As kids get ready for trick-or-treating, there are some important things parents can do to keep them as safe as possible! Here are some answers to some frequently asked questions about Trick or Treating!

Prepare your little ones for Halloween

• Trick-or-treating can be fun, but slightly intimidating for little ones. Practice trick-or-treating with your kids. Have them come to your door and say, “Trick-or-treat!” You can also practice saying “Please” and “Thank you!”
• Practice handing out candy. Handing out candy is my daughter’s personal favorite. You MUST take candy from her before you are allowed to leave our yard. She will follow you.
• Talk about what they might see on Halloween and walk around the neighborhood beforehand.

For older kids

• Sending a responsible adult is always a good idea.
• Older kids who can go trick-or-treating by themselves should only visit houses they know and follow routes that are pre-approved by parents.
• They should avoid going by themselves or with just one other friend and instead go in large groups.
• Arrange specific check-in times throughout the evening.
• If your teen is driving to a party, make sure they are driving slowly and know to watch out for little kids.

Trick or Treat: Give me something good to eat

• For little kids: Avoid candies or treats that are small and might be a choking hazard.
• Check the candy: Practice going through the candy haul with your kids before allowing them to eat any.
  • You want to look for candy that may have been tampered with or look-alike food items that might contain illicit substances like THC or CBD.
• Giving out candy: I always try to make sure we have a peanut-free option for kids! We keep a separate bowl with non-peanut candies like Skittles or Smarties.
• Allergies: Regardless of your child’s allergy status, inspect all candy before they eat any. You want to look out for food allergens like peanuts or candies that are made in nut-containing facilities.

Too much candy?

As a Reese’s lover, my answer is that there is never too much candy. However, as a mom, I try to remember that the combination of sugar, chocolate, and the excitement of Halloween can lead to an upset stomach. Try to limit the intake to just a few pieces on Halloween night.

Keep It Reel: Staying Safe in Costume

If possible, avoid all black costumes, particularly if your kids are trick-or-treating later in the evening. Dark costumes can be hard to see in the evening.

If your child is wearing a dark costume, make sure that your child is bringing a flashlight to help them be visible or wear glow sticks.

This article, written by  Laura Romano, D.O., hospitalist at Cook Children’s Medical Center- Fort Worth, for Cook Children’s Checkup Newsroom, is shared with permission.

The post Keeping Little Ghosts Safe: Your Go-To Guide for a Worry-Free Halloween Night first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

photo credit: Lee Virden Geurkink

Asian Fish and Vegetables en Papillote

This is a fish that your child will eat. Promise! My younger, who is rather picky, loves it. And it’s full of good things to counter all that sugar!

Ingredients

• Mild, white fish like cod, catfish, mahi mahi, or grouper, approximately 4 ounces per person
• Grated or julienned carrots, approximately ½ carrot per person
• Baby broccoli, thinly sliced on the bias, 1 to 2 stalks per person (you can substitute thinly sliced asparagus or shredded zucchini)
• Fresh ginger, peeled and grated, approximately 1/8 to ¼ teaspoon per person (to choose good ginger, look for a hand that is smooth and heavy for its size; just like in people, wrinkles indicate age)
• Shallot, peeled and sliced into thin rings, 3 to 4 rings per person
• Cilantro, stems removed, approximately 10 leaves per person
• Lime, juice of approximately ¼ per person
• Soy sauce or tamari, a couple of dashes per person
• Toasted sesame oil, a couple of dashes per person (be sure to get the toasted, which is a lovely dark brown; the untoasted doesn’t really have any flavor, and we’re going for flavor here)
• Noodles, cooked al denteaccording to package directions, ½ cup cooked per person (were I making this for guests, I would have used rice noodles, but the Girlchildren aren’t real fans, so we used some whole wheat angel hair)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Okay, I hear you all saying, “Wait a minute, what’s with this “per person” thing? Just wait. All will be revealed…

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Bring a pot of water to the boil, and prepare the noodles to al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.

While the water is coming to the boil, prepare your ingredients. Grate the carrots and ginger. Slice the baby broccoli and shallots. Quarter the limes and pick off the cilantro leaves. Portion out the cod. Put each of these into their own bowl or on their own plate, and line them up. This is going to be assembly line cooking here, and the kids will love to help.

