Whoopierific Ways to Enjoy Halloween in DC and beyond

I'm all about sharing ways to whoop it up and have more joy in life, and with a holiday approaching, there are lots of opportunities!  Create something fun every day to whoop POW life with joy.  Whether you’re celebrating at home, going out on a date, or wanting to enjoy all the Halloween fun DC has to offer, I’ve got ya covered…

* Enjoy the build up to the holiday.  Decorate your home.  Cut out bats with construction paper and tape them to your windows for a spooktacular glow at night when you're lights illuminate the silhouettes. We make mummy sausages and other creepy food to get into the spirit of things.

                                    

  

*Take part in some great family events.  There’s always Boo at the Zoo and wonderful pumpkin patch visits.  Here are a few unique outings for the family.  

Halloween Whodunit at The Kennedy Center.  www.kennedy-center.org  Date: Oct. 26, 2014  The National Symphony Orchestra musicians dress up in costume as they create a Halloween mystery that the audience will help solve. Throughout the concert, you will use the clues to figure out who stole Stephen Dumaine’s tuba. Along with the fantastic musical mystery, kids can trick-or-treat before the show and visit the instrument “petting zoo.” 

Fall Harvest Family Days  Mount Vernon www.mountvernon.org  Date: Oct. 25-26, 2014  Mount Vernon is one of the many tourist attractions in the DC area for a number of reasons, including that it was George Washington’s estate and it has a beautiful landscape and design. The historic estate and gardens is a look back at a simpler time, without the internet and smart phones. With the cost of your admission into the site, you will have a special day of fun. Fall Harvest Family Days includes fun fall things like apple-roasting, a straw bale maze, wagon rides, games, music and more. Spend Halloween with a simple day of family fun.

* Get wicked in Washington

Nightmare on M Street  October 25, 2014, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets sold in advance (sometimes sell out). Costume bar crawl to 30 of Washington, DC's hottest bars in Dupont Circle to Gallery Place.  Use the coupon code "whoopie" for a special discount. 

DC Drag Queen Race  October 28, 2014. A crowd gathers in Dupont Circle for an informal street parade and race of costumed drag queens. This is one of the most popular DC Halloween events. 

Here's to makin' whoopie and a happy Halloween all month long!

These boots were made for walking on Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

I'm all about sharing ways to whoop it up so that people can have more joy in life.  With a holiday, there are lots of opportunities. Here is what I've cooked up so far -- Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies with Cream Cheese Fluff.  If you want the recipe, leave a note in the comments section.

The witch boots are from this template. 
http://amusestudio.typepad.com/files/witchboottemplate.pdf

Thank you a•muse studio!  Print on black paper and cut them out.  Cut two slits in straws and insert your boots through the slits.  I cut my boot heels a bit wider than the template so they would stay in the straw slits a bit better.

Enjoy, every day!
Mwah!

WANDER FULL - Why travel makes us happy

Shouldn't I be annoying happy if travel brings joy?  Just this year, I've been to Greece, New Orleans, the Hamptons, New York City, Disney, Idaho and have plans for an upcoming journey to off the grid in West Virginia.  The hotel rooms do not have televisions.  (We are taking the kids so wish us luck on that adventure.)  However, lately The Whoopie Queen has had to practice her own advice to up the happy factor in her life. It probably sounds silly that I'm feeling blue because my son is now a middle schooler and is throwing teenage shade my way.  Being a good parent is the hardest job I've every had!  I'm also embarrassed that I find building a company a lot tougher than I thought it would be.  I long for city life even though I'm in the burbs.  I desire more girlfriend time.  Several of my work programs haven't taken off like I thought they would.  I feel out of control. In the past, when this feeling occurred, I would either rearrange the furniture, clean the house, or chop off my hair.  I have lots of tools now but I'm pulling a crazy one out of the hat.

This time, I choose to plan a trip and there is scientific research to back up the truth that it will put a swing in my step.  A study published in the journal of Applied Research in Quality of Life showed that a vacation affects happiness.  The largest boost comes from the simple act of planning a vacation.  The happy factor lasts for approximately 8 weeks.  Plan a trip and reap the benefits.  The New York Times article is on the link at the bottom of this post. 

The volcano in Santorini is still smokin'!

My love for travel attracted a friend named Megan King who is an adventure queen, using travel as a metaphor to create a great journey in life. She interviewed me on her radio show this morning and it occurred to me that my take on travel is like my take on life - if you are in the moment, you will discover something special.  We talked about some unexpected findings on my trips:  I thought I was eating tofu in Morocco, the volcano in Santorini had steam billowing out of the holes, The Footpath of the Gods in Positano, and what I saw when I broke my legs on a mountain in Vancouver.  All were revelations that ended up being out of the ordinary: sheep brains, sulfur, 1000 steps, and a man not wearing underwear.  More on the interview... http://www.blogtalkradio.com/findyouradventure/2014/10/01/whats-your-adventure-tales-from-the-road

Money spent on experience has been shown to induce happiness more than material goods.  It is about making memories, learning something new, and having surprises in life.  That's what I call makin' whoopie!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/how-vacations-affect-your-happiness/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=1