15 Fall + Halloween Crafts For Kiddos

Welp, there goes summer. Every year of my life seems to always go faster than the last. Do you just blink in your 80's and have a birthday? Shhhheeeeesh! 

To kick off the fall madness, I’ve rounded up 15 fun and festive family crafts to get you in the spirit of the season! BONUS: These crafty ideas are super budget-friendly and simple enough for the kids to join in on the fun.

If you are looking for adult fall fun... check out these five-star chili recipes. 

Are you ready for some cheap and easy fall fun that will make you feel like a fabulous parent??  Here you go:

1. Q-tip Fall Tree Craft bundle a bunch of Q-tips together and voila! Instant paint brush perfect for even the littlest of hands.



2. Autumn Handprint Tree - Use the Q-tip hack from #1 to make the leaves, or let it be a full-on finger paint free-for-all.

3. Autumn Leaf Mason Jar Candle Holders: These are so freaking cute!

4.  Pumpkin Salt Dough Handprint Keepsake I LOVE THIS! Make Christmas tree ornaments while you're at it, for an inexpensive super cute gift idea...

5. Craft Stick Spiderweb

6. Tin Can Ghost

7. Glow-in-the-dark Pumpkins.

8. Bubblewrap Corn Sun Catchers

9.  Fall Leaf Sun Catcher 

10.  Salt Dough Leaf Impressions

11. Halloween Glitter Slime Monsters

12. Preserved leaf mobile

13. Fall Leaf Painting 

14. This leaf people craft is a great idea for a family park activity!

15. What fall craft list would be complete without a DIY pine cone bird feeder?

Planes, Passion, and Purpose: Letting My Baby Grow Up

The only thing worse than teenage hormones is realizing that, in what will feel like the blink of an eye, the little monsters will be ready to fly the coop. 

Letting my little guy grow up has been so hard. He's my one and only; I have absolutely zero desire to let him grow up! Unfortunately, I also have zero choice but to let him grow up. So, I am trying to find solace in watching him grow into a sweet, smart, driven, dreamer who is fearless. 

For as long as I can remember, Ollie has wanted to be a pilot. I can't help but wonder if his dream to fly planes has anything to do with growing up on a plane, long-hauling between the East Coast of the United States to Melbourne, Australia. In fact, I used to joke about the fact that he was infinitely better behaved on those 33-hour trips to Nana's house Down Under than his parents! Truth be told, he still is. 

The time finally came for me to let my little guy fly up, up, and away from me so he could start his journey to being a pilot, and, hopefully, one day, a captain.

This flight was ten years in the making — and the beginning of something incredible. 

I would say: “If only he knew at three, when he first boarded a plane bound for Australia, that he’d one day be flying one,” but, inherently, I think he’s always known. His passion for aviation is nothing short of awe-inspiring. 

He can tell what any aircraft is just by the placement of its engines or the configuration of its landing gear.  And to back it up, he is constantly whipping out his favorite flight tracking app to prove he got it right! 

I can’t wait to see where the beautiful blue skies take my sweet little pilot. But with all my heart, I know one day, I’ll proudly call him: Captain Oliver.

In the meantime, I'll try not to throw up and cry every time he takes to the skies. 

Here's a video of his first flight with his flight club. You can also view it directly on our First Time Mom and Dad YouTube Channel. 

How To Shop Amazon Prime Day Like A Pro

As much as I always want to advocate the importance of shopping local and supporting brick-and-mortar stores, with budgets getting tighter and tighter, super sales events like Amazon Prime Day, Target Circle Week, and Walmart Deals Week deserve a second look. 

After nearly a decade covering these large "tent pole" sales events as a Commerce Writer and Senior Editor, I've learned the good, bad, and downright ugly of these major annual sales events. And with Amazon throwing a major sales event nearly as often as a Macy's One Day Sale, I have covered countless articles on The Best Prime Day Deals.

How Do You Find The Best Prime Day Deals?