Prepare the parchment paper or foil. In the interest of this post about family meals, I’m going describe the foil method. If you want to learn how to use parchment paper for cooking en papillote, there are some great YouTube videos out there.

You will need a piece of foil approximately 12 inches by 15 inches per person. Either use the nonstick foil, or the middle of one side of each sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

And now, the assembly line! Put 1 portion of noodles in the middle of the foil, followed by the cod, the carrots, the baby broccoli, the ginger, the shallots, and the cilantro leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and with the soy sauce or tamari and the toasted sesame oil. Pull up the edges of the foil and fold over several times, allowing some space for the steam to expand. Fold the sides as well, making sure that the seals are tight.

Place the foil packets on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. The great thing about cooking en papillote is that even if you overcook the fish a little, the steam keeps it from drying out!

To serve, place a packet on everyone’s plate. Moms and dads, you should probably open the packets for your littlest ones because steam burns are awful.

Sheet Pan Chicken and Root Vegetables

This is one of our favorites. It’s savory and hearty without being heavy.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 bulb fennel, stems removed and cut into quarters
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and cut in half
• Half a bunch each of fresh thyme and rosemary
• 1 large lemon, cut into thin slices
• Salt and pepper to tastes

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

Scatter the onion, garlic, carrots, fennel, and Brussels sprouts over a large sheet pan. Place the chicken thighs over the vegetables. Scatter the lemon slices and herbs over everything and season with salt and pepper

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the meat reaches 165°. Serves 4.

Autumn Kale Salad

If you need a little sweetness to help with the sugar crash, this is a great salad.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 2 bunches kale, washed, tough stems removed, and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large fennel bulb, stems removed and thinly sliced (or shaved on a mandoline)
• ½ red onion, cut into thin slices
• 2 apples (Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn are what I like), cut into bite-sized pieces
• ½ cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
• ½ cup nuts and/or seeds (I like pepitas, sunflower seeds, or almonds)
• 6 ounces goat cheese or gorgonzola, crumbled

For the dressing

• Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons whole-grained or Creole mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

For the dressing:

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well until the salt is dissolved.

For the salad:

Combine all the ingredients except the cheese in a large bowl. Add in about half the dressing and toss well. Taste to see if you need more dressing. (If you have any left over, it keeps in the fridge for up to a week.) Serve topped with the goat cheese or gorgonzola crumbles. Makes 4 entrée salads.

The post Healthy Meals for After Halloween first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

“From costumes to décor, shoppers can find all they need to create one-of-a-kind items at pennies on the dollar of what you might find in a typical retail store,” said David Cox, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth.

Photo courtesy of Goodwill of Fort Worth

Despite COVID-19, according to an annual Halloween survey around consumer trends, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that “more than 148 million U.S. adults plan to participate in Halloween-related activities,” and that “consumer spending is expected to reach $8.05 billion” in 2020. According to the survey, the top three costumes for 2020 include princess, spiderman and superhero for children; pumpkin, hot dog and superhero for pets; and witch, vampire and cat for adults.

The NRF also indicated that, while overall Halloween shopping traffic may be reduced from previous years, consumers who are shopping are spending more ($92.12 on average compared to $86.27 in 2019) when they make their purchase. This data aligns with ShopperTrak, the leading global provider of retail analytics, who have seen lower visits into stores, relative to previous years, but higher average transaction sizes.

Cox said, “Even though Halloween is going to look and feel different this year, shopping with Goodwill gives you a chance to support our job training and placement programs while you spook your family, not your budget!”

Goodwill Fort Worth’s 25 area retail stores are currently open at 75% occupancy with increased safety and cleaning protocols, following CDC guidance. All Goodwill shoppers, clients and staff are required to wear a face covering, over their mouth and nose. Fitting rooms are closed and social distancing of six feet is enforced at all locations.

Goodwill is more than a thrift store. The largest employer of people with disabilities in the world, Goodwill believes that work has the power to transform lives by building self-confidence, independence, creativity, trust and friendships. Everyone deserves this chance.

Goodwill Fort Worth’s 25 retail locations provide revenue through the sale of donated goods to support Goodwill’s mission – job training and career services for people with disabilities, such as physical or mental disabilities and other barriers to employment including lack of education or work experience and to vulnerable populations including the homeless, at-risk youth, veterans and the formerly incarcerated. For more information on Goodwill Industries of Fort Worth, please visit www.goodwillfortworth.org.

