AM~Erica's Record Halloween

So anyway...

My favorite holiday is finally here!!

Yep...it's Halloween, folks! And I was so ready!!

If you remember when I helped with TRUNK-OR-TREAT THE OTHER NIGHT, I usually use it to unveil my Halloween costume. And it was a beautiful time that night.

Well, it was time for the big night!!

After a crazy-busy day of cable issues, needing to go to the store, needing to bring Teen Girl home from college for the weekend (she loved handing out candy last year & wanted to be back to help out again), getting dinner into the family, plus trick-or-treaters...I'm sitting here blogging in my jammies, enjoying some Antioxidant-Fortified Jesus Water (trying Apothem Dark, in case you wanted to know), and thinking about the magical night we have had.

I did serve Beastly Boo Hash (recipe HERE) for dinner, and then it was off to prep the decorations & our costumes for the night...

First was the the Beastly Boo Hash in the lazy cooker. My hubby & I were so excited for it! Apparently the kids got whiney about it. Well...BUMMER! Cuz it was SO good!!

After dinner, the pumpkin luminaries made their way to the walk way for this cold night of trick-or-treating...

I was really pleased with how the luminaries turned out, along with the front porch set up. Even though we had extra luminaries to work with...apparently we didn't have enough candles. So need to remember that for next year. But still glad we got luminaries all the way to the end of the driveway...


And we were getting on our own costumes, too!

Between Captain America, a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and Boo (with "Kitty"), they looked great??

Then my hubby & I wanted to do our thing again, too...

And as sinister as my hubby looked...

...he had a plan...

Yeah...he was greeting trick-or-treaters peeking from above in a sinister fashion...and some did freak out...

The scene was set with our backdrop & I put a makeshift, semi-oferena altar behind me to go along with my sugar skull Day of the Dead outfit.

As I opened the door to hand out candy, Teen Girl was there to take the tally of numbers!

It started a little slow. But in 2 & a half hours...we got an amazing amount!!

Last year, I was so EXCITED BY THE NUMBERS...but this year, I did my own dance!! We had a total of...

*DRUM ROLL*

95!!!!

Oh man, oh man!! I was ecstatic!!

Plus, if you remember from the trunk-or-treat event when a sweet Mexican family came back to my car for a pic...well, it happened again! A sweet (different) Mexican family had to take my pic with the kiddos! It was so amazing!! Plus another family wanted my pic later that night, too! It was crazy!!

And Teen Girl got so many compliments on her adorable costume. I think Hubby kind of freaked people out...which kind of delighted him!

Oh...and out of the 95 trick-or-treaters...not a single Elsa, Anna or Olaf came to our door! Can you believe it?? We did see some creative costumes, and some that didn't try so hard...but it's always worth it to see kiddos (even the really big ones...like the same one who came last year as maskless Spiderman) want to join in the fun.

Then the boys wanted us to go check out a few decorations if we could. So, we shut down around 9:00 (good thing...I was pretty much out of candy), took in our luminaries, and we went to see if a couple houses were still done up from when Teen Boy escorted Lil Guy trick-or-treating. One house was still done up!! Another was in the middle of striking their set (that one's for the theater kids out there ), and the other had already closed up shop for the night.

We came back home to chill out. We originally wanted a fire in the fireplace & a Halloween movie, but it was late & we have an early morning!

That reminds me...I need to head to bed!

So despite the fact we had no wifi for most of today, which meant not being able to record the Halloween episodes of the Live with Kelly & Michael, along with The Ellen DeGeneres Show, it turned out pretty darn well!

Hope everyone had an amazing Halloween! I'm still on cloud 9 from the numbers!! Maybe I can break 100 next year?? We shall see...
And I may have plans on treats for next year, too! Like joining the Teal Pumpkin Project, and maybe even some dog treats...like for the sweet boxer who came to our door!

Until then...Happy Halloween!!

Stay tuned...(more crazy-business is coming)

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Gives Treats from a Trunk

So anyway...

