Giving Thanks, Finding Hope

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Thanksgiving is a time when we reflect on all the blessings that have been given to us throughout the year. It is a beautiful holiday because it fosters the humility and gratitude that all of us fortunate people need to have.

We are grateful to have the chance to get a college education. We are grateful for those people who believed in us when others did not, and maybe when we did not believe in ourselves either. We are grateful for family and friends, food, water and clothing. We wake up in the morning and are ultimately grateful to be alive.

However, this particular Thanksgiving is special.

“The Meaning of Fear”– Halloween Themed Event Coming Up at BHC QC Campus

Fall– a time for pumpkins, jumping in leaves, picking apples, eating apples, harvesting the crops, enjoying campfires, spending time with family and friends, and, yes, fall is the  time for Halloween. Halloween, for kids, usually translates as a time to dress up as our favorite characters and score a bunch of free candy.

Unfortunately, as adults, we usually (usually) no longer have that privilege. Instead, many adults entertain themselves by focusing on the scary aspects of Halloween, such as haunted houses and horror movies. 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

College students rejoice – sweatpants weather is back folks! As are all the wonderful seasonal clichés like UGG-ly shoes, bonfires, football games, and pumpkin spice lattes (you know you love them, admit it).

Diets are gradually ceasing now that swimsuit season is over. More importantly, we can now curl up and accomplish our homework while being wrapped in a Snuggie. Life is good.

If the seasonal anticipation is nagging at you, there are already numerous activities available to pump you up for autumn, besides the obvious event of raking up a pile of leaves and then shoving people into it.

Tanner’s Apple Orchard, located in Speer, IL, has enough excitement to easily entertain you for a whole day. With a 20 acre pumpkin patch, wagon rides, and an Apple Bin Bakery, there’s a bit of something for everyone. They’re open 10-5 daily and if you make it out that way, you MUST try the apple cider donuts.

I repeat: TRY THE APPLE CIDER DONUTS.

If you’re looking for a pumpkin patch more locally, Country Corner is located in Alpha, IL and hosts a handful of activities throughout October. There’s a Giant Pumpkin Canon that’s in full-operation mode on weekends; who doesn’t want to see pumpkins blasted out of a canon?

Country Corner also has a new activity this year called the Zombie Quest. This event goes on from 7-10 on Friday and Saturday nights now through October 31st.  Prepare to shoot some zombies with a paintball gun while riding aboard the Zombie Train!

On October 18, 24, and 25th, Ashley April performs. Ashley Bearden, the daughter half of the father-daughter duo, confirmed, “Country Corner hires us to come out during certain weekends to perform from 1-4 pm. My dad and I sing various songs from either older country or newer country, with a slight blend of modern hit songs.”

There are countless haunted houses in the Quad Cities with creatures lurking in the shadows to make you scream. Factory of Fear in Moline, Terror at Skellington Manor in Rock Island, and Torment at Twelve Hundred in Orion all charge a fifteen dollar admission fee and are open every Friday and Saturday from 7- midnight.

For the child at heart, Niabi Zoo is hosting Boo at the Zoo again this year on October 24th from 10-3.

The city of Davenport will also be hosting the Halloween Parade on October 31st at 1 pm.

You have to take advantage of this season while you can; it always seems like by the time summer ends, the snow starts to arrive too soon. Although you could be purchasing your new fake Christmas tree at the same time you buy a Halloween costume this year, load up on the candy corn, apple cider, and mini-candy bars while they’re on sale.

Autumn will be gone before you know it, and Santa doesn’t drink pumpkin spice lattes.

Beaches, parks and trips, oh my!

Summer is coming!

Summer is my favorite season of the year. Here or in Brazil, I am always excited when the days begin to warm up and the vacations get closer.

Fighting or flowing? How to deal with spring fever

The weather is starting to warm up, the grass is becoming green again, and Easter Sunday has been celebrated. Whether the temperature agrees consistently or not, spring is here. Unfortunately, spring also brings along “the fever”causing a lack of motivation  to do anything school related or anything that you don’t want to do for that matter. Most of us do not have time for distractions, so here are some ways to fight off spring fever.

Hallmark has a touch of Disney

The well-known fact about Valentine’s Day is that it is a Hallmark Holiday; however, like Disney and his fairy tales, Hallmark did not just pull the holiday out of nowhere. Disney is known for taking an old idea and making it into a new one.

Is Valentine’s Day a Big Deal?

Like many other holidays, Valentine’s Day is over commercialized. There are advertisements for flowers, teddy bears, and chocolates everywhere starting immediately in the new year.

How Does Santa Come in Without a Chimney? — Christmas Traditions and Where They Came From

This holiday season, millions of American families will be partaking in their annual Christmas traditions. These traditions are passed down from generation to generation and their symbolism and purpose is often lost as the years pass. Here are three of the most common and ancient Christmas traditions that are hardly ever thought twice about.