Halloween

This year I'm proud to say we only bought one costume.  Natalie wanted to be a girl pirate, so while my Mom was in town a week ago we went fabric shopping, and got all the essentials for her and Josh's costume.  She sewed Natalie's cute little skirt, and vest, and I added all the pink (did I mention that Natalie loves pink!!)

I was on my own for Josh's angry bird costume, and after thinking about it for a week, I just sat down and sewed it.  I wish I would have put the face a little higher, but he was happy with how it turned out, and he loved how warm and fuzzy the fleece was.

Daniel decided to be the Invisible Man, which was great since he already owned everything but the gauze, and bandages.  After rifling through our first aid box, he was good to go.

Caleb chose to be Optimus Prime, and as ambitious as I might be, I wasn't about to tackle that one, so that one came from the store.

We kicked off Halloween with a carnival at church on Saturday.  The carnival was so cute, and the kiddos had a blast.  They threw rubber chickens for treats and toys, pulled slingshots to knock over cans, tricycle races, fishing for treats, threw darts at balloons, had their faces painted, did a cupcake walk, and snacked on pocorn and hot apple cider.  It was perfect for the little ones, as the lines were short and they just hopped from one activity to the next.  They each came home with a bag filled with candy and treats, and it was a great start to our Halloween festivities.

Monday, after parties at school we headed to Daddy's work for some trick o' treat fun.  We hit his building first, and after four floors of candy just set out on chairs down every hallway their candy bags were heavy and up to the top.  After filling our tummies (of real food, not just candy) we decided to pack up and head home. 

Once home we took Josh, Caleb and Natalie through the neighborhood for trick or treating.  Daniel being a little too cool for us went off with a friend, and came home with a bag of full-size candy bars.  After our bags were full, and hands were cold, we decided to call it a night, and came home to hand out candy, and enjoy our treasures.

Pumpkin Patch - The Farm

Last week Natalie's preschool class made a fieldtrip to The Farm in Snohomish just down the road from us.  After a week of beautiful sunny skies, that morning it decided to rain, and the poor little kids were drizzled on the entire time.  They visited the farm animals, ran through a hay maze (that was indoors), and then taken to a special patch filled with small pumpkins just their size.  They had their choice of any of them, and Natalie found the perfect one and picked it off the vine before the tractor ride picked us all up to take us back to the entrance. (picture of her and some of her classmates at the end)

After a few days of rain the skies cleared and the entire family decided to visit The Farm to pick pumpkins.  It was such a beautiful crisp fall day.  The kiddos ran through the pumpkin patches looking for the perfect one.   After pumpkins we walked around and looked at the animals, and saw the brand new baby pigs that were born the day before.  We feasted on caramel apples, and cider doughnuts.  With full tummies we finished up, and headed home.  I love fall here!!

Halloween 2010

I will never forget when we first moved here, one of Josh's first questions was, "Do they have Halloween in Washington?"

 I'm sure he had figured out that it rained in Washington, and never having a single rainy Halloween in his life, let alone a cold one, he was probably figuring it impossible to trick or treat in the rain.

 "Rain or Shine" is the motto in Washington, so yes Joshy there is a Halloween in Washington.

 We started Friday night with Trick or Treating at Daddy's work.  After three floors, there bellys were full of food, and their bags were full of candy.

 Saturday we enjoyed a lazy morning, and then a Halloween Carnival at the church.  Instead of the usual trunk 'r treat, the kids visited decorated doors inside the church to get candy and treats.  After a huge pot luck dinner, and even more candy we were tired and ready for bed.

Sunday found us a little pooped.  After church, and a nap, we carved pumpkins and made a spooky dinner.  The kiddos were pretty done with Halloween and after realizing that our driveway was a little dark for trick o' treaters we closed up shop, turned off the lights, and headed downstairs for a family movie.

Halloween night the kiddos put out the remainder of the candy (the stuff that hadn't made it to their bellies) and the Great Pumpkin came and whisked it away, leaving a toy for each of them.

Halloween 2010 was a great success!!

Pumpkin Picking

After Snoqualmie Falls we headed north to Snohomish for pumpkins.  The kids roamed around in the pumpkin patch and found the perfect pumpkins. 