If you remember, this Halloween season started out crazy leading to this weekend. (read the lead-in post HERE) Well...the weekend continued...

It was time for taking charge of the last morning of the Trunk-or-Treat table. You know that meant I needed to attract attention like I have the previous 3 weeks. Amm-i-rite?

I decided to put together & try a costume about 2 years in the making. I got drawn to the striking visual of the steampunk genre. I did not start with it thru books like many have...probably because I'm a visual person & need to see it first.

I began to dig into research it a bit...and the more I looked & was trying to get a grip & understanding of it...you know I had ideas swirling in my brain. Amm-i-rite?

A character began to come to me. I was slowly working collecting pieces to actually WEAR a steampunk outfit. Now I just needed a time to unveil Lady T'luluh Poulpe' to the world. Trunk-or-Treat table, at church, seemed as fitting time as any...so...

Everything here was a gift, from thrift shops, hand-me-downs/overs, and clearance.
I even faked a bustle.

It's just the beginning as I am working on the backstory for her. I've got a start of her background. I can't wait to actually get it down there & get other necessary pieces to make the story work a bit more. But in the meantime...I so love this outfit!!
But it figures that it was 80 degrees this late October day in Missouri, so this outfit was making me melt! More than just the love of it...but it was so warm!

But once I got home...it was time to shift focus to Trunk-or-Treat that night. My hubby & I were both doing our cars just to help give numbers in cars. Since we decided on the extra car last minute, I had to do some quick thinking for decorating our other trunk. *THINK-THINK-THINK*

I decided to head out to pick up a couple of things to go with the costume I had planned for that night. (Yes...yet another costume. DUH!) I had a coupon for World Market, so I got a great "Book of Life" ukulele for nearly nothing, since it was also on sale! Yippee!! It would look awesome with the Mexican blanket that belonged to my grandmother, and also the sombrero I've had for quite sometime. See where this is going??
I also hit the dollar store to see if I could fill out a couple more pieces for my theme of Dios de los Muertos. (Did you guess it by now?)

I have dabbled in the beginning celebrations of Day of the Dead (reminder HERE), but I had hoped it would translate to doing a trunk.

I had the sombrero, the blankets, got the tiny guitar for less than $1...actually nearly free (seriously),
and found the skeleton, beads, buckets & battery candles at the dollar store.
I took sharpies to create sugar skull patterns on the faces of the buckets. Easy-peezy.

But, like I said, I wanted it to match my costume for the event. And, even though my hubby was doing his own car, our costumes coordinated! This is a big deal, y'all. I'll explain why after I show this:

How's our sugar skull makeup?? I did it all! Which is actually really fun & kind of meditative...

I want you to keep something in mind about this. Last year, I brought up to my hubby that we have a Day of the Dead get together. A fiesta that includes remembering our loved ones who have passed on before us. As I explained it to him, he was not so keen on the sugar skull thing & refused to do any makeup kind of thing! So the fact that I threw the idea out there this year totally expecting it to NOT stick...is the one that DID!! Wha-WHA??? I know, right?

As I explained this to our good friend, and associate pastor, Rob (our "YOO CAHN DOO EET!" guy from the Firecracker Flight - HERE), he laughed & said to me, "Well, if you can start running..."
Touche', Rob. I gave him a fist bump for that one.

We got our trunks up & decorated, along with almost 30 other vehicles.

It was WINDY!! And warm. But still a great turn out! The event was top heavy in the schedule with the crowds since our hometown team was playing in the World Series game that night. So there was a HUGE rush for the first 45-ish minutes. Calmed down a bit afterward, still greeting a few kiddos thru the rest of the time.

But maybe the coolest moment for me was this:
A few folks figured out my overall theme. On one hand I could count how many kids &/or adults brought up Day of the Dead or "Book of Life." But it was the sweet, and well-costumed, Mexican family that came thru. That's the moment I got a bit nervous as to whether or not I may have done them proud or not. Truly I try to do justice to these celebrations & hoped I had transformed my trunk into a resemblance of an oferenda-type altar. I got my answer when they were ready to leave, sought me out at my car, and asked if they all could get a picture with me & my trunk decor! It was a beautiful moment.

