Halloween. What a night. I swear this was the most overwhelming one yet! It started at 3:45, when it was time to pick Emma up . We stop at Walgreen’s to try to find those battery-powered tealights so that our pumpkins wouldn’t blow out. We don’t find them, so I buy a bunch of little reading lights, instead. They work nicely.

Anyway, it’s now 4:05, and we’re supposed to be at a neighbor’s house for a Halloween Potluck at 4:30. And I have to make a meal to bring. So, I call her and tell her we’ll be late. We make macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, get all dressed up (including long underwear and tights to keep the little legs warm) and get to the party at 5:00. We stay for a half hour, but we need to get home to start passing out candy, since Tom isn’t home, yet.

Back home at 5:40, and the doorbell starts to ring. Little goblins beg for candy, and I call Tom. He’s only about 8 miles away, but he thinks it will take about 20 minutes to get home. At 6:15, I call again. He’s about 2 miles away, and will be home soon.

The kids pile back into their coats and mittens and hats (all covering the costumes I spent so many hours sewing!) and head out. Tom takes them all, including Johnny, and prowls the neighborhood in search of candy. I stay home and bake a cake for my Cake ‘n Crumbs launch this weekend and answer the door for the Trick-or-Treaters.

They come back an hour later, smelling vaguely of frozen baby sweat, and spread their bounty on the kitchen table for Tom and me to inspect prior to ingestion. They all look okay, plus Tom only went to the houses of people we know, so we’re not too worried about razor blades in the miniature Hershey bars. Patrick proceeds to tear open a Pixie Stick and spill sugar all over the floor, and they pass around the one piece of candy that they all hate, hoping one of the others will eat it (and, therefore, be obligated to trade with another piece of better-tasting candy).

I wrangle them upstairs, and give Patrick and Gracie quick baths. Emma showers while I put the others to bed. Johnny decides he’s not interested in sleeping, so I get him back out of the crib and tuck in Patrick and Gracie. Emma gets out of the shower and gets ready for bed.

I go back downstairs and collapse in my favorite purple chair with Johnny on my lap and watch House. Ewww!!! They’re related!!!! (You have no idea what that means unless you watched it tonight).

Then this. And now I am off to frost my cake for this weekend’s festivities and make some lollipops.

Pictures here. Happy Halloween!

I’ve decided to start my own home-based business! Yes, you read that correctly – I am starting my own business. I am going to become an Instructor for a little direct sales company called Cake ‘n Crumbs. Cake ‘n Crumbs has about 40 active Instructors in the United States, and is starting to see rapid expansion. As a Cake ‘n Crumbs Instructor, I will go into private homes and teach hands-on classes in Cake Decorating, Candy Making, and Cookie Decorating. I’ve got several classes lined up, and am really looking forward to getting started.

My business launch is going to be held at my house on November 4 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. I am going to be teaching mini-classes at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30. and having an Open House. I am really excited about sharing my love of baking and creating with others, and sharing the opportunity for people to own their own businesses! If you’re interested in joining us for the Open House or mini-classes, or if you’d like to host a class for your friends and family in your home (you could qualify for free and half-price products!!), or if you’d like to hear about the great career opportunities Cake ‘n Crumbs has to offer, please send me an email at katie@thetierneys.com (or give me a call at 952-261-9689). If you’re out-of-state and are still interested in hosting a class, give me call, and we can work something out.

Cake ‘n Crumbs is a fabulous opportunity for me, and I am thrilled to share it with others. You can visit the Cake ‘n Crumbs website at www.cakencrumbs.com. If you decide to purchase something online, please be sure to select my name as your Instructor so that I receive the credit!

Keep your eyes open for more information here as I grow my business!

I never thought I would say it, but I am in favor of campaign finance reform. Oh, not at the national level. Let’s face it, national campaign spending is a farce. No. I meant something more elementary. Elementary school.

Yesterday, Emma jumped in the van, exceptionally excited for a five-year-old who’s just been in school for 6 hours. “Mommy! Some big kids were so nice to me! They gave me candy!” I told her that was nice to hear. I asked why they gave her the candy. “I just think they like me.”

Yes, Emma. They do like you. But, when we got home, I saw what the big kids liked even more: Emma’s vote. You see, it’s election time at Guardian Angels, and since tobacco laws prohibit giving cigarettes to minors in order to buy their votes, the candidates figured out the next best vote-purchasing currency: CANDY.

And not that crappy Bit ‘o Honey that pulls out loose baby teeth like they were ripe carrots. Nosireebob. They had Tootsie Rolls and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey’s Kisses! Real candy. Good candy. CHOCOLATE candy. And attached to each little piece of candy was a little piece of paper instructing you to vote for a particular candidate. So, there it is. Buying my baby’s vote with candy.

Interestingly enough, Emma’s vote was not swayed by the candy bribes. She had already made up her mind. She was going to vote for Rachel Baker. I asked why. “Because she’s pretty, just like you, mommy.”

Well, that’s better, then. Don’t base your vote on who gives you the best candy. Instead, vote for the prettiest one, especially if she’s as pretty as your mommy.

Of course, Rachel won, and Emma was thrilled. Just as thrilled as Mommy will be when the Republicans maintain control of the House and Senate on November 7.