Whitening Up Dreary November

Not this kind of White-picture Wayfair.com

I read about the concept of creating November, the month between the blaze of autumn colors and the vibrancy of the December red, green, gold and silver, as a month of calm. Despite my birthday being in November and for the US, Thanksgiving, a holiday I love, November is pretty dreary for the most part. The beautiful fall colors are gone, the cold is coming and the sun seems to be hiding before it comes out again to bounce of pillows of white snow. You can read more about Sadie's white November at her site, The English Rain.

November is a pretty down time month for us. Now that my kids are no longer in traveling winter sports, weekends are focused on home. I feel like I will be decluttering until the end of time, but for those that actually keep a sane house most of the year, doing a late fall clear when the weather is beginning to suck, with the exchange of starting December in a zen state of mind sounds appealing.  I'm intentionally going to try and keep the calendar sparse. Wine club, a little socializing with family and friends, and my sister's weekend is what's populating the calendar now, leading up to Thanksgiving weekend where I start turning my attention to Christmas festivities.

DD2 is at the high school learning the dance moves for show choir and has a party later tonight. DH and I went to a fish fry last night, not usually my favorite, but it was the kind I like, the small little pieces (all you can eat for DH which he likes) coated in a slightly sweet batter. They also actually put a large squeeze container of tartar sauce, so we didn't have to do the begging for an extra cuplet. Choice of potatoe, coleslaw, and baked beans rounded out the dinner. It wasn't a huge dinner bill, but an extra all the same, so tonight will be a big pot of soup and biscuits, a movie night with popcorn, and perhaps I'll open a bottle of wine if I win the coin toss and DH picks the kid up. Before picking DD up from rehersal, I will head to the grocery store for my last little top off of bread plus coleslaw and brownie supplies for an orchestra dinner Monday night. 
 

I have $19 left in the grocery budget. I'm counting the cookies for show choir I bought yesterday and the orchestra meal supplies yet to buy, but not the $32.11 spent on Halloween candy-that goes in the holiday/gift budget. I also bought some personal supplies even though I was trying to stretch to November as when I was in CVS to buy hair color, I got an in store coupon from their kiosk for 25% off, plus the 2 for 1 candy deal. The price wasn't phenomenal because the mark up was so much on the candy before sale, but I wanted it done before the shelves are cleared by the time I hit the grocery store. All in all, I think October went well on the spending front. I'll take the little successes when they come, and move into White November, with a better savings rate than the last three months.

Pretending We're not Really Going to Eat the Halloween Candy

Last Friday I bought two 80 piece bags of M&M/Mars brand candy, and a 90 piece bag of Baby Ruth/Butterfinger.  We throw a couple fun size in each bucket, sack or pumpkin that rings the bell, so should have had enough for 125 kids. That is probably a tad high, but if it is a nice night, and being Friday, we'll get kids out longer, and more older kids.  I have no problem with tweens and teens trick or treating.  Childhood is so short, and if going door to door, asking for a couple bites of chocolate is an alternative to finding dad's beer and liquor cabinet, I welcome them at my house.

This was going to be the year to not have mass quantities consumed the weeks leading up to Halloween.  We still have a few of the deliciously sweet honey gold apples we picked a couple Sunday's back. I got another batch of pumpkin bread bakes, and even had some dry fruit, so plenty of sweet stuff around the house for a quick pick me up. The downward spiral started on Monday.  DH was going to just have a few M&M's.  Once that bag was opened there was no turning back.  It is wise to say we now have candy for probably 90 kids.  The count will drop by 5:00 when the first little ghosts and goblins, or more likely Elsa and Olaf's from Frozen, will be out. 

I thought with buying such big bags, surely we wouldn't want to sneak into them.  When I would buy 8-10 smaller bags, breaking into one didn't seem to hardly count.  But now, with this massive bag, and the oh so easy sneak a bar or two walking out of the kitchen, I have serious candy to replenish.  I take my neighborly obligation serious, and don't want to be the house that ran out of candy, or the one that  to had to quickly run out and by the remnants left on the grocery shelf. I am not a member nor ever will be, a member of the dark house club.

I personally was fooling myself that I would be strong after consuming M&M's as my lunch on Wednesday.  What has been your consumption so far this October?  Is anyone else going to bed with sore teeth and waking up with a sugar induced hang over?  Please tell me I'm not alone.  Now pardon me.  I hear a Twix bar calling my name.