Megan Thompson

I love tradition. There is a comfort in knowing that certain things will happen at certain times. That's probably why I love the holidays so much and look forward to them. Now that we are days away from Halloween and the stores are already busily putting out Christmas stuff I stopped to think about tradition. What does it look like in your home? With your family? Tonight we carved pumpkins with the kids. We turn on the Charlie Brown Halloween special and cover the table with newspapers and pile the pumpkins on top. It's always so much fun to see the kids reactions year after year as they start to get older to the inside of the pumpkin...the texture, the smell...it's still a new experience for them every year at this age. Most of the time they fizzle out about half way through and we as parents end up finishing it for them but I'll tell you the look on their faces when the candle goes inside and they see their pumpkin on the front step is priceless. So I hope you all enjoy this time of year when so many traditions come into play :). Happy Halloween.

Ok so Halloween is quickly approaching and we ALL know that we have our weaknesses. I for one can not pass up a reese's peanut butter cup. I just can not. All rational thought goes out of the window :). So I was thinking about healthy eating and the temptations of Halloween. Are we going to restrict ourselves of any candy at all? No we are not. It's just not realistic. So I came up with a list of candy that is the "best" to eat if we MUST :) So when you reach your hands into your children's bags once they are asleep...look for these :)

1. Hershey's Dark Chocolate - 2 miniatures are a total of 88 calories

2. Twizzlers - 2 are only 50 calories

3. Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Miniature (I had to :) - 88 calories

4. Tootsie Rolls - 3 minis contain 70 calories

5. Jolly Rancher - 2 are only 47 calories

6. Sweet Tarts - 2 mini packs for 30 calories

7. Smarties - 1 roll is 25 calories

8. Nestle Crunch - 1 fun sized bar is 60 calories

9. Kit Kat - 1 bar has 70 calories

10. 3 Musketeers - 50 calories

So enjoy this Halloween season with little guilt. Just make sure to leave enough candy for the kiddos :).