Happy Halloween and Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Halloween is up there along with my top three favorite holidays. In fact, it is this season that I love the most. It starts with a chilly October, when it finally feels like fall in Texas. I love to carve pumpkins, and decorate the house with fall-ish decor. This year however I was on the road so much with work that Halloween snuck up on me. There are no carved pumpkins on my doorstep, no toasted pumpkin seeds in my kitchen.

I got two things for Halloween this year. A sinus infection that I'm trying hard to keep from turning into strep throat, and these lovely flowers from my Jim. Thank you hunny!!

I have never seen a mum this color before. They are beautiful, and spooky, and the perfect gift to cheer me up while I lay on the couch with hot tea and lots of kleenex.

I probably will not go out tonight dressed up, but if I WERE to go out, I was planning on being a Japanese Geisha.

I found a wig that looked just like this gal's hair, with chopsticks criss-crossing in the back. I just love her makeup, and was hoping to do something similar with my MAC makeup.

Here is a pic of my dad vacationing in Japan.

Isn't she beautiful? I wanted to pretend to be her tonight, but instead I'm watching movies with my porch light off. (The universal sign to trick or treaters, "stay away.")

Many of you will dress up your kids and walk around your neighborhood or attend a Fall Carnival. Until we have kids of our own, Jim and I will torture our two dogs. Here is Cole, dressed as a chicken!

He really didn't mind the costume that much at all.

We found these dog costumes at Target, and originally planned to make Cole the shark, and Madeline the Chicken, but when we pulled them out of the shopping bag, Cole immediately lunged for the chicken costume...so we put it on him.

We tried to switch it up a little, Madeline did NOT like the headpiece, I had to hold her still in order for Jim to snap a quick picture - and their eyes look super spooky in this shot.

I think the chicken suite looks better on Cole.

Madeline was NOT having that head piece.

My baby boy! This is just the cutest costume!

Jim trying to get the headpiece on Madeline.

Oh my gosh, we laughed so hard at these two.

On to my Halloween treats! I found a great Pumpkin Spice Cupcake recipe on RealSimple.com and what I loved most since this is a busy month for me, is that you start with yellow cake mix.

Here is what you need for quick and easy pumpkin spice cupcakes with cream cheese frosting:

Makes 24 cupcakes

Hands-On Time: 15m

Total Time: 40m

Ingredients
1 18.5-ounce box yellow cake mix (plus the ingredients called for in the package directions)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 8-ounce bars cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
24 pieces candy corn

Preheat oven to 350. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.

Prepare the cake mix as directed but with the following change: Add the pumpkin pie spice and substitute the can of pumpkin puree for the water called for in the package directions.

Pumpkin pie spice.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, I beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. It's important for the cream cheese to be at room temperature for this to work.

My lovelies! Be sure to let these cool completely before icing.

Top each with a candy corn, orange sprinkles, or some other Fall decoration.

So easy, and VERY moist and delicious. I hope everyone has a Happy and Safe Halloween!!