A "SPOOK" tacular Birthday Dinner for Ashton

Last night was Ashton's REAL birthday and we celebrated again.  Our family loves birthdays and we love parties...what can I say!!??  The theme for this dinner was SPOOKY :)  Bleeding candles (those were so neat...white candles that dripped red, spiders and webs, headstones in the graveyard...I also did a little craft with the kids....we learned about BATS and made them out of egg cartons.  So cute! 

We just kept it simple by ordering pizza's and having a salad.  My sister had off yesterday and spent the day with Ashton so he did not have to go to daycare!  What a great aunt!  She was also searching for ways to help while he took his nap.  What a sister!! :)  She made my apple dip for me and it was delicious.  A perfect fall treat.

I came home early to spend a little time with the birthday boy and we made homemade chocolate chip cookie pies...oh my!  So good.  Everyone loves chocolate chip cookies and most like pie.  This was the best of both worlds!  What could be better than an eeewwyyy gooeyyy piece of chocolate chip cookie pie?  Ummm...nothing. 

Happy Birthday to you my dear sweet Ashton.  We all love you very much and look forward to what the
next year will bring!

Apple Dip - A fall favorite treat :)

Ingredients:
1 8 ounce cream cheese block, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 package toffee bits (found in the aisle near the chocolate chips)

Beat all ingredients together except for the toffee bits.  Add those in last and stir (you can add these at the last minute for a crunch or earlier for them to get soggy.  Either way is delicious).  Cut apples right before serving so they do not turn brown.  Enjoy!




                                   

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell* (or make your own!!)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup chopped pecans ( I did not include nuts)
Serve with ice cream (optional)

• Preheat oven 325 degrees F.
• Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy.
• Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter.
• Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell.
• Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

Recipe from Nestle Classic Recipes, 2003
* If using frozen pie shell, use deep dish style and thaw completely. Bake on baking sheet and increase  baking time slightly.

Egg Carton Bat

This easy Halloween craft project makes a great decoration for your home  Best of all, the supplies are inexpensive. Children who are old enough can cut the bat out of the egg carton themselves, but an adult will need to do this part for younger children. The younger crowd can still have fun with the painting!

You will need:

egg carton (makes four bats)
pair of goggle eyes for each bat and some white glue
scissors
black craft paint
paint brush
black or invisible thread, black yarn, or black elastic thread I used some orange, halloween ribbon.

Project Instructions:

1. Cut the egg carton into four pieces with each piece having three egg holder sections.
2. For each bat, cut out the wings by creating a scallop shape on the front of each of the two outside egg holder sections. Repeat on the back.
3. Paint the bats, inside and out, with black craft paint. Set aside to dry.
4. For each bat, make two small holes on the top of the middle section. A corn cob skewer is useful for this, but you could use the tip of your scissors. Insert thread, yarn or elastic thread into the holes and tie off.
5. Glue on the goggle eyes.

6. Hang your bats as a Halloween decoration