You are likely already seeing countless articles and ads served to you about The Best Prime Day Deals on things like TVs, Electric Bikes, Beauty,  and Health deals. To create these articles, Editors and writers are given an advanced spreadsheet from Amazon and PR companies showing which products will be on sale, the percentage off (or increased. Yes, some products raise the price on Prime Day. More about that later.)

After spending years poring over these spreadsheets, I have learned a few tips for finding the best deals when shopping on Amazon Prime. I am going to share with you!

1. Don't believe the hype: This IS NOT an all-out Blowout Clearance Sale. 

I always found that the majority of the sale prices were between 10%-30% off, and seemed to creep lower year after year. I also saw plenty of items that were literally listed as more during the sale than on non-sale days. It blew my mind that Amazon would even furnish us with a list that showed that nonsense! 

(**Pausing for a second to consider: Can be sued for telling the truth about the dirty side of Amazon Prime Day? <shrugging> I guess we'll find out!**)

2. It's not just Amazon that's having a big sale July 8 - 11

Before you click buy on Amazon, check prices against the other big retailers piggybacking the Amazon sale, like Target Circle Week and Walmart Deals Week. 

3. You can save BIG on everyday items. 

Basic household items can have pretty solid discounts, from cleaning products to toiletries to health and beauty. You can especially save big on hair care products like Olaplex, Nioxin, and my ALL TIME FAVORITE Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Hair Oil-- It's under $10 all day, (currently $6 for Prime Day) and you can get it just about anywhere from Target to Walgreens to the grocery. I have tested more than two dozen hair oils so far for work and for the money, it's the BEST! 

4. Snag back-to-school deals: 

If you need a new backpack or super cute bento box lunch box, it's worth your time to scroll through your back-to-school shopping list for those higher ticket items or bulk buys on tissues or Clorox wipes. 

5. Look at the Lightning Deals Page, but DON'T be impulsive!

Sure, you can get 57% off a Sony 65-inch 4K TV today, but do you really need it? This is where these sales can get you. If you need a TV or Electric Bike, definitly browse the deals, but still read the fine print to ensure you are buying from a repituble seller, check the reviews to make sure it's not going to be a scratch-and-dent sort of thing, and, above all, before you buy, check the price against other retailer sales and places like Costco that always offer solid discounts. 

6. I have seen firsthand on sales spreadsheets the percentage off actually being PLUS 115% of the normal selling price.

That's right, the really awful sellers will raise the price WAAAAY up during these events. It's like all those awful turds that raised prices "due to tarrifs" that actually never happened. Or advertised tariff-free sales that meant absolutely nothing. 

Greed is the freaking worst! 

Please, don't buy anything of value unless you price check it. And even though these are big sales events, if it seems way too good to be true, it probably is. 

Bottom Line: Even knowing the ugly side of these events, I always take the time to browse the page devoted to Prime Day Deals on Everyday Essentials. I'm always up for saving on everyday items! 

Happy shopping!! 

Note: I may or may not make a tiny percentage if you buy something from links on my site. Likely not, but I have to say this by law. 

Silly me, how could I expect my teenager to be on board with this?

 I am soooo sorry for the delay on a new post. Silly me, I thought my teenager didn't care what the hell I did or said.

It turns out, he does. 

Me: Hey, buddy!  I am going to start my blog up again and make YouTube videos. Fun, right?

Teenager: **Looks up. Blinks. No words. Goes back to his game.**

Me: I need your help with videos!

Teenager: **Finally looks up from his game** Wait. You're doing that mom blog thing again about you and dad sucking at parenting?

(That was the fastest and easiest way to explain the blog to a then eight-year-old, and it stuck.)

Me: Yes! That! 

Teenager: Mom, no. That's dumb. And you can't talk about me, my friends will read it.

Me: Yeah, that would require you and your friends to not only find the blog online but also read the posts. 

Teenager: You said YouTube too? Are you trying to ruin my life?

I pause: I totally didn't expect him to care. Instantly, I regret saying anything. Of course, he would think it's a dumb idea. He thinks every idea I've had since he turned 12 was dumb.

