happy hour: halloween cocktails

in case you didn't realize, we're suddenly at the end of october...and you know what that means.  halloween time!  in honor of that spooky holiday, i've rounded up some yummy (yet sinister) cocktails to enjoy with your candy.

credit {here}

sundown cocktail

3 ounces orange juice

1 1/2 ounces light rum

3/4 ounce grenadine

combine o.j. and rum in a hi-ball glass filled with ice. drizzle with grenadine. serve.

this cocktail is two-toned when first poured.  after it sits, the ingredients start to mix together into an intense orange color.  (adapted from {this} recipe.)

credit {here}

bloody cider punch 

2 cups brandy

1/2 cup black currant schnapps

1/8 cup superfine sugar

4 cups apple cider

1 1/2 cups seltzer

pour all the ingredients into a punch bowl and stir well until all the sugar is dissolved - this works best if the liquids are at room temp.  refrigerate until  cold and then, if you really want to add some creepy-goodness, drop in a block of dry ice to create some spooky fog!  (adapted from {this} recipe.)

cheers to a creepy halloween!

i {heart} the great pumpkin

linus waiting for great pumpkin

"it's the great pumpkin, charlie brown" is on tonight at 8pm (eastern) on abc.  i just love it.  it seriously is not "halloween" without watching the great pumpkin.  i know, i know, i'm 24 and should probably not have a phone alarm set to remind me to watch tonight.  but i can't help it.  honestly, i'm (possibly) addicted to nostalgia.  i love traditions and anything that gives me that warm, fuzzy, fall/winter/holiday feeling. 

my plans for tonight?  (no, i'm not going to sit in a pumpkin patch waiting for the "great pumpkin" to arrive...)  i'm planning on:  pjs.  fire in the fireplace.  hot chocolate.  great pumpkin.  perfection.

good grief!



trick-or-treating





so, what "makes" your halloween?

my monster mash

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

check out my monster mash!  hahaha!!!  i love this.  jib-jab is such a cool company - and this halloween ecard is free.  i love free things : )  this will surely make your friends and family smile.  the players?  mad scientist is my sister, hannah.  craig is frankenstein.  i'm the bride of frankenstein (obviously...).  my cousin erin (who's getting married this weekend!) is the wolfman.  and my good friend, ashlee, is dracula.  lol

if you create one of your own and post it on your blog, be sure to send me the link!  to make a monster mash (or other halloween card) starring you and your faves click {here}.

happy (almost) halloween!

p.s. music automatically plays on my blog, so you might want to scroll to the bottom and pause it before watching the video : )

sinfully sweet tooth

reeses!  yum!

what is it about this time of year?  generally, i'm a very healthy person.  i work out 5 days a week (and enjoy it most of the time).  i eat healthy food because i like it and it makes me feel good (inside and out).  but then fall weather arrives and with it comes pumpkin muffins, halloween candy and spicy chai lattes.  and my healthy aspirations seem harder (and harder) to stick to...

i <3 halloween munchkins too!

all i want to do is bake oatmeal raisin cookies, drink hot chocolate, purchase (and consume) reeses and go apple-picking (and make apple pies, crumbles and coffee cakes...and then eat them...)  i feel like i could literally subsist on sugar, spice & everything nice this time of year.

baking apple pie : )

there must be something in the air that arrives with falling leaves, early dusk and crisp breezes.  something that makes my sweet tooth come alive with ravenous force.  luckily, i can (usually) control my voraciousness just long enough to get me through to the next celebration or holiday (or weekend).


pumpkin muffins

oh, pumpkin muffins, how i love thee (and thanks to han, i have a dozen of you in the fridge : )  ok, i can't resist.  i'm going to get a pumpkin muffin now and some tea too...


what's your favorite fall indulgence?

legend of sleepy hollow

picture credit {here}

i'm sure most of you know the legend of sleepy hollow by washington irving.  the tale of school teacher, ichabod crane, and his ghostly encounter with the mysterious headless horseman.  but did you know that sleepy hollow is a real place?  and the legend may be based on real people and events?  how do i know so much about this you may ask?  well, my ancestors (the van cortlandts) lived in the very area of new york where the legend hails from.  and the story says ichabod falls in love with katrina van tassel.  van tassel...van cortlandt...coincidence?  perhaps.

legend of sleepy hollow

anyway, i've been intrigued by this haunting tale ever since i was little and with halloween less than a week away, i figured it was a fun time to share some "spooky" trivia.





the great jack o'lantern blaze at van cortlandt manor

so, do you have any haunted history to share?

happy anniversary : )

today is a very special day.  it's my parents' 36th wedding anniversary : )  congrats, mom & dad!  they got married on october 19th, 1974 on a beautiful fall day, after dating since the age of 15.  this past weekend we celebrated by doing some of their favorite (fall) activities.  we went on a house tour in the adorable town of lambertville, nj and then had a delicious dinner (thanks, han!) of turkey stroganoff. 


lambertville house tour

some other special things about today?  craig & i met exactly 5 years ago today.  (i love that we met on my parents' anniversary!)  little did i know 5 years ago that i would planning a wedding (and life) with the guy i talked to at the library : )

another fun thing?  today begins abc family's 13 nights of halloween!  every night from now til halloween they'll be playing fun/spooky/halloweeny movies and shows.  yay!

happy 10.19.10!

what i'm looking forward to....

picture credit {here}

i'm a little sick and was thinking about a way to brighten my spirits since i'm feeling under the weather.  and really, nothing makes me happier than thinking about wonderful things in the works : )  lucky for me, there are a lot of really exciting/fun/happy things on the horizon.  some that come around yearly.  others just once in a lifetime.  so here we go.  i'm looking forward to...

picture credit {here}

erin's wedding!!!  the great pumpkin charlie brown.  halloween (in lambertville and seeing the houses all decorated).  craig & my 5 year anniversary (and also our "wedding minus 1yr" anniversary).  engagement photo shoot in rittenhouse square.  apple picking (and baking delicious treats).  looking at rehearsal dinner places.  my (25th) birthday.  and of course thanksgiving (and the start of the holiday season).  i'll stop there so i don't get too ahead of myself...

i think i'm feeling a little better already : )  



halloween in lambertville.  picture credit {here}



so, what are you looking forward to this fall?