#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Writing
  • Contact

Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Celebrating Halloween {2012}

November 5, 2012 · Ad-Free, Narrative

halloween - 1
Last year, our Halloween was delayed because of a freak snowstorm. This year, it’s anybody’s guess when it will happen. Luckily Madeline’s school had arranged a trunk-or-treat event the Sunday before Hurricane Sandy struck, so they were able to squeeze in a little bit ‘o festivities beforehand.

halloween - 2

There are some schools of thought that in the grand scheme of things, Halloween shouldn’t matter or even be a second thought when there is so much devastation and restoration to contend with.

I don’t agree.

The kids need a little bit of happy in their lives right now. Let us adults deal with the grown-up stuff. The kids have all been such troopers in the last week, if we can give them a little piece of Halloween, why not? Nick’s school is in the process of organizing a trunk-or-treat for this weekend, and I think we’re all looking forward to a bit of regular life amidst things like dealing with power loss and gas shortages. And the trunk-or-treat guarantees the kids’ safety so we don’t have to worry about contending with down wires, fallen trees, and road closures.

And as we’ve done in previous years, we’ll donate our unwanted Halloween candy to the Halloween Candy Buy Back program. Participating dentists will pay a dollar a pound for what you don’t want, and then they send the candy to the troops overseas.

My kind of program.

The kids choose their very favorite pieces, we add in some of my parents’ very favorite pieces, and the rest of it goes. They don’t trick-or-treat for the haul, they do it for the fun.

halloween - 3

We still need to get our Halloween costume picture on our favorite neighborhood rock, as we’ve done every year. Hoping to get to it sometime this week.

Halloween Round-Up

Now for the rest of you celebrating Halloween? The folks at Shutterfly are having a Howl-O-Ween Photo contest on Facebook now through November 7th. You can enter your Halloween photos to win some pretty awesome prizes (two night stay at Great Wolf Lodge! generous Shutterfly gift certificates!). And we’re going to take this one step further… one lucky commenter on THIS post will win a $75 Shutterfly gift card towards a Shutterfly purchase. Perfect timing for those sending holiday cards in the next few months. Which is something I totally plan to get on when things get back to normal.

PRIZE: One $75 Shutterfly gift card
TO ENTER: Comment on this post and tell me your favorite Halloween memory or costume.
FOR MORE ENTRIES: Tweet this post. Or Pin this post (you can do that by using the handy little buttons at the bottom of this post) and comment that you’ve done so. Or follow me on Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram, if you don’t already (and come back and tell me you do).
GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST
WINNER ANNOUNCED: In an upcoming post and via Twitter. If winner doesn’t respond with address info within 48 hours, a second winner will be chosen.
NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
FINE PRINT: The winner will be selected using random.org.

Tomorrow? We share some of our very best tips for preparing for an emergency. Things that might not have occurred to us before Hurricane Sandy. Lessons learned, if you will.

Obviously new recipe posts will not be happening here until we get our power back and life resumes its natural routine a bit. I’m sure you understand.

*This post was sponsored by Mom It Forward and the kind folks at Shutterfly. And, of course, all opinions are my very own. Natch.

Pin It

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPRINT

Posted In: Ad-Free, Narrative · Tagged: costume, giveaway, Halloween, Shutterfly

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    November 6, 2012 at 7:35 am

    I’m so glad you guys are going to celebrate even in the wake of all this! The kids deserve their Halloween…at least to distract them a little bit from everything else!
    Joanne recently posted..Recipe: Acorn Squash Boats with Quinoa {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

    Reply
  2. Crystal says

    November 6, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    Kids need Halloween, and the distraction. So do adults.

    Reply
  3. Lisa says

    November 7, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    My favorite Halloween memory was the year that my parents let me host a Halloween party. My friends and I stayed up all night watching horror movies, telling ghost stories and eating candy. My dad was great. He told so many ghost stories that night and kept us squealing in excitement and fear. Oh the memories!

    Reply
  4. Cathy says

    November 7, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    My favorite Halloween memory was Jake’s 2nd one – he finally figured out that he was getting candy – he went up to every house on the street – and if people weren’t home he pressed his little face on the glass door and said “hewwo, twick or tweet”- so cute!!

    Reply
  5. Cathy says

    November 7, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    I follow you on Twitter :-)

    Reply
  6. Cathy says

    November 7, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    I follow you on instagram

    Reply
  7. Katie says

    November 7, 2012 at 3:41 pm

    My favorite Holloween memory is from THIS year!! I just had my first baby in late September and it was SO fun seeing my little one bundled in a halloween onesie as we celebrated with friends and family. I know it’s just the beginning of many fun Halloweens to come!

    Reply
  8. Katie says

    November 7, 2012 at 3:48 pm

    I also pinned the giveaway. My pinterest name is Katie Johnson.

    I found your blog via pinterest and have loved trying out some of your recipes… Thanks for doing this giveaway and for inspiring me in the kitchen!

