It’s been a busy couple of months here at Out and About Mom. Back in September, Mandy rocked a radio interview on Country 92-5, and in early October she nailed her first Skype interview on The Weather Channel (where we are now official Momerologists!). Then last week, Mandy and I made the first of several scheduled appearances on Better Connecticut (set your DVR because there will be more!).
Meanwhile, we’ve been checking out special seasonal events with our families and friends, and of course, we’ve been scouting outings all month long too. Whew. I’m exhausted just thinking about it! But we are having such a blast, and it’s all thanks to our wonderful readers and our amazing sponsors, all of whom keep our site up and running with their incredible support.
Last month we tried a new kind of post here at OAAM with our “What We’re Loving Now” post. And it was a hit! So once again, we thought we’d give you a little window into our world so you can see what we’re up to when we’re not blogging.
This month it’s all things fall and Halloween. We’ve been running around trying to check items off our Fall Bucket List, plus check out some great new fall destinations and Halloween Events. At home, Mandy’s cooking up cozy comfort food for her family as the temps start to dip, and I’m already busy planning for my family’s super-sized Thanksgiving celebration. Plus, we’re sharing good eats and great reads.
We’ve also got some fabulous new sponsors to introduce to you! You can find more info about them and all our sponsor news in this post too.
So read on to find out more about all the things that we are loving this October here at Out and About Mom.
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October 2014
1. (Shawna) I’m a little obsessed with this banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe from one of my favorite cooking-for-kids websites, Weelicious. Get this: there’s no sugar, no butter, but they are totally delicious. And the best part is that there are no eggs in the batter, so I can let Boo eat the “raw” dough to his little heart’s content. Yummmm.
2. (Shawna) Boo loves his nightly bedtime story, and these days he has a new favorite book (about trains, of course!): How to Train a Train. If you’ve got a little one who loves storytime too, mark your calendar for the Mandell JCC’s 5th Annual Great Children’s Read on November 9th. I’ll be reading this cute book along with other guest readers who will be sharing more kid-approved children’s stories.
3. (Shawna) I may be a Yankee born and raised, but I looooove my Southern Living magazine, especially the holiday issues. I just got the November/Thanksgiving issue in the mail last week, which always signals the official start of the holiday season in our house. Now if only I had more time to make all those amazing pies!
4. (Shawna) I love decorating for fall, and these are two of my favorite Pinterest discoveries (so far) this season. Both seem easy and inexpensive, but look impressive–now that’s my kind of craft project! Check out Passionate Penny Pincher for the candle and Everday Occassions for the flowers-in-a-pumpkin centerpiece.
5 & 6. (Shawna & Mandy) Mandy and I are both enjoying cooking our way through The Pioneer Woman‘s recipes (not to mention reading her blog and watching her Food Network show). Hubby and I host the big Thanksgiving gathering for our extended family, and this year I can’t wait to try The Pioneer Woman’s Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe and maybe a few others from her cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays.
7. (Mandy) I’ve finally moved into fall cooking mode and our weekly menu now includes all my favorite comfort foods: casseroles, spaghetti and meatballs, chili, and more. My youngest sister introduced me to Skinnytaste, which has some delicious and pretty simple recipes. (I should note, though, that I always substitute all of her low fat ingredients with full fat versions. I just think they taste so much better, but that also means my versions may not be so “skinny”. Ha!)
8. (Mandy) We have been trying to get in as many Halloween-themed activities as possible. For the kids, it seems to be more about getting a chance to wear their Halloween costumes than the actual candy they collect, but they love this time of year (and so do I!). The good thing is that they still enjoy dressing up so much that not only do they use the costumes for Halloween, but throughout the year. Check out that cute pic taken by our site photographer extraordinaire, Kathryn Deane Photography at her photo booth at the Moms & More Halloween Stroll in West Hartford last weekend.
9. (Mandy) My husband, Sweetheart, and I recently tried out the new location for one of our favorite BBQ restaurants, Bear’s. We previously would visit their location in Windsor, but were excited to check out their new downtown Hartford digs. Pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and sweet tea. Need I say more?
10. (Mandy) Bruiser and Sparkles just finished up their first soccer program through our local YMCA. I’m not sure if they realized there was an actual point to kicking the ball and running around on the field, but they sure did have fun.
But we’re really loving our amazing sponsors!
Don’t forget to check them out too. And help spread the sponsor love. If you know friends, family, neighbors, coworkers or anyone else who might be interested in what our fabulous sponsors have to offer, please share. It’s one simple way you can help support our site and keep us “Scouting Your CT Outing.” Thanks!
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**NEW SPONSOR** FAMILY DENTAL PRACTICE OF BLOOMFIELD, Bloomfield, CT
The office of Dr. Stephen Mason, DMD (father of 3, grandfather of 6; Top Dentist, Hartford Magazine 2008-2013) and Dr. Jonathan Mason, DMD (father of 2; Top 40 Dentists in the Country Under 40 by Incisal Edge, Fall 2013), Family Dental Practice of Bloomfield offers Family Dental Care, Invisalign, Cosmetic Dentistry, and IV Sedation. Visit their calm, convenient location with a friendly staff and state of the art technology. Monday to Friday, 8:00 – 5:00 p.m. Kids are welcome! Check them out at www.familydentalpractice.net or call (860) 242-5594. Don’t miss their Halloween Candy Buy Back Program running from November 3rd-7th from 8am-4pm!
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THE INDEPENDENT DAY SCHOOL, Middlefield, CT
The Independent Day School is design thinking and hands-on. It’s life long friends and knowing that you’re known. Nature trails and vegetable gardens. And academic rigor and preparing for next steps. It’s finding out who you are and what you’re good at. It’s making mistakes and trying again. It’s being a kid, the best kid you can be. It’s not like any other school. It’s IDS. It’s the way we are. All for the love of fearless learning. 1:6 teacher/student ratio. Find out more about IDS at our Open House, Wednesday, November 5 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
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THE MANDELL JCC, West Hartford, CT
Now in its Centennial year, the Mandell JCC serves people of all backgrounds and at every age and stage of life. It is a gathering place and resource for the Hartford region, providing recreational, cultural, educational, and social programs designed to promote physical, intellectual, and spiritual well-being of its members and others who participate. As a center where all are welcome, our mission is rooted in a fundamental commitment to inclusivity and in universal Jewish values. We work to build community, cultural identity, and bridges of understanding by celebrating diversity and fostering appreciation for Jewish culture and heritage. The Mandell JCC looks forward to kicking off its Centennial with a family celebratory event on Sunday, December 14, 2014.
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And please welcome our new sponsor:
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT
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Once again, a great big “thank you” to our current sponsors. We are very proud to showcase them here on our site, and we look forward to introducing you to even more family-friendly businesses and organizations in the future.
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