Skipped Halloween, Fall Fete and more

We decided to skip Halloween this year.

Last year it was Beanie's first Halloween so I got her a cute Pumpkin Princess one which she wore to daycare and later that evening. Although we did not do candy because I did not want her frightened with all the kids in costume.

This year I did not even get her a costume simply because she had no place to wear it. Her school does not do anything for Halloween and we were not planning on going trick or treating because she cannot eat the candy she gets so it seemed pointless (and unfair) to have her get the stuff and then chuck it. Also I was not sure how she would take to having strangers open the door and would probably be in my arms wailing most if the time.

At home we did not do candy for the same reason because the costumes would scare her. Most kids wear frightening costumes IMHO.  So we just stayed home, kept the porch light off and played a bit outside before the trick-treating began.

We did go for the Fall Festival in our local shipping center and I saw the kids all dressed up to that one, so maybe next year she will be ready for it. I am in no hurry though, she will do plenty of trick or treating in the coming years.

Yesterday her school had planned a Fall Fete at an upscale rural community (does that even make sense?) about 45 min away. Its in a rural area but had expensive homes, a hotel/spa etc hence the upscale adjective. There is a working farm and the plan was to have a  picnic with access to a petting zoo, corn maze and hay rodes. Sounded super fun so we signed up for it.

Unfortunately the weather yesterday was awful. It was quite cold, but even worse it was horribly windy. All night Friday I could hear the wind howling outside so basically I decided to cancel.  It made no sense being out in the open with 20-30 mile wind gusts. Beanie is just about doing better and I was not going to risk it.

Instead we decided to go shopping and eat lunch out which was fun. About 1pm I texted her teacher to let them know we were not coming.

Later at night when I checked my email, it turns out the Director of the school had sent an email in the  morning - worried about the weather too - and eventually around 9am decided to cancel the outing.

I was so glad that I had not driven out!!  I should have checked my mail but I was not expecting anything. I don't get my personal mail on my phone only my work mail which I check 100 times a day!

Anyway, the outing was rescheduled for today from 2-4pm but I declined since that is when Beanie naps so she would have been tired and irritable. They are supposed to refund the $ for those people who could not make it today. Lets see if that happens.

We did pretty good today with the time change. We woke at 6:30am which was essentially 5:30am but I was prepared for it.  After that we were able to stick with our normal timings for meals and naps. She went down for the night at 8pm at usual. So hopefully it will be a smooth transition.

This weekend was spent doing a lot of shopping for Beanie for winter clothes. The weather changed so quickly that I was caught a bit unprepared. Last weekend the house painters were there so I could not go shopping. Luckily my Mom had bough Beanie a nice puffy jacket so she had that at least given the cold weekend we had.

On Thursday, I ordered a hat/gloves from the London-based company I like. I loved the hat my Mom had bought Beanie from visit to London last year. It fit really well and we got a lot of compliments on it. Beanie has outgrown the hat so we needed a new one desperately.  I found out that they have a store in the city so I called and got it the next day! Went for a different print this time and colors that match the puffy jacket.  So much better experience than the awful experience I had with the London shop last year. Beanie has been wearing her red London coat that I purchased last year, over the weekend and looking like a doll. Last year she hardly got to wear it since they were so late in sending it to me.

We also went to Old Navy on Saturday and Baby Gap today.  Made out like bandits - bought about $150 worth of clothes for $7 - yay!  Got the cutest boots from Gap, hopefully she will wear them. She is so opinionated and is refusing to wear some things I have bought. I still need to buy some sweaters and another hat for school.

I paid my entire home painting job on my Gap card. Wonder how many rewards I will get -- probably a couple of hundred - I hope! Definitely better than adding airmiles which I doubt I will be using very often.