In the meantime...I am taking a few days to gear up for Halloween! I am so looking forward to it! I'm sure that doesn't surprise you...but thought I'd tell you anyway.

And you know you'll be hearing about how that goes down. Amm-i-rite?

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica's Choice for Ofrenda

So anyway...

As I enjoy keeping Halloween sorts of things going as long as possible (Right? Click HERE to begin to be reminded.), I stumbled upon one of the greatest cultural celebrations ever, about a year & a half ago! It falls on November 2nd, and is the Mexican holiday of Dios De Los Muertos (aka - Day of the Dead).

It's a little frightening, yet beautiful. It celebrates & remembers those who have gone before us. It's like the All Saints Day that we have come to know it, but with great celebration! Celebrating our loved ones (family &/or friends) is an amazing thought.

There is also beautiful attire for it. There is this fabulous thing called "sugar skull." It is decorated skeletons & skulls. You make yourself look like one, and/or do it by decorating in bright flowers & beautiful colors.

Some of you may or may not be surprised that I tried my own hand at making myself into a sugar skull for the sake of celebration last year:

I have totally become fascinated by this. The whole thing. I started a Pinterest board on the celebration, too. You can have a gander at it HERE. No really...go check it out! It's my board with the most followers by far!

There is also something called "ofrenda"...or the offering for your passed loved one(s). The ofrenda includes things like favorite foods, pictures, drinks...things to remember those who have gone on before us.

Yesterday, I came across something while shopping at Target...

My hubby & I were glancing around at the Halloween stuff on clearance. As we gazed & were still thoroughly entertained by things we were finding, I came across something...

This made me smile...and then giggle...and then I pulled out my phone to take a pic so I could text...it...to...

...oh...wait...never mind...I just started crying instead. Seriously crying. No pic taken of "Trick Arrrr Treat" to send on the Pirate's Booty Halloween pack. Because my instinct was to send it to my friend, RENEE'. And I remembered that I couldn't. It's been just over a year since she passed, and I was ready to send her that pic. And I just stood there crying as I stood next to my hubby in Target. It was ridiculous, but I was really missing my friend in that moment. Thankfully my hubby redirected my attention with his crazy-witty humor as we moved along to the Christmas candy aisle to cheer me back up. Because I really wanted Renee' to get as big of a kick out of that moment as I did. Because I know she would have...

And now, here we are: November 2nd. It's Dios De Los Muertos...and part of my ofrenda had been placed in front of me for my friend. So I got 3 boxes worth. And they are perfect. Not just for the ofrenda that makes me think of Renee', but also because when I got a couple bags of the snack for ITLAP DAY, I discovered that Lil Guy really likes it, too! Now I just need to get Naked (the smoothie drink, folks) to finish off that part of the ofrenda in remembrance of my friend.

 I also want to add Starbuck's, chocolate & sushi to this iAltar to my friend...covered with pink flowers

I will also be remembering MY GRANDMOTHER, who left us 2 & a half years ago. I still get several reminders from her, too. Like the sweet little lady who joined our church recently...
Her man is Santa! And she is his Mrs. Claus...that resembles my grandmother so much. When they joined our church...it shook me to my core at the resemblance! From her stature, to her smile, to her facial structure, to her gentle spirit...yeah...so much.

I want to use this pic of Will Ferrell as a part of my
ofrenda choice for my grandmother. Not only because of the butterflies,
but she would have found this funny. It's right along the lines of our family's humor.

So, today, November 2nd, Dios De Los Muertos will be semi-celebrated as I remember my grandmother & my friend. Love them & miss them so much.

May you, too, take a moment today to remember yours, too. Eat &/or drink something in their honor. Or have something Mexican or Mexican-inspired (here's a few ideas HERE or from my Mexican food Pinterest board HERE).

Also...keep those who have left the Earth before us close to your heart. Like a makeshift ofernda display like I did here:

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica