Halloween, finally an excuse to eat more sweets!

Halloween cupcake bites.  Cute little pumpkin, spider web, googly bloodshot eyeball and the bloody bone.

Many people think of candy when Halloween rolls around.  Me? Not so much.  I buy the kind of candy I would never eat.  Like gummy, sour stuff or candy bars with fillings or smarties or something. That way I won't eat any of it.  But then I go and create things like cupcake bites and all restraint goes out the window.  I think I have spoken of these lovely little morsels before.  I make a cake, crumble it and mix it with frosting.  (You can use any combo, but red velvet and cream cheese are hands down, my customer's favorites.)  Roll it into balls, chill and then dunk in chocolate, white chocolate or candy melts.  Then finish them off with many different types of decorations. I used fondant to make the eyes, chocolate covered sunflower seeds for the pumpkin stem, Wilton candy bones and Halloween sprinkles. Really the possibilities are endless!

I also turn to seasonal ingredients this time of year.  Like, pumpkin.  Kowalski's Market loved my samples and now they sell my Perfectly Pleasing Pumpkin Bread, in two flavors. Can't keep it on the shelves.  What a "perfectly pleasing" problem to have, right?

Cranberry pecan

Choco-chip

So, it is the day before Halloween and my kids have changed their minds on their costumes about 12 times.  I put my foot down and made them decide this afternoon.  The decisions are in.  And now, I am about to run around town looking for the details that we "have to have" to complete their costumes. Next time, I won't be so organized and demanding.  I will let them wait until about an hour before trick or treating to see what they are wearing.  At that point, they will scramble to find anything we have in the house.  Just like I did when I was young.
Except for that one year where my mom got creative and made me a present box.  The box was so big and the arm holes so small, I couldn't get past any kid who was running by, let alone ring any doorbells.    I ended up with very little candy and very big bruises on my arms.  Moms have the best intentions.

Next year, I will try not to be such a good mom. :)

Pirates and Jimmies and Tyler, Oh my!

So, it happened. My oldest nephew, Tyler, went from a fun, little boy who sat and drank Sunny D at my kitchen table out of a sippy cup to a confident, young man going off to college!  After suffering an ACL tear right before junior year basketball tryouts, he certainly rebounded for his senior year and helped to take his team to a winning season.  He was a Pewaukee Pirate. Arggg!

He received a scholarship and an opportunity to play basketball at Jamestown College in North Dakota. So, now he's a Jimmie! Not really sure what that is, gonna have to ask him the next time we text.  Cuz, that's what you do with a busy college guy.  You text, right? 

His mom (my older sister) and his dad, gave him a great send off with a fantastic graduation party.  I was in charge of sweets.  Imagine that.

So, here's the cake.  Looks pretty good after traveling 5 hours, staying in a hotel, surviving record high temps and being stared at by many young people wanting to devour it!

Please excuse me (and Ty forgive me), but I must reminisce.  This boy stole my heart the day he was born and still keeps a tight grasp.  I must say I almost felt like he was one of mine going off to school.  Did I mention he will actually be living closer to me now than his family?  I'm just saying.

Here he is as a grade schooler.  Cool hair, dude!

With his Nani as an 8th grader. Trying to prove that height may skip a generation :)

No one is too old for Santa!

Teaching my little guy how to properly organize your matchbox cars.

Show off!! He is always holding a basketball.

Ready to go explore the world, but not without one last hug from his overprotective Auntie.

Make us proud Ty. You have many talents and gifts.  I may be biased, but my favorite is that part of your sweet, sensitive heart that you share with me at my kitchen counter while eating cookies.

Now, come visit!