Natalie kept saying how pretty the sunflowers were, so Daniel pulled her aside and they walked to the edge of the patch where the sunflowers were.  Then Daniel picked a sunflower for his little sister and totally made her day.  I love those tender moments!!

11 - 16 & Potato Soup

11 - Trick or Treat Bags
        I purchased some inexpensive bags at the craft store in both orange and black, along with some self-adhesive felt and a few paint pens.  I found some glitter glue in our personal stash, and invited the kiddos to the table. 

No rules, just decorate your bags. 



Daniel went for candy decorations, since that what was going in them anyway, Josh freehanded a lizard, and Caleb chose to use some cookie cutters to draw pumpkins and ghosts.  Natalie was too busy checking out the boys handiwork, and wasn't interested in anything but strawberries (she's very into strawberries righ now!!)

The best past, we still have another side to decorate in the next few weeks, and it was fun to watch their personal creativity.

12 - Mummy Dogs  - fun little snack for the kiddos, except ours had red eyes, since no one likes mustard except daddy.

Directions: Cut crescent roll dough into thin strips and wrap around hot dogs. Bake according to crescent package directions and use ketchup or mustard for eyes. I cut my hot dogs in half to make them bite-sized.
(recipe and pic courtesy of Our Best Bites)


13 - Treasure Hunt  - I was silly and also feeling a little lazy, so I hid clues that had the kids go from room to room, at the end was a Halloweeny snack.

14 - Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies (super easy!!)
       1 - box Spice Cake Mix
       1 - 14oz can pumpkin
       1 - bag chocolate chips

Mix together and drop dough onto cookie sheet in rounded spoonfuls and bake...350degrees for 8-10 min.

15 - Pumpkin watercolor.  Have the kiddos draw pumpkin with pencil.  When finished outlinw with sharpie, and paint with watercolor.  Fun and quick decorations..

16 - Potato Soup (the best ever!!)
       My friend Rachelle had this recipe and the above picture on her blog, and I couldn't refuse trying it.  It's actually one of Dave's favorite soups and I don't think I've ever made it for him (at least I redeemed myself after making this)

It is so warm, hearty, and smells like a fully loaded baked pototo. So good!!

Best Ever Potato Soup

6 bacon strips, diced
3 c cubed potatoes
1 - 14.5oz can chicken broth (or 2 cups homemade broth)
1 small carrot
1/2 c chopped onion
1 T parsley flakes
1/2 tsp each of celery salt, salt and pepper
3 T flour
3 c milk
8 oz cheddar cheese (grated or cubed)

In large saucepan cook bacon until crisp; drain and reserve drippings.

Add potatoes, onion, carrot, broth, parsley, celery seed, salt, and pepper.  Cover and simmer about 15-20 min until pototoes are soft.

Combine flour and bacon dripppings until smooth, then add milk.  Stir into potato mixture.

Bring soup to a boil and stir for about 2 minutes.  Add cheese, stir until until melted, and soup is heated through.  Top with cooked bacon.

7,8,9 & 10 - Pumpkin Muffins

a quick catch up of our 31 days of Halloween crafts and goodies...

7 - Clothespin Bats  http://www.marthastewart.com/article/clothespin-bats

8 - Skeleton Brains
  So hubby was out of town and one of my kiddos favorite dinners is Alfredo Pasta.  We chose one from the pantry that looked like curly brains, and then added homemade alfredo to it.  They all enjoyed saying many times through dinner whose brains they were eating, and were so so silly.  (but all the plates were clean, so they must have enjoyed their brains!!)

9 - Ghost Jugs http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/ghost-crafts/spirit-jugs-673388/

  I would love to have enough of these to line the driveway up to our front door, but I'm not sure we'll go through 20 milk jugs between now and Halloween, I'll have to start earlier next year!!

10 - Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

I had these a few years ago, and they were so delicious, that I immediately called my friend's mom just to get the recipe.  We've been using it every fall since, and we sure do go through a lot of pumpkin around here.

We also like them without frosting, and chocolate chips inside the muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 15oz pumpkin
2 cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin
Mix dry ingredients together and then add to wet mixure above.
Place in muffin tins, and Bake at 350 for 25-30min, or until center is cooked.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cup powdered sugar

Beat well with mixer

6 - Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats

6 - A huge favorite of mine when I was growing up, peanut butter, butterscotch and rise krispies..yum!!

