An Apple A Day

In the fall, I love caramel and apples and of course they go so well together. But after a long day at work, I don't like standing over a hot stove cooking so this is how I make quick caramel apples.

I wash off a couple of apples and stick some wooden sticks down in the core.

Then I take a bag of caramels and put them in a wide mouth coffee mug and melt them in the microwave (but first I add a few tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk). When the two components are well blended I dip the apples into the caramel and set them on waxed paper to harden as they cool.

But of course I can't just leave it like that. I have to use cookie sprinkles to dress the apples for Halloween.

And I only feel a little bad about eating these apples because doesn't the old saying tell us, "Eat an apple a day and keep the doctor away..."

So these treats are half good, in my opinion ;D

Zombie Run at Blue Lake

Zombie Run at Blue Lake on October 26, 2013. This is an untimed 5k fun run...well, if you can call being chased by zombies fun.

I'm thinking of doing this run but I'm afraid...and not of zombies but of being slow, too slow to get away from zombies (and remember zombies are supposed to be slow).

See, I'm not a fast runner...I'm a long-distance runner. So, maybe I'd make a better zombie than a "human". I'm still thinking about it because it looks like fun.

If a person is a "human", they get three flags and they have to try to avoid the zombies who will be trying to snag the flag. But, if a person signs up to be a zombie, they get a make over and I'm not talking a beauty makeover, this isn't a good makeover - it's a zombie transformation. That all sounds like fun...doesn't it?

Seattle

We spent a few days in Seattle. It was beautiful...especially at night.

And another angle

Making Monsters

My daughter, Fatina and I went to a pottery place to celebrate Fatina's birthday. We each picked out a piece of pottery and then we sat and painted them.

I picked a monster...mwha-ha-ha

My daughter picked a mug and so did Fatina

Then Pottery Fun fired the pieces and the glaze turned glossy

I filled my monster's mouth with suckers--perfect for Halloween :D

Run Like Hell Portland, Oregon October 20, 2013

Today was the perfect day for a run. Not to hot. Not to cold (except at the start when we were waiting around for the emcee to say "Run Like Hell!")

I thought I'd just share some of the photos I took from the race. Now, remember some of these people were running by me so fast that they are only a blur... ;D

The Book Fairy was waving her wand before the start to give us all a little wisdom on how to run the race.

Then we all had to wait around for the start. So we were checking our phones to see what time it was and how much longer until the start.

And then it was nearly time to Run Like Hell. There were normal looking folk and super heroes, fairies, and even gnomes running around.

I saw all sorts of get-ups. I even saw Mario

Lots of people running together and plenty running on their own.

Tons of tutus and some that I didn't even know what they were.

Capes and masks of all sorts.

Little devils and even some angels

People were having fun on this Halloween-themed run.

 Love the high-five at the finish line :D !

All in all, it was a great way to spend a day.

Bootiful Nails ;D

Okay so I'm not an nail artist but I love to decorate for the holidays. This is a really simple way to do it and for not a lot of money.

I used Jamberry Nail Shields. And it's sort of like contact paper for your nails. You simply cut them to fit your fingernails and then stick them on. You add a little heat with a hairdryer and wah-lah professional looking nails that last for days (okay I should have cut my shields a little larger - next time I'll have my reading glasses on ;)

But these are so much fun for Halloween. I love them.

Boocakes

It's soooo easy to make festive homemade holiday treats. You don't have to have any skill at all and you can bake up some cupcakes - or boocakes - to thrill your family (yeah, kids are easy to please) so that doesn't hurt. But these are fun and not too scary.

All you need to do is bake your cupcakes, frost them and then stick your ghost-peeps into the frosting. It's a cheap way to get a few thrills.