The post Spook Your Family and Friends, Not Your Budget! first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

The annual Spooky Sip & Shop is coming to Sundance Square on Saturday, October 26th, from 1-5pm! Don’t worry, folks. In all actuality, there is nothing spooky about this event whatsoever. I’d say the scariest thing that could happen is that you and your friends might miss out on a good time. Grab your girl gang, throw on a costume or matching t-shirts (it has been done!), and enjoy discounts from all participating Sundance Square retail merchants, from apparel to jewelry, gifts to home décor – from nationally known retailers and local boutiques. Besides some guaranteed female bonding time, the best part of all is that 100%, that’s right, EVERY PENNY of the cost of a ticket, will go directly to the Tarrant Area Food Bank.

Photo by Jeremy Enlow

Tickets are $25 if you purchase them in advance through eventbrite.com and $30 at the Sundance Square tent in the Plaza the day of the event. Every ticket holder gets a wristband and wine glass to enable you to receive discounts and wine tastings. Delicious bites will also be provided by Sundance Square restaurants throughout the evening as you stroll around trying to decide where to go next. Free valet parking is available when you purchase anything in Sundance Square, or there will be free garage parking.

Photo by Jeremy Enlow

As read on the Tarrant Area Food Bank, “Hunger doesn’t discriminate. No matter what time of year it is, what education background or occupation a person holds, a variety of circumstances can arise that place your friends, family, and neighbors in need of assistance. The good news is help is out there. Tarrant Area Food Bank is able to provide resources to those in need through a network of partner food pantries, donors, volunteers and more. As a central clearinghouse for donated food and groceries, Tarrant Area Food Bank receives fresh, frozen and nonperishable food donated by the food industry and the community. Dedicated volunteers help sort, inspect and repackage the food, which is then distributed to our network of 270 Partner Agencies serving hungry children, families and seniors in North Texas. The people who generously donate their time, funds and skills to TAFB help make the services we provide to the community possible.”

Have I convinced you enough on how fun AND beneficial this event will be? I will also add that this could be a great opportunity to jumpstart on your gift-giving for the holidays as well! It’s never too early, right?

See you in the Square!

Jennifer Kieta is a native Texan, born and raised in Houston. She graduated from Texas Tech University and has lived in Fort Worth since 1996. After marrying her husband, Brian in 1998, Jennifer worked as a Child Life Specialist at Cook Children’s Medical Center for 9 years before becoming a full-time mom to her two daughters. Her passion for helping people in healthcare transitioned into the fitness world in 2014. She now teaches spin and HIIT classes at Zyn22 and Pilates at Studio 180 in Pop’s Gym. December of 2017, Jennifer was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her journey through a double-mastectomy and being able to call herself a Survivor and Overcomer has allowed her to have an even greater passion for helping people embrace every day and take care of themselves one day at a time.

The post Help the Tarrant Area Food Bank as You Sip and Shop in Sundance Square first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

October 7th is the beginning of the wonderful new exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious”! There will be interactive activities that will invite children to learn like George – through direct experience and problem solving.

Calloway’s Nursery will be having their annual Fall Festival on October 7th, beginning at 9am. This is a great opportunity to get cute pumpkin pictures for the kids, plus they will have free pie, pumpkin decorating, activities, games, snacks, door prizes, and more.

You do not want to miss Kimbell Fest this year! “Casanova, A Celebration of Love” is happening October 14th from 5-10pm. Bring the whole family to see Casanova inspired performances, face painting, art making, and get your picture taken in the Casanova photo booth. Wild Belle and Henry the Archer will be providing amazing live music to enjoy. This event is free and open to all. A variety of food trucks and beverages will be available, and Central Market is providing picnics to order as well, just call 817-377-9307. Grab your family and friends, bring a blanket or two, and enjoy the evening celebration.

The first annual Rio Festival is taking place on October 14th from 5-11pm. Visit the revitalized River District and enjoy live music, Fort Worth craft beer and cider, pumpkin patch photos, food trucks, and homegrown artists, plus the Kids Zone featuring fall crafts and games, hay rides and more.