The original reipe calls for corn syrup and extra sugar, but I think they taste just as delicious with this simple recipe..

Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats

1 bag Butterscotch Morsels
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies

Melt butterscotch and peanut butter, add in krispies.  Press into a 9x13 pan.  Cool and cut into squares.

5 - Haunted House

5 - Natalie pulled out one of the Halloween clearance crafts which happened to be a gigantic haunted house.  Dave called just as she did to tell me he was on his way home, and I told him about the gigantic pile of foam shapes on the table ready to be assembled. 

First off, he is not a fan of those foam stickers. Have you ever tried to remove one from the wood floor, or refrigerator, or toolbox?? So not fun.  They don't come off!! So when I mentioned the word foam craft, I think he got a little anxious, just thinking about where they would all end up, in fact we talked about his entire trip home.  Yes, we talk every day as he drives home from work, kind of our time before the kids pounce on him as he walks in the door, and I have to share him again. 

And as he walked in the door, he was met with a challenge, one he could walk away from and let me deal with, or he could conquer on his own.  He sat down on the bench, scooted up to table, and looked at Natalie, who was already beaming at his very presence.  "Let's build a scary house Natalie"  He was pleasantly suprised to find it was more of a 3D puzzle that needed to be assembled, with a only some decorative "foam" stickers.  Soon he was joined by Caleb, and then the other boys came up to see if Daddy was home.  I made dinner as I watched all the kids offer advice on where this piece might go, and "oh, daddy here's that piece".  When they were finished they all had smiles on their faces, and were excited to show me the finished result.

Sometimes it's the uncomfortable things that we tackle that we find the most joy from, we surprise ourselves and we please others.

(Photo is currently hiding on an SD card inside of a camera on a plane heading for a work trip, will post later!!)

3- Crepes 4 - Foam Fun

3 - Crepes, delicious.  Spread with nutella, bananas and whip cream, one of my big favorites.  We decorated them like pumpkins, and did scary faces, before rolling up their goodness so we could enjoy them.  We tried apples and caramel, strawberries and whip cream, and some just did syrup and whip cream.  Either way delicious, easy and fun!!

4 -  As I opened up the Halloween Decorations (all 4 bins) this year, I became super impressed with myself.  Last year I purchased a slew of Halloween Crafts for 90% off, I did this sometime around the first of December as I recall, and I remember climbing through the garage to locate the Halloween boxes, only to find there was no room.  I had to create an additional box, just to fit all my new treasures.  The best part, I completely forgot about them, and what a huge surprise to me and the kiddos when we found them.

So we opened a few, and created scary pumpkins, and cute ghosts with foam shaped objects, googly eyes, and glitter glue (all included) 

2 - Bat Tissue Paper Garland

picture from marthstewart.com

This was so simple and easy, and although that's not my mantle pictured above, hopefully it will soon be fully decorated and just as spooky, and festive.

Here are the simple directions found which I found at marthastewart.com along with lots of other fun ideas I will be doing throughout the month.  You just need one package of black tissue paper, a bat template/or cookie cutter, and scissors. 

1- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough BRAIN Cupcakes to be exact.

I saw an amazing idea for cookie dough cupcakes, where the inside has a soft cookie dough center, and a delicious cookie dough buttercream frosting, and thought this was the perfect time to try it.

We decorated them as brains to celebrate our first day of October and give them extra special spookiness.

Step 1 - Make your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough, substitute 2-3 tbsp of milk for the eggs. I used mini chocolate chips.

Step 2 - Roll dough in 24 small balls and freeze (bake, or eat the rest of the dough!)

Step 3 - Mix up your favorite cupcake recipe and place in cupcake liners (I just used a box mix)

Step 4 - Place frozen cookie balls in center of uncooked cupcake (see pic above)

Step 5 - Bake according to cupcake directions (20-25 min)



You can't even see the yummy soft cookie dough hiding inside...

Step 6 - Make this incredible Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting

          3 sticks unsalted softened butter

          ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
          3½ cups powdered sugar
          1 cup all-purpose flour
          ¾ tsp. salt
          3 tbsp. milk
          2½ tsp. vanilla extract
          (recipe for frosting found here, along with a variation of the cookie dough cupcake)

Step 7 - Frost Cupcakes (We did brains to be spooky for Halloween)

Step 8 - Enjoy!!