Frankenstorm

Right before Halloween, about two days before, the East Coast was (going to be hit) by Hurricane Sandy a.k.a Frankenstorm.  School was cancelled both Monday and Tuesday to keep people off the roads and out of harm's way in anticipation of the storm.  I decided to invite our neighbors over for a Frankenstorm/Halloween playdate to keep our adorable cherubs from driving us crazy by being cooped up indoors for the next few days.

Here is the fun that we had:

Decorating pumpkins and ghosts with stickers and glitter glue

Nick really liked the glitter glue

Little Ethan drew his very own face all by himself!

Jonah working hard

Leo going at it

A brief musical interlude between crafts and cookies

Practicing our cutting

Making pizza

Nick has a turn at the food prep

Our Halloween cookies to decorate

Each kid got a little sprinkle cup

Nick getting ready to decorate

Ethan very serious about his craft

And then there is Nick who goes for the pour

Mmm

Such concentration

A note about black food coloring: don't use it (or anything containing it).
 It will turn your kid's poop green (just sayin').

Devouring his cookie

Jonah using a food coloring pen

Brothers working together

Megan finishing up

Not your normal gingerbread cookies

My friend Dawn, had her annual Gingerbread House Making Party two weekends ago (see highjinks here). I went last year and created what was, in my eyes, a masterpiece. I was so excited about trumping it this year, until I got an eye infection. I was so upset I couldn't go, not wanting to risk spreading it to anyone. I moped around all weekend, completely bummed.

When the beginning of the week came back around, I wanted to do something involving gingerbread to ease my pain at having missed my friend's party, so for one of Nick's weekly playdates, I made gingerbread cookies and icing "paint" like I did for our Thanksgiving handprints.

We had a super messy, super fun time. Mission accomplished.

The recipe is pretty normal, nothing fancy.

Recipe stated in plain text: Do Not Use Blackstrap Molasses.But it was all I had in the house.I used it anyway, and they turned out alright, but they could have been subtler.

See? Still pretty.

Let's get started. Workstation all set up. The paints weren't pudding this time, and that I regret a little.It was just messier, but the boys loved it, it's tasted great too.

Again- what focus for a two year old!Delicately adding paint.

"Oh, and these are pretty. I'll just add a few..."

"Yeah, like that. That's nice."

"Ta-da!"(Death by sprinkles)

Pan over to Nick

A few minutes later

Decapitated Teddy-Oh no!We promise we are non-violent types, he just looked too irresistible.

Little brother "wait, what is going on here without me?"

"These are interesting. I'll try a few."

"Ooooh, tasty green paint." Full cheeks.Mom pays the price for trying to take a picture ;-)

Nick "I think I'll make soup."

"Let me see if I got it just right."

"Yeah, that's good."

"Hey, Mom. Did you know sprinkles are sugar?"

Maniacal laughter takes hold

"BUH-HAHAHA"

"Oh wait, there's one left."

"I can't wait anymore."

And that's a wrap.