Arts Goggle is back on October 21st beginning at noon. They will have 500+ artists, 50 bands, and 5 main stages across 15 blocks of Near Southside. If you haven’t been yet, you need to check out this free and fun family event! It is unlike any other.

Frontier Fall Fest at the Log Cabin Village is October 21st from 1-4pm. It will be a fun afternoon featuring living history, music, crafts, artisans and more.

Perfect pumpkin patches in the area include Mainstay Farm, Country Critters, Hall’s Pumpkin Farm, and if you are willing to travel over to Dallas, the Dallas Arboretum has one of the best!

The State Fair of Texas is from September 29-October 22nd. We’ll meet you at Big Tex if we get separated!

Spend your Halloween at the Stockyards this year. They are hosting Treat Street 2017! On Halloween, October 31st, dress up and head down to the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards from 5-7pm. They will have costume contests, pumpkin decorating, games, hayrides, and trick or treating. Treat Street is a family-friendly event that is FREE. All Treat Street activities will occur in Stockyards Station Mall located at 140 East Exchange Avenue.
Schedule of Events:
5p-7p Trick or Treating
5p-7p Face Painting
5p-7p Half off Cowtown Cattlepen Maze – Kids 12 and under in costume only, $1 off parents who go in with kids
5p-7p Pumpkin decorating
6p Legends of Texas Present “Silver Bullet,” a special Halloween Show
6:30p Costume Contest
Don’t miss out of the fun! Treats are given to kids under 12 in costumes.

Fall is officially here and the perfect time to spend outside. Get out and about and enjoy these exciting activities with your family. Have fun and stay safe everybody!

Many thanks to the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards for sponsoring this post!

The post Fun in the Fort: October 2017 first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Cat

You’ll need:

• Cat ears cut out of paper and taped to a head band (we used duct tape, but you can use whatever tape you have on hand!)
• Maneki-neko t-shirt left over from your daughter’s Girl Scout troop’s Friends Around the World presentation on Japan from two years ago (aren’t you glad you didn’t throw it away!)
• Black eyeliner for a cute little nose and whiskers

This took me less than five minute to put together, but gosh, I have to say it looks like a million bucks! And doesn’t she look so happy to be a cat?

Dog

You’ll need:

• Dog ears cut out of paper and taped to a head band – don’t forget to fold one ear down for extra cuteness!
• T-shirt (I know you can’t tell, but we just turned the maneki-neko shirt inside out, and voila!)
• Black eyeliner for that cute little nose and whiskers

Who can resist an adorable puppy? Especially one who looks so excited!

Mermaid

I will admit, I was a little worried when my daughter asked to be a mermaid. But with a little creativity, we came up with a great costume!

You’ll need:

• Bathing suit
• Green blanket to tie around the waist
• Well-loved fish pillow from infancy

I just loved putting this together, and, as you can see, so did my daughter!

Flower

You’ll need:

• Flower head band left over from Little Sister’s Girl Scout troop’s Friends Around the World presentation on Guatamala from last year (boy, I’m a repurposing expert!)
• Lovely mums given as a hostess gift

Isn’t she just a picture of loveliness?

Teenager

You’ll need:

• A teenager

For some reason, my daughter decided that she doesn’t really want to trick-or-treat this year. I can’t understand it.

Well, I hope that you are inspired to create your own Pinterest-worthy costume masterpieces! Just remember, you don’t have to be crafty to create a beautiful costume that people will be talking about for years to come!

Lee Virden is the Profoundly Uncrafty Mom… much to her daughters’ dismay. Don’t worry, though. Their dad is quite crafty and loves helping with Halloween costumes!

The post 5 Halloween Costumes for the Profoundly Uncrafty first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

It’s officially fall, and this season brings cool weather and lots of happenings in the city.  From festivals to markets, I narrowed down the top events going on this month for the families of Fort Worth.

My personal top recommendation this month is the Fiesta de la Familia! It is Sunday, October 2^nd from Noon – 5p.m. at the Kimbell Art Museum.  Come spend the beautiful afternoon celebrating the Hispanic culture.  There will be authentic music and dance performances, face painting, gallery story times, children’s films, and art activities. This event will also introduce the release of Spanish translations of their permanent collection audio tour, family gallery guides, and other resource materials.  What a fantastic new feature at the Kimbell not only for Spanish speaking visitors, but also a wonderful tool for students learning the Spanish language.  They can try out their comprehension skills while looking at amazing art.  There is no charge to attend the Fiesta de la Familia, and the permanent collection is always free, so bring the whole family and come on out to the Kimbell and celebrate! Everyone is sure to have a good time!

