HCE Blog

Hey moms and dads! Want something fun and safe to do with your kids this Halloween? Well, check out these fun Halloween and fall-themed activities this month!  October 17 Drop by the Shreve Memorial Library’s Blanchard Branch for fall-themed storytime! They will be reading books like Nursery Rhymes, Pumpkin Pumpkin, Fall Leaves, It's Pumpkin Time, and Moonlight the Halloween Cat. They will al...

Hey moms and dads! Want something fun and safe to do with your kids this fall? Try out these fun community events going on!   October 17 Bring the family to Bear Creek Smokehouse at 10857 State Highway 154, Marshall, TX for a fun-filled Business After Hours event from 4:30-7:30 p.m.! Watch the pumpkin carving contest and try some of Bear Creek Smokehouse’s samples.  October 19 The Jefferson...

We all remember growing up and making that leap from taking liquid medicine to taking a pill! Many of us might remember struggling with swallowing a pill for the first time— maybe the first several times. Now, you have your own child struggling with the same issue. How do you help them get used to it?  First, before you move your child from liquid medicine to pills, make sure they are old enou...

The best way to avoid the flu, and its possible complications, is to get the annual flu vaccine! The strain of flu that is prevalent each year can vary, and the body’s immunities deteriorate over time, so it is important to get the shot yearly. The flu shot will not give you the flu, though some people can have minor reactions to it. You can still potentially get the flu even if you get the sho...

Want to monitor the candy intake of your children after trick-or-treating? Don’t let them squirrel it all away in their rooms and eat it at their own leisure. Take the candy and hide the stash out of the reach of children. You’ll be able to make sure they don’t eat too much, and you’ll be able to snag a few pieces for yourself! 

With the invention of cell phones, people have gotten more and more distracted and less focused on the world around them. Sadly, this even includes crossing the street! Sometimes, we forget the “look both ways” rule while we’re scrolling through Facebook or other social media favorites. This is especially dangerous for children when they’re out trick-or-treating at night on Halloween. Give them...

Want a fun treat to give to your boos and ghouls this Halloween season? Give this snack a try! Mummy Dogs 1 sheet of pastry dough (we recommend Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheets) 10 hot dogs Cooking spray Mustard or ketchup Preheat your oven according to the packaging of the dough you have purchased! Unroll the dough and cut into 4 rectangles. Cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 strips...

It’s still a bit warm down here in the South even when we’re well into October. If your child gets an ice cream craving near Halloween, try giving them this healthy (and spooky) alternative instead! Boo-nana Pops 1 medium banana 1 cup good quality white chocolate* 8 mini chocolate chips for eyes 4 popsicle sticks Cut the banana in half lengthwise, then cut those halves in half so that ...

We know it’s hard to get the kiddos to eat healthy food on any day, but it’s often so much harder on Halloween! They just want to gobble down candy and sugar until they’re bouncing off the walls. Try out some of these fun (and healthy) Halloween-themed snacks that will help the kids from filling up on candy! Monster Teeth Sliced granny smith apples, cut into 8 sections 1 cup of organic pea...

Have you ever gone to the doctor and frozen up when the nurse asks what medications you’ve been taking? They all have such complicated names, it’s hard to keep up with them all! Avoid the stress of having to remember all the names with this simple hack! Write down the names of every medication you take and keep the list in your wallet or purse. If you don’t carry either of those, make a note i...