Teenager: What are you going to write about me? It can't be embarrassing. I need to see it first. Same with videos. 

Me: Deal!

Fast forward to my first post talking about how EVERY time I walk past my child during the summer, he asks for something to eat. I feel like I spend half my day feeding my child and the other half shopping for food! So. Not. Cool.

Y'all, I'm here to tell you, a "growing boy" eats non-freaking-stop. Like, an absurd amount of food!

In all seriousness, with the exorbitant cost of groceries today, I thank my lucky stars I only have one child to feed! My heart goes out to every parent struggling to keep up with the constantly increasing cost of living. I see you. It sucks. 

I finish the post about me essentially spending summer 2025 as a private chef to a growing 5'10" thirteen-year-old and email it too him to read. 

Teenager: **His bedroom door flys open** WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?

Me: I am not calling you fat! I am talking more about how hard it is to keep up with grocery shopping and meals during the summer.

Teen: No, you are calling me a fatty McFatFat. You can't post that. Riz killer. 

Me: GHAAAAAA. Fine.

Next post: We live like feral animals during the summer. It's seriously IMPOSSIBLE to keep the house clean during the summer. There are shoes EVERYWHERE. Socks in every corner. Towels at the door. Sunblock on the floor. 

Y'all, I try, But, it gets to the point where I am done trying and yelling! 

So, until September, I'll be inviting in my home by saying: Welcome to my shithole. 

I've resigned to the fact that we will be feral af until the fall when we are back on a normal routine. Sorry, not sorry. 

News Flash: This post, too, did not pass the teen-test. 

Teenager: You can't tell people we live like dirty animals! Riz killer. 

Me: What can I talk about?

Teenager: Your garden.

Fear not, I will figure out a way to revive this beautiful space, and I'm no longer worried about grumpy teenager backlash. Besides, from what I understand from friends with older teens, my son is going to be perpetually annoyed by my ideas and even presence until he is 18 years old, so I might as well give him a good reason for it!

This is by far one of the greatest pranks I have ever pulled on my Australian husband

In honor of FTD's citizenship, I thought I would share one of my favorite funny stories from when I first brought FTD to the US to meet my family.  FTD, this Friday Funny is for you. I can't believe you stuck around... hahahahahahaha

When FTD and I came back to the US for the very first time so he could meet my family, I lived in the top floor of a third-floor walk-up on the fringe of a beautiful sprawling tree-filled park. It was one of those perfect summer evenings: warm air, birds singing, a gentle breeze drifting through. FTD was out on the balcony, and I was inside doing something when I suddenly heard him yelp. I rushed out to see what happened, and there he was, completely dumbfounded, looking like he couldn’t believe what he'd just seen.

FTD pointing out into the air, at absolutely nothing, and says, "Holy shit!  Did you see that?"

Me, now equally dumbfounded, say,"What?"

"THAT!" FTD still pointing into the air, "THAT BLOODY BUG JUST LIT UP!!" 

It took me a second, but I realized he was talking about a firefly.  

Another second later, my lightbulb went off. 

Once I got over the initial shock that they don't have fireflies in Australia, a stroke of genius hit.

I looked at him blankly and said,"Oh! Those are government bugs. They take photos of us periodically for the census and immigration."

In complete disbelief, the man nearly fell over. Shook and mumbling, he proceeded to walk right to his computer. 

I couldn't believe it, he bought it!! hahahahahahhaahhahah

A minute later he yells out, "It's a fucking firefly!!!"

Y'all. He stayed with me. hahahaha

Seventeen years later, and that shit is still so damn funny to me!!!  He really bought it!  What in the hell do people think goes on over here in the US??? hahahahahahah

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!!! Xx

 

2025 UPDATE: Cancer, COVID, Coping, Coming Back to FTMAD

Now that we are back, I suppose I should explain where we went!

In August of 2019, FTD was diagnosed with Stage IV Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). Needless to say, our world was turned upside down. He immediately underwent a 12.5-hour surgery (Yes, TWELVE HOURS!) to remove the tumor. Once the tumor was removed, the biopsy moved him up to Stage IVb cancer with perineural invasion. 

