still make all your Halloween visitors smile.