Halloween is a Hit

This year holidays and celebrations are really starting to mean something to Isabelle.  We had a summer full of birthday celebrations and she now fully understands what wonderful things come with birthdays.  Now we enter the holiday season, and boy is it fun!  We have been reading Halloween books, talking about witches and ghosts, admiring yard decorations around the city, going to parties and dressing up, but it was the day of Halloween that was best of all! 

 

The year's first Halloween party was at Charlotte Country Club with grandparents and we got to show off our precious pastry chef (mini-me).  I made a mini wedding cake for her to carry around and she was very possessive, clenching it tightly the whole evening.  Lots of kids were fascinated by her little cake, asking if it was real, wanting to touch (of course). Thankfully Isabelle kept her poise while others poked and proded, and like a good little chef, she held onto that cake like glue.

 Shameless For Goodness Cakes advertising.

 

 

Waiting with Cici for the hayride.

 Sharing recipes with another chef friend.

 A staff member insisted that we take a tour through the kitchen to show off our little chef to the big-time chefs.  The head chefs were nice enough to take a moment out of their busy day for a photo opp. 

Masks were in the party favor bags so Izzy ended the night as a frankenstein chef.

 She didn't let go of her cake the whole night and insisted on carrying it home too.  My future assistant is already a pro!

Here are some of the cuties at our playgroup party. 

 

No costumes allowed at school, but she was dressed to impress for the school party.

 It has been many years since I've carved a pumpkin, but I decided it was a must this year with all the talk of jack o'lanterns at our house.  I had some great inspiration for a face.

 The grand finale of it all...Halloween Day!  We got the cousins together for some paparazzi fun.  Pumpkin cookies helped to keep them seated.

 Proud parents and grandparents wouldn't miss it.

Betsy Grace was a cupcake princess, the perfect costume for a girl who is obsessed with cupcakes!

 As usual, I got the whole family involved.  I was an oven (with a bun in it, of course) with my 2 cute chefs.  Brian is always a great sport!

 Off to the neighborhood party with neighbor buddy, Jackson.

 Dear friends, the Rayburns, looked like they walked right out of a Curious George book.

 Izzy with her best buddy, Emmie, dressed as George.

 At last came time for trick-or-treating.  We had talked about it a lot, but we weren't sure if Isabelle really knew what it was all about.  It took her no time at all to realize what fun it is to walk around the neighborhood and fill a bag with candy.  She finally let go of her wedding cake in order to collect candy and even though she hasn't really ever tasted candy (cake and ice cream are the sweets of choice in our house), she knew it was going to be good.  We only went to about 5 houses, and possibly the most fun was greeting trick-or-treaters at our house.  Every time we heard a knock on the door, Isabelle ran to the door with excitement, also knocked on the door, said "trick-or-treat," and proudly showed the other kids how to grab candy out of our bowl. 

 Yum!  I think this pastry chef will happily give up cake for a few days to enjoy these goodies.