I thought I would take a moment, on July 31 to let you know that Halloween is just a short 3 months away so you should start planning right now! I love Halloween because what other holiday do you get to be whoever or whatever you want AND someone gives you free candy? There is no downside to that – unless there is. When I was a kid, Lisa (my best friend) and I would run up and down the streets of the neighboring subdivision trick or treating at every single house. Every. Single. One. We hid our grocery sacks in the bushes that separated Lisa’s property from the subdivision and would go empty our Jack-O-Lantern treat baskets at least six times. Lisa and I lived across the road from each other, me on a ranch and her on a farm with the property just north of our homes being a subdivision development. One year I was Caspar the Friendly Ghost with one of those masks that nearly suffocated you and that had elastic on the back to hold the mask on. The white costume part was vinyl and since it can still be very warm on Halloween in Oklahoma, I remember sweating up a storm but unwilling to give up until every single house was attended to. One year I was the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz. That was a material costume and much more comfortable. My favorite costume – and the one that hurt my head the most – was Raggedy Ann. Mom made my outfit to look just like hers with the pantaloons and black Mary Janes – then she used RIT dye to dye a string mop red and then pinned it to my head. Lisa did my make-up and I really looked like a life-sized doll. Except, it took so many bobby pins to keep that mop in my thick curly hair I hardly smiled because it kept pulling my hair down! After we turned about 11, Lisa and I went as hobos every year. It was easy to draw whiskers on our faces and we could wear our dad’s clothes and hats, be comfortable and still look like we had great costumes. While I don’t have any pictures of me in costume, I do have a picture of Top Girl and her friend from College. The girl on the right is Top Girl – the girl on the left is a Ph D now……..I still laugh about that. I love the girl like she was my own, but who knew people would have to address her as Dr???
If Halloween did not land on a Saturday, then the Saturday before Halloween we would attend her church’s Halloween Hayride. You did not wear a costume for this, you wore the warmest clothes you could without having to wear a coat. Everyone would meet at the Southeast Baptist Church and then head out to the Brannan’s farm where we would get on the flat bed hay truck (with hay) and ride out to some far distant speck of light in the pitch black night to sit around a big bonfire and roast hot dogs and marshmallows – then we would ride back to the barn and there, they would have a table draped in black with orange sherbet punch and all kinds of cool sweets like these:
Oohh….Scary Blood Cupcake
You can find the recipes here: Halloween Cupcakes
Chocolate chocolate with bones!
These were so good!
Aren’t these great? And so easy! Just dip Nutter Butters in almond bark and add the “eyes”! Look: Halloween Ghosties
You can find these here but they are the same as the ghosts! Monster Toes
These are almond bark coated Oreos!
You can find that tutorial here: Halloween Oreos
Ooooh! Spooky Brownies – Find the Tutorial here: Spooky Brownies
And finally, if you are overloaded on sugar and need something solid and yet still spooky – Halloween Chili Bowls!
You can find the How-To here: Halloween Chili Bowls
Hope you find at least one of these something you can use this Halloween!! KK
Your story is so funny! It’s almost always COLD on Halloween in Missouri and lots of times, it’s also rainy. I made a witch costume for the youngest one that consisted of a cordurouy dress (nearly floor length) and cape along with a hat! WIth it, she could wear the warmest clothes underneath, even a coat if needed, and stay nice and warm! For years, we had tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner on Halloween — with a pumpkin face cut out of the cheese sandwiches. When the girls got a little older, we opted for Halloween pizza — using pepperoni (of course) for the pumpkin face. Ah, those were the days . . . last year, we did not have a single young ‘un trick or treat at our house. 🙁 I guess the parents are just too afraid of strangers and strange happenings. At least the church has a “trunk” or treat where we can dish out candy and see all the cute costumes!
Those are great memories!!
cute stuff and great story, but I refuse to think that Halloween is around the corner. Way too much to get in before then! My faves are the nutter butter ghosts–mmmmmmm 🙂
My son-in-law says that’s when he knew he was in love with my daughter – she made those for him. In fact, she makes them more than just at Halloween!
Those bread bowls are pretty awesome!!! I love Halloween too. You suddenly got me very excited for October!
Heck I’m always excited for October – it’s my birthday month and I celebrate all month long!
oh! I really love Halloween too for the costumes and the free candy too! 🙂 loved your story! & I agree all those treats look delicious! 🙂 hope you are having a great week Kelli
So much fun to read about Halloween in August. And thanks for reminding me of those great cookies you’ve posted in the past.
Lillian
Thank you Lillian – your summertime stories inspired me to write a new post and talk about my fun on Halloween!
We lived way out in the country so we would drive to my grandparents house and a few neighbors. One year we had a small Halloween party and your comments about the Caspar mask made me think about that party. I know we had a bear, a princess,a clown and a Caspar….all of us sporting one of those claustrophobic masks. I need to find that picture and use it on a post in October. 🙂 Thanks for posting this now. 🙂
I think the picture would be great! Can’t wait to see it. Yep, I’m always early – mom was and still is chronically late so…..:)
I do really love Halloween. Not so much as a child but, as a young adult, I threw some outrageous costume parties with all sorts of drunken debauchery. 🙂 But, I can’t quite deal with this yet. Give me till September. 😉
I love this post and I love that you did it in July – you rule!
This week I’m all about pumpkin and apple recipes, so why not. Let’s celebrate the best holiday of the year every single day! I love Halloween.. LOOOOVE!
Me too! I’m so glad you enjoyed it – thank you for dropping by and please come back!
What a fun post for summer!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your Halloween adventures! 🙂
Kenley
Halloween is my favorite holiday, too! I noticed that my halloween posts have been getting traffic lately, and that would explain why! Everyone must be preparing!!
These all look awesome!
I pinned your Halloween crafts from last year and it’s getting traffic! Yay!
Great ideas .. I love the first picture. Looks like I could take a bite out of every single one and not get caught 🙂
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If my family would eat soup, I’d totally do those bowls! CUTE!
I will be honest – the very top picture in the post, my first reaction was “But someone took a bit out of the cookie!”
My husband loves the Jack-O-Lantern chili bread bowls, though.
It was my attempt at a moon from a Cakester! 🙂 Those cupcakes are very sweet – my favorites were the ones with the bones!
I love the chili bowls! That looks easy. Going to try it.
Trust me – I’m a klutz with a knife and mine looked okay I bet yours will look great!!
I love Halloween and those treats look great! I am definitely going to try the chili bowls and the nutter butter cookies 🙂 yum!
The nutter butter cookies are fun!
I must have been traveling this summer and missed this post! Too funny, Kelli! I need to make some Halloween treats for the neighborhood kids this year. Last year we had a dinner out so I turned off the lights. Boo hiss!