2016 Arts Goggle on Saturday, October 8^th from noon – 10p.m in the Near Southside neighborhoods will feature 500+ artists and 50+ bands and is also totally free.  This family-friendly event celebrates all art forms and will take place on Magnolia Avenue (8^th Ave. to Hemphill St.) and Park Place Avenue (8th Ave. to Enderly). Be sure to bring your pocketbooks because I guarantee that you will want to buy some great art!

The Bell Helicopter Fort Worth Alliance Air Show is October 15^th and16^th!  I have to tell you these air shows scare me to death, but that makes them so exciting to see.  This is your chance to take the family to see the famous U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds!  They will also have a Shockwave Jet Truck, Screamin’ Sasquatch Jet Waco, Greg Shelton and Wing Walker Ashley Key (yes, from the photos, Ashley will be doing stunts on the wing of a plane!), Liberty Jump Team, and the historic Cavenaugh Warbirds.  My boys get excited when they see a regular plane flying through the sky.  I have a feeling this would blow them away! Click on the link above for tickets!

Log Cabin Village Frontier Fall Fest

On October 22^nd from 1p.m. – 4 p.m., stop by the Log Cabin Village and enjoy music from Buttermilk Junction.  They will have guests from the Embroiderer’s Guild of America, the Fort Worth Herd, The Greater Fort Worth Herb Society, the Fort Worth U.S. 2^nd Dragoons Living History Association, and more.  Cost is the regular admission plus $3 to make a cornhusk doll.

Christmas in Cowtown This beloved Holiday Gift Market is from October 13-16^th this year.  If you have never been, it is a fabulous market at the Will Rogers Memorial Center with tons of wonderful merchants selling fantastic items.  You could probably get most of your holiday shopping completed in one visit.  Send the boys to the air show mentioned above, and have some fun supporting our great city!

Casa Manana presents A Year with Frog and Toad.  Beginning September 30^th and running through October 16^th, you can find tickets to see the Broadway hit right here in Fort Worth.  This live performance based on the well-loved book series is fun for all ages.

For all my dog families out there, I’d like to let you know there will be a Dog Park Social on Sunday, October 16^th hosted by Wag Canine Emporium.  It’s at Z Bonz Dog Park from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

The State Fair of Texas runs from September 30^th through October 23^rd this year. Ride the TRE over and enjoy a corny dog (Fletcher’s invented corny dogs at the State Fair of Texas, and don’t you believe any other claims!), funnel cakes, and all sorts of whacky fried fare while riding the rides, seeing the exhibits, and touring the animal barns. Don’t forget to meet at Big Tex if you get separated!

Finally, we end this month with Halloween, of course!  Besides Trick or Treating in the neighborhood, Boo at the Zoo is an exciting way for your children to spend the day dressed up in their cute or scary costumes!  This year’s Boo at the Zoo is October 28^th – 30^th from 10a.m. – 5p.m., and it is free with zoo admission! They will have more entertainment this year than you can imagine! Where’s that Ghost, Halloween Night Fever, Fantastical Beasts, Frankenstein and his Doctor, Razzmajazz Dixieland Jazz Band, a Kids’ Craft Zone, and Mysterious Boxes are just a few of the exciting activities and shows they will feature.  There will also be special food and merchandise offerings to purchase.  You don’t want to miss this exciting opportunity.

There you have it, the top events in Fort Worth this October! Have fun and stay safe everybody!

Thank you to the Kimbell Art Museum for sponsoring this month’s Fun in the Fort!

Tricia Schniederjan is a Fort Worth girl born and raised, Tricia is a runner, scuba diver, snow and water skier, hiker, and kayaker.  Her love of exploring has taken her on many adventures with her 5 children which has led to her becoming an expert at traveling with children. She is a UT Austin graduate, an optimist, a peace keeper, and an enjoyer of life.

The post Fun in the Fort: October 2016 Edition first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.