Over The Weekend #54 Halloween Edition

This weekend we did lots of lovely Halloween things

Friday Oisìn had a little dress up party in daycare

He wasn't 100% all weekend due to an ear infection, chest infection and was tired due to the meds he is on. Yet on Friday he was so exicted to dress up for all his friends to see!

He wore last years pumpkin outfit and it was crazy to see the difference a year makes!

On Saturday Paul's parents invited us up to there's for dinner

We had a relaxing afternoon and then later the local pub put on a firework display for the children

It was great fun sweets and fireworks for the children with wine and beer for the adults!

Oisìn loved seeing his Uncle Jamie dressed up! It was so sweet to see the little children's faces when looking at the fireworks and the adults dressed up!

Sunday was a bit of a chill out day we watched Halloween family movies

I chanced watching A Nightmare Before Christmas with Oisìn liked it but he LOVED Hocus Pocus!

While watching it he decided he wanted to be a witch!

Later we carved pumpkins it took a while for Oisìn to agree to it he was having so much playing with the pumpkin!!

Then he finally done some carving with Daddy, he asked for a happy pumpkin and not a scary one!

Monday was a bank holiday here in Ireland its nice to have an extra one before Christmas!

We went to my parents for dinner and we had the Irish tradition of colcannon with a money surprise inside which took me straight back to my childhood.

Oisìn ate his dinner so quickly he was so exicted to get out and do some trick and treating!

Oisìn loved getting ready and getting his face painted when he saw me as a witch

He said I was a brilliant witch! Although he was dressed up as Frankenstein he though he was the hulk so we didn't disagree with him! 

Our little man loved trick and treating he loved the firework display but his favourite was the bonfire

He asked to go back to it three times! My parents neighbours loved seeing him all dressed up and he got lots of sweets and treats to last for weeks!!

After all the trick and treating was done we had a glass of wine and watched Monsters Inc before heading home

Then we settled down with a glass of wine and watched The Walking Dead

Oisìn enjoyed Halloween so much that he thought he could dress up again this morning after breakfast and do it all again!!
Hope you all had a Happy and safe Halloween

Halloween Movies For Children

At the moment Oisìn is slightly too young to watch all the Halloween movies aimed at children

so I have divided this post into toddler friendly Halloween movies and then some for older children.

Spookley The Square Pumpkin (2005) Cert U

We watched this over the weekend and Oisìn really enjoyed this story of Spookley

the pumpkin who is square instead of round and feels very lonely because he is different.

His friends the bats, spiders and a Scarecrow show him how special he is and it's okay to be different. It's not scary at all but a nice seasonal tale

Monsters Inc (2001) Cert U

This is one of Oisìn's favourite movies he loves Pixar and this is a go to movie for when he is feeling poorly. This about the world of Monsters and to fuel there world Monsters must harvest the screams of the children they scare at bedtime. It sounds very scary when put like that but this is Disney/Pixar so it is a funny gentle lovely tale. Oisìn's favourites are Sully and Boo but I find Billy Crystal as Mike very funny! 

Scooby Doo (2002) Cert PG

This is one of the hubby's favourites and he recently introduced Oisìn to it, while the little guy liked most of it we did need to fast forward some of the more scary scenes at the end of the movie. He loves the new cartoons of Scooby Doo and while most of this movie held his attention I think it might have just been a bit long for a toddler.
The gang are brought to a strange island to solve the weird things happening. While the mystery isn't much of a mystery I do really like the casting of this movie.

Casper (1995) Cert PG
Now this brings back memories of my childhood I went to see this in the cinema with my family when I was around 10! I loved it and had a huge crush on Devon Sawa who played Casper towards the end of the movie!! Kat and her Father move into a huge mansion when her Father is hired to get rid of the ghosts that haunt there by a heiress. Kat soon becomes friends with Casper the young friendly ghost who lives there, he falls in love with Kat, but she is struggling to fit in at her new school. In the end it's up to Kat and her Father to help the ghosts move on to the other side.
I haven't watched this yet with Oisìn but I think he will enjoy it but we might have to fast forward some of the scarier scenes!

Hocus Pocus (1993) Cert PG
We watched this over the weekend Oisìn didn't bother with it much to be honest
but he did dance around to the party scene when Bette Milder sings I'll Put A Spell On You
we had to rewind that scene four times for Oisìn to sing and dance too!
Other than that he didn't seem to care about the movie he like the talking cat, but I think this movie is for older children but not to scary to have on while younger children are in the room.
I love this movie it's a Sunday afternoon movie from my childhood! The Sanderson sisters are some of the most evil witches on film! Yet even as a young child I could tell how cool they actually where!

Monster House (2006) Cert PG
Oisìn was quite scared of this when I showed it to him the other day
So I turned it off although it's PG I would say it's for older kids around 6 upwards
It's about three early teens who discover the house in there neighbourhood is a real
monster!

Now here is my list for older children

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1995) Cert PG
While this is one of my favourite Halloween and Christmas movies Oisìn is just too young to watch it with me yet. I know its far too creepy and scary for him to enjoy yet without him having serious nightmares! I first watched this on a Christmas Eve night with my brother I think I was around 11 or 12 and I loved it! The whole premise of the Jack The Pumpkin King who was bored of the same old thing, found Christmas land and decided to take it for himself with disastrous results! The score, the songs and the creepy Tim Burton animation I adored it!
In a few years time I look forward to sharing it with Oisìn

The Witches (1990) Cert PG
Now this was one that gave me nightmares! This Roald Dahl book turned movie scared the living daylights out of me when I was a kid. This was another one I remember watching on a Sunday afternoon its about a somewhat spoiled young boy Luke who is staying with his Grandmother in a fancy old hotel when he stumbles across a witches convention. He watches as the leader (Anjelica Huston) reveals her true witch like self. I think that stayed with me my whole childhood!! That scene itself makes this movie for older kids! Luke must try stop the witches go through with there plan to rid England of all children!

