Happiest of Halloweens today, my friends!
Halloween is my favorite holiday,
and the North Carolina weather did NOT disappoint!
We woke up to rain and windy weather.
I took Lottie to school, took a spooky Barre class,
then came home and baked and prepped for our
family Halloween feast later that afternoon.
(especially if it is raining and dark),
so we had an early dinner together that included:
Halloween Chili with all the toppings and hot cornbread.
Green apples and caramel dip, baked pumpkin seeds
(with my secret ingredient, Anise seeds), goblin grapes,
and, of course, the traditional Root Beer in the black cauldron
with dry ice bubbling inside.
For dessert, I made a pumpkin spice cake with
vanilla frosting that I designed
to look like a spooky, drippy Halloween candle.
I saved a bunch of my summer Zinnias to dry and use as
centerpieces for my Halloween table.
Gigs and Lottie walked in the door after school
(Gigs, wearing his gorilla costume).
They helped me get the final things done for dinner.
This year, I set out a game, Clue, a Nielson favorite.
It was so fun to leisurely play, eat, laugh, and talk.
This is a new tradition, for sure!
Soon, Lottie's friends called her to see where she was
since they had already met up in the neighborhood near her elementary school
to wait for her to go trick-or-treating.
She didn't want to leave! No one did!
That made me feel good.
I'm so glad we like each other!
So we hurried and finished our game.
(Gigs won; Mrs. Peacock with the dagger in the Study).
I helped Lottie get her cute French girl outfit, make-up
and then she and Gigs left.
Gigs was in his Gorilla costume and the Chinese leaf hat
that he won at the state fair.
He was meeting up with friends.
Christian and I cleaned up the house, then ate some pumpkin cake
by our cozy fireplace.
It couldn't have been a better evening.
Everything was perfect (except for missing three children).
Around 8:00, Christian and I picked up Lottie, who was
with her bestie, Antonia, trick-or-treating in a neighborhood
near her elementary school, about 20 minutes away.
One of my favorite Halloween traditions is driving by the pumpkin stand
on a lonely, quiet country road on the way to school,
yet somehow, on Halloween night, it's filled with bright-lit pumpkins.
I always wonder who makes them and where they come from.
It's a mystery, and I absolutely LOVE IT!
'Til next year, Halloween!
