This Is Halloween....

Thursday night we celebrated Halloween with Aunt Vera.
We crammed all of our "traditional" Halloween activities into one fantastical fun filled evening.


First up: Sugar Cookies.
Winner for most sprinkles went to Bella.

Winner for most creative was Vera with her gray frosting coffin cookie.
Winner for most patient cookie decorating helper went to Alma for his endelss decorating with Oliver.

Winner for best cookie batter mixer? Well, since I baked them, automatic win.

Next, a break from sugar and over to Thai Food for dinner...a little out of tradition...but probably now a tradition. Nothing like Thai food to sooth the soul.

Back home, kids into costumes (which they couldn't get on fast enough), and homemade root beer.


This one of my favorite activities to do with the kids.
Every year without fail, they get that huge wide eyed-goofy grinned face when you add the dry ice.

Lastly, the pinata.
Bella is a bit obsessed with pinatas.
She has been asking for one for months.
Every where we go, she looks for a pinata. She can spot them from miles away.
So, being in the vacation mood, we promised a pinata at Aunt Vera's.


The kids picked a green monster pinata.
We stuffed it to the gills (or scales) with candy.
We hung it from the rafters in the chapel (remember....mortuary...perfect for halloween pinata party).
The kids smacked that pinata over and over and over until they finally busted it off the string.

Sadly, the didn't bust the actual pinata.
So, enter yours truly with a large stick and a mission for candy.
One smack...done.

The kids rolled, literally, in the candy.
Bella will someday curse me for putting this picture up...but it was perfect. She kicked her legs in the air and screamed "I LOVE PINATA'S!!!".
Awesome.



While in the chapel, we also got a little crazy with the casket we had served food out of at the cooking circle. No...there has NEVER been a dead body in this casket..just a chocolate crazed lady.


Note to self....caskets are not comfortable...make sure to request a posturepedic model for permanent resting place.

We ended the night with stories by Vera as the sugar coma's set in and we headed to bed for our last night in California.

The next day would be filled with goodbyes and drives...a sure tear jerker for me.
But hey, at least we had a pinata.