The Adams Family (1991) Cert PG
This is a Halloween family classic. A new take on the classic 1960's show a con artist tells the family he is there long lost eccentric Uncle. The cast in this movie is what makes it for me Anjelica Huston as Mortica, Raul Juila as Gomez, Christopher Lloyd as Fester and Christina Ricci as Wednesday.

The Monster Squad (1987) Cert PG-13

I have spoke of myself and hubby's love for this movie on this blog before, hubby watched this as a young child and it stayed with him ever since. I finally managed to get a copy on DVD for him one Christmas and I watched it and totally fell in love with it too! It's very like The Goonies but with classic monsters Dracula, The Wolf Man, Frankenstein, The Mummy and Gill-man. It has 80's music montages, a cute little girl who becomes friends with Frankenstein and of course a group of kids who have to stop this monster squad.
It is definitely one for the older kids there is violent, sexual innuendos and a very intense Dracula who choke holds one of the young hero's! Look past all the cheese and it's a Halloween classic!

So that's our list of Halloween movies to watch with your kids
Would you add any?

Over The Weekend 50&51

I have been MIA from this blog the past few weeks

I had alot on with my Mam's Birthday and then my brother's 10th Anniversary

While I am still in a bit of a change of seasons slump

While I back to reading and watching my favourite TV shows I still seem to be feeling

a bit meh in myself.

Hubby and I are having a bit of a treat the end of this week

Oisìn is having a sleep over in his Grandparents and we are going for a meal and to see a show

I am really looking forward to some quality time with the hubby

Anyway two weekends ago it was my Mam's birthday

I brought her out for a meal and it was a bit of a ladies night!

It was lovely to spend time together just the two of us

 That Saturday was the All Ireland GAA Football final rematch with Dublin and Mayo

It was a tight match but Dublin won and it reminded me of this picture of my brother

He loved Dublin and went to alot of the matches but he died before Dublin started there winning streak. So he never got to see the team he loves so much raise the Sam, but I know he was smiling down on Croke Park

I always wear Patrick's Dublin jersey when Dublin are in the final. 

Oisìn asked to wear this time so I let him and he was so pleased

but it did look like an over sized nightie on him!

That Sunday it was ten years since this funny face left us

It did hit me a little hard that morning I had some time out listening to his favourite songs.

I really missed him it's funny how even after ten years it can feel like yesterday

He was a beautiful gentle soul and the world is a little bit darker and harsh without him 

 We had a family dinner at ours that Sunday it was a day to spend with family

We raised a glass of Patrick and spoke about the good times with him

When my parents had gone home Paul and I watched our Sunday night favourites

Poldark and Victoria

 After a illness filled week this was very much needed Friday night

Oisìn & I have been filled with cold and hubby had a chest and sinus infection

So it was nice to chill out with a glass of vino and watch Gogglebox

On Saturday I got some of the Halloween bits down

Oisìn was slightly scared but came around and now loves talking to the pumpkin!

Speaking of Oisìn he seems to be going through a funny stage

He has been lashing out in creche and at home

He has regressed in potty training and it feels like we are starting again with toilet training

I think moving into the older room in creche has set him back a bit

This Mammy needed alot of patience this weekend with tantrums and wetting accidents!

A last minute family Sunday roast happened which was really nice
I love having my parents for dinner and Sunday really is our family day
Bubbles, candles and Poldark finished off our weekend!

Over The Weekend #7

This weekend it was Halloween and I wasn't sure how
Oisín was going to like it! He didn't like the costumes in the shops and
wasn't very keen on the decorations, but I didn't have to worry
he loved it!

Oisín had a Halloween morning in daycare

on Friday and he wore his glow in the dark

trick of treat Peppa Pig top!

Our little Pumpkin King!

He really enjoyed seeing the other children

dressed up, and when he realised he was getting sweets

he seem to like it even more!

Mama Witch and Baby Pumpkin!

We watched the fireworks while at
the bonfire

Sunday was another lovely day my parents came up
for Sunday Lunch but I forgot to get out my camera
to take any pictures

Then we it was prosecco and Downton Time!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

We are doing a few chores today then going to my parents

for dinner, trick and treating and Halloween games!

Oisín got into the spirit of Halloween yesterday

when he wore this to his daycare Halloween day!

 Looking forward to lighting our spooky candles tonight

while reading this spooky book

 Can't believe this was our little trick or treater last year!

Look at how much our pumpkin has grown!

Have a very spooky Halloween!!

Over The Weekend #5

This weekend we tried to get those jobs done

that you leave until it has to be done

Saturday we got alot done

Sunday Hubby and I bought didn't feel well

sore ears and tickle throats 

but we did have a lovely Sunday lunch

and then curled up and caught up on some TV

 I woke early Saturday morning

but as it's my lie in morning

hubby brought me breakfast in bed 

and I spent an hour or two reading

We then went to the park for some

fresh air and Oisín enjoyed running 

around with a football! 

 Then it was back home to

get some chores done

Oisín wanted to help cut the grass!

 I got some of the Halloween bits out!

Love Autumn and the cosy feeling of

twinkling lights and candles

 Oisín enjoyed taking some selfies Sunday afternoon

 While we were watching the rugby!

 Used my slimming world syns on this
sharing with the hubby of course
while watching Downton Abbey

Then Batman hubby's favourite
movie!