Family Halloween Bash

We had our annual Family Halloween Bash at my sister Jenny's house. A Costume was required to get in the door. We all brought an activity to do to add to the fun. I was in charge of the table center pieces, I've always loved flower arrangements in vases made from hollowed out pumpkins so I cut the tops off of fake pumpkins and then inserted small glass cylinder vases inside to hold the flowers and water, I got the flowers and berry fillers at Costco like usual. The flower arrangements, fall leaf and berry garlands, bronze glass pumpkins, glittery gold chargers and napkins, black table cloths and napkin rings, cream sodas and apples all made for a lovely spread.  


I was impressed with everybody's creativity in their costumes: Kate (CSI Las Vagas Sarah Sidle, I wanted to be her with a full body jumpsuit but kitch beet me to it....I love that I got her hooked, now I know I will always have someone to watch my guilty pleasure CSI with), Jenny (Snow White), Evy (orange kitty), Mike (Woody from Toy Story), Pops (a hippie clown), Mom (a frilly lady from the 20's), Nora (Mini Mouse), Me (Supper Woman), Reece (The Flash).

After doing a scrapbook project for Reece's mom where I made a memories book of all thier halloweens throughout the years, I have fallen in love with the "themed couple costume" idea. So this year I let Reece choose the theme and I wasn't surprised when he chose super heros (that is what he has been for the last three halloweens we have been married). Next year I have a great idea for a theme I cant wait to compile our awesome costumes, get excited to see them next year. The Griffen's had a great "Disney" theme, which is perfect for them (they absolutely love Disneyland and go annually).

The food was adorable and extremely yummy. Jenny had made pigs in a blanket "spider-style", with a catsup and ranch web dipping sauce, creamy potato soup, green salad with orange vinigarette, and crackers with little cheese pumpkins on them. Jenny also helped Nora make all the crafty paper decor for the cupboards. 

Jenny created a collage wall of all our families old halloween pictures from when our parents were young, we were young, when our husbands were young, and now the grandkids. It was so fun to reminisce. If you look closely you will can see me as a cowgirl, a japanese geisha, an angle, a cheerleader, a plethora of baby animals, and Captain America's 1920's girlfriend.

My mom brought a witch hat decorating craft. We sewed on feather boas around the rim and then glued on various sparkly trinkets from spiders to letters, to flowers. 


I then had to try to take an artistic photo to capture how magical our hats turned out.

Kitch brought all the ingredients for yummy carmel apples. We learned from our mistakes at the last halloween bash that we needed to add a couple tablespoons of water to the carmel while we were melting it (otherwise the carmel dries on the apples rock-tooth-breaking hard). We had a carmel layer, a chocolate layer, and then a toppings layer. Our toppings consisted of mini m&m's, oreos, graham cracker crumbs, and cinnamon sugar. I did a dark chocolate and oreo combo but the family's pick was the "apple pie" recipe. Carmel and white chocolate with graham cracker and cinnamon topping.

I found these gingerbread house decorating kits almost a month before and since I knew that we wouldn't be eating the candy I got them for my activity for the party. I tried to decorate mine to look like the one on the box. But I wish I had thought of adding trees like my friend who ended up doing the same activity. Dang it. Ill save that idea for the future.

I thought Mike's was perfect. The back was a dracula face with a beauty mark and on the side was a CSI's crime scene complete with caution tape and cones. Amazing.

It was the perfect halloween celebration. Yummy food, fun activities, and most of all.... amazing people.