    Reply
  9. Katharine Davis says

    November 7, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    I loved my two ninja boys this year, my older serious boy in his dark serious costume and my young freespirit in his more colorful one stabbing his toy sword into the bushes with giggling glee.

    Reply
  10. Katharine Davis says

    November 7, 2012 at 4:40 pm

    tweeted https://twitter.com/kdkdkd/status/266279011758534656

    Reply
  11. Emily says

    November 7, 2012 at 4:44 pm

    My favorite was Wonder Woman.

    Reply
  12. susan smoaks says

    November 7, 2012 at 5:15 pm

    my favorite halloween costume was the M&Ms bag i was when i was 8 years old!

    Reply
  13. Melissa VandenBerg says

    November 7, 2012 at 6:34 pm

    My favorite Halloween memory was my sons first Halloween. Granted he was a baby but it was so fun dressing him up and taking pictures. He was a lion!

    Reply
  14. Shannon Baas says

    November 7, 2012 at 7:12 pm

    We used to bob for apples, which was always fun.

    Reply
  15. Erica C. says

    November 7, 2012 at 8:51 pm

    My favorite costume was Waldo.

    Reply
  16. Patrizia says

    November 7, 2012 at 9:21 pm

    Hands down was spending Halloween in Disney with the kids..the parade, the characters, and the trick or treating through Magic Kingdom – ah-mazing! They were Mickey & Minnie of course :-)

    Reply
    • Patrizia says

      November 7, 2012 at 9:24 pm

      Tweeted, pinned & FB’d

      Reply
  17. Angie says

    November 7, 2012 at 9:30 pm

    One of my favorite costumes was a pea pod for my newborn baby!

    Reply
  18. michelle jonassen says

    November 7, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    I would have to say that my favorite costume is not one worn by me but by all 3 of my children on their very first Halloween. I dressed each of them in the same red M&M costume that I still have to this day.. They were so adorable.

    Reply
  19. Tracy says

    November 7, 2012 at 9:31 pm

    My favorite costume was the Rainbow Brite costume my mom made for me. My daughter’s was her 1st Halloween. She was a penguin & at 2 months, pretty much just laid there – but she looked darn cute! We hope Halloween in our town will be this Saturday. They organized a Trunk or Treat. My daughter will be a zebra…have to get in the “cutesy” costumes while she’s still little!

    Reply
  20. Julie says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:02 pm

    My boys (3 & 1) were Mario & Luigi this year! I did their costumes together and everyone loved them, especially the mustaches!:)

    Reply
  21. Lisa Garner says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:24 pm

    My favorite Halloween costume was when I was a child and my mother made me a costume using a clear plastic garbage bag and filled it with colored balloons so I was a bag of jelly beans.
    lisalmg25 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  22. Lisa Garner says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    I Tweeted this giveaway: https://twitter.com/lisalmg/status/266366092853788672

    Reply
  23. Lisa Garner says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    I’m following you on Twitter @lisalmg.

    Reply
  24. Lisa Garner says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:28 pm

    I’m following you on Pinterest user Lisa Garner. http://pinterest.com/lisalmg/
    lisalmg25 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  25. Lisa Garner says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:29 pm

    I Pinned this giveaway: http://pinterest.com/pin/774124907532606/

    Reply
  26. Leanne F. says

    November 7, 2012 at 10:54 pm

    My favorite Halloween costume was my sons homemade popcorn box! He hated how bulky he was but he won the costume contest that year!!

    Reply
  27. Pam says

    November 7, 2012 at 11:07 pm

    Halloween can be a lot of fun even today. One of my favorites was when my daughter was two and we dressed her as Little Bo Peep.

    Reply
  28. Beth Palacios says

    November 7, 2012 at 11:09 pm

    When my daughter was 3 she was a dinosaur. She thought she was sooo scary, but really she was just adorable. Every time I looked at her I couldn’t help but laugh. She would get so mad! I still think about that and giggle. :-)

    Reply
  29. Beth Palacios says

    November 7, 2012 at 11:13 pm

    I follow on twitter and tweeted :-) @dogcopG2

    https://mobile.twitter.com/dogcopG2/status/266377060715483137?p=p

    Reply
  30. Patrice says

    November 7, 2012 at 11:44 pm

    My favorite costume was a Tinkerbell costume!

    Reply
  31. janet says

    November 8, 2012 at 12:10 am

    My favorite memory of halloween is when my mom would hold small parties @our house 4 my siblings & friends when I was little.

    Reply
  32. Denise M says

    November 8, 2012 at 12:18 am

    my fave memory was going to the Disneyland Halloween party for the first time last year

    Reply
  33. Brooke says

    November 8, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    LOVE the unicorn costume! Great pics and great costumes throughout the years. How fun.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Storytelling…
Through photos.
Words. And recipes.

Archives

Categories

Instagram

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

Pinterest

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

Copyright © 2023 Sweetnicks · Theme by Vicki Harrison Design