What's Fall Without A Halloween Post?

Of course we did Halloween!  We had a hugely busy day, and for the first time, we did not have all the kids together for Trick or Treating.  The older 2 were invited out with friends (super nice families) and we let them go!  I was excited that it meant Patrick has made some new strides at Seton, and new, bigger kid activities are opening to him.  Emma had a birthday celebration to go along with T or T. 

But first, we had a party at the Knights of Columbus.  All but Mommy were dressed in costume!  James asked me who I was dressed as, and the usual response from me is "a Mommy."

 Glinda, Minnie, Christopher Columbus, Baseball player, and Iron Man. 

A prize if you guessed James was "Larry Boy" and his super suction ears!  A friend loaned us this adorable creation by her mother, and James was thrilled to wear it.  Though a mask and glasses don't always go well together.

Now, a little backstory on Emma's costume.  This creation is from my senior year in high school musical, where I was Glinda!  The dress was so pretty, and just a little long (as I had a 5 foot wide hoop skirt when I wore it), so I pulled out my sewing machine and did some stitching! 

Now, if you have a costume on in the morning, and you decide to trick or treat later on, it's only natural that you pick another one, right?  Well, we had 2 fast changes that evening.

William decided to be a "Formal Apology" but he didn't tell folks what he was, so he didn't get as many laughs as I had hoped.  This one gives me the giggles.

The little guys all went out with Daddy, and shorter legs means less candy (thankfully).  Tommy even took sweet Lucy along with him.

 I was alone.  All alone in the house.  I got an itch to do some tidying.  I almost always sit outside and hand out candy.  Almost every year it is me.  And our neighborhood has long wait times in between.  So, I started to clean.  I left a big bowl outside, I had lights on, I would go to the door every now and then and wave at the neighbors.  Then I got distracted, and I look up and see a line of kids at my door, looking at me expectantly.

My bowl was gone. 
My candy was gone. 
GONE!  Not even an hour had gone by.  I was so upset.  Dratted kids.  I liked that bowl too.  But, it was my own fault.  I guess.  "Trick or treat!" 

But, I still had the Cutest Minnie in the world at my house!  Love this cutie patootie! 

Carrot Cake: from the LSU Tiger Bait Cookbook 

CAKE INGREDIENTS

 4 eggs
1½ cups vegetable oil
1-8 ounce package cream cheese (softened)
3 cups grated carrots
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and lightly flour two 9” round pans or one 13” x 9” oblong
pan.
Combine sugar, flour, soda, salt and cinnamon and stir together.  Combine cream cheese,
eggs, and oil.  Beat well.  Add vanilla and beat again.  Add dry ingredients and mix until
well blended.  Add grated carrots and chopped nuts and mix.  Pour into pan(s) and bake:
45 minutes for round, or 55 minutes for oblong.  Cake is done when toothpick comes out
clean.  Cool and frost. (Recipe follows.)

ICING INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup butter (softened)
1-8 ounce package cream cheese (softened)
1-1 pound box powdered (Confectioner’s) sugar – sifted
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and cream cheese until very light.  Add sugar gradually, beating after each
addition.  Add milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Enough for top, middle and sides of round cake.

(Note for me: if icing is too thin, continue beating, add more powdered sugar, and/or less milk)