Long story short, we had to grow up and get our sh!t together and face some horrific scenarios while trying to protect and be present for Ollie.

And then, COVID-19 hit. In some ways, we were already living an isolated, sterile life. And we were damn sure already living in a scary world where we didn’t take a minute or loved one for granted. 

(Of course, FTD had to make a Darth Vader Mask to wear through COVID. It was actually super cool and effective with N95 inserts. He even kind of sounded like a muffled Darth Vader.)

Due to the extreme financial toll cancer took on us, I had to get a real job with benefits while still working my full-time contract job. (Yes, I was truly working two full-time jobs.) One as a Senior Content Strategist at a SaaS company and another as a Senior Health Editor at a media house. 

I was so far beyond maxed out, but in some ways, it helped take my mind off of obsessing over cancer, COVID, and whether FTD would survive it all. Bottom line: I just couldn’t keep up with the blog anymore. I so wanted to, but I was literally working day and night and didn’t have any extra time.

Over the past five years, I’ve been fully immersed in health journalism, working full-time as a Senior Health Editor. I am proud to say that I’ve become deeply committed to reporting breaking health news, wellness trends, and sharing the most promising health and wellness products on the market today—and yes, I’ll definitely be sharing all of it with you! 

I am so thankful to say that as of today, FTD is CANCER-FREE!!! He is amazing and never gave up, no matter how sick he was. In fact, every day he would walk into the cancer center and make people smile and laugh. Everyone loved him. He was so positive through it all. Which I was not; I was a hot ass mess at best.

My hope in reigniting the blog is to give all of us a place to laugh at parenting, teenagers, and life in general as we embark on surviving these insane teenage years.

I'm so happy to be back writing here again. It is strangely freeing and empowering. I've been writing for someone else for so long while adhering to style guides and the constantly changing world of journalism. Here, I can be me and say whatever the hell I want!! WHOOO HOOOO!!

I also want to share that I am beyond thankful for the outpouring of support and comments I received when I posted about reigniting the blog on the First Time Mom and Dad Facebook Page! Not only was it such a warm welcome back moment for me, it was reaffirming that it’s time to get back to blogging! (And a little Vlogging too on our First Time Mom and Dad YouTube Channel!)

I will try to keep the posts going forward short, funny, and informative since I know how limited our time is as parents. Also, if you would like me to talk about anything or have questions about our cancer journey or anything else, please reach out via our social media channels or our FTMAD email: FirstTimeMomandDad @ Gmail .com 

I’ll see you Friday with my first “Friday Funny” post in more years than I care to admit!!! 

We're BAAACCCCKKKKK!!!! It's Time For: First Time Mom And Dad the TEENAGE YEARS!!

Helllllllooooo!!!  We’re BAAACCCCKKKK!!!

There is so much to say and tell you about!!

First and foremost, what took us out of retirement?

The teenage years. I. AM. NOT. OK!

Like, at all.

Ollie is 13 years old, 5’9”, has a size 13 shoe and farts that are beyond lethal. 

Yes, I threw farts in there becuse that is my damn life!  If I’m not dodging his boy farts, I’m suffacating from them.

What’s even more exciting: TODAY, First Time Dad (FTD) took his citizenship test and PASSED!!!

That’s right, FTD is now on his way to becoming a citizen of the USA! 

We were def a little worried with everything going on with immigration in the US, but after nearly 15 years in the US, FTD hasn’t even had one speeding ticket, and he’s dedicated his life to working with children with learning differences, so if he couldn’t pull it off… 

Get ready for future posts on surviving the teenage years, this horrific job market, mental health, what we’ve been up to, FTD surviving Stage IV cancer, and everything in between! 

We are also working on getting the First Time Mom and Dad YouTube channel back in action to show you all the shenanigans UNCUT!

For now… a photo recap of a few highlights over the past five years!

I wish I could say we got our Sh!t together... but... nope. Not even close.

Are you ready for it....