Halloween '16

  My favorite holiday! As I'm writing this, it's November 1, so I'm kinda bummed. This means there's a whole YEAR before the next Halloween. But it was a great month of Halloween goodness!

  As you may have seen on a previous entry, there was the amazing visit to Disneyland for Mickey's Halloween Party a couple weeks ago. We're already thinking ahead to next year, and possibly what costumes we can come up with. Having ironed out all the logistics, next year will be even more amazing, and that's setting a pretty high bar.

  Last week, I decided to bake some Halloween treats, spurred on no doubt by a plethora (yes, a plethora) of Halloween baking contest shows. Damn you, Food Network! You can't combine Halloween and cake, my two favorite things, and not expect me to binge watch.

  Not wanting to eat forty tons of sugar, I took the goodies in to work and shared with all. I made the mistake of telling people they were gluten, dairy, and soy free. This always puts people off, because they are expecting a taste akin to cardboard. But no, I feel I've honed the recipies pretty well. You honestly cannot tell the difference. There are a LOT of really good substitutes out there for people like us with food allergies.

Chocolate cupcakes with various toppings

Rice Krispie zombie pops with green icing and candy eyes and teeth

Dipped Rice Krispie treats

  Last night, for actual Halloween, the wife was home for a rare evening together! First, we exchanged Halloween gifts- much candy was traded, and there were balloons, decorations, and all manner of ghastly goodness. As usual, she spoiled me rotten. Her holiday is Christmas, mine is Halloween.

There's a spider? Where?

  

  After a quick dinner, we sat down in front of the tv, watched some vampires do vampire stuff, and carved pumpkins. I went classic with mine: triangle eyes and nose, smiling, happy face. She chose a much more difficult "themed" pumpkin: Yoda from Star Wars. Long after I was finished carving mine, she was still punching the design into the face of the pumpkin, and hadn't started carving yet. Tired from the late hour, and a cramping hand, she handed the tools over, and I cut the pieces out. Our effort turned out great!

  Hope you all had a great Halloween! Now, on to the winter holiday season.

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