Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween everyone! I’ve been here in Norway a little over 14 years and in that time Halloween has grown in popularity. I remember looking for Halloween decorations those first years and the selection was limited and expensive. I remember seeing a pumpkin and it cost 600kroner!!! I remember driving my kids around to different homes and having them go up to the front door and say “Knask eller Knep” the Norwegian version of Trick or Treat. I truly think people must have thought we couldn’t afford food or something in the beginning, they didn’t understand the concept of kids coming to the door asking for candy and were never prepared for us. So my kids ended up getting fruit, half opened bags of cookies or candy bags that the family had obviously gotten for themselves. They even got a deck of cards one year!

Things have changed drastically over the years, Halloween items are abundant and cheaper then ever and some families are prepared when kids come knocking on the door, however this year when Thomas went out he came back with similar items to the first years he was out trick or treating and he told me how one woman didn’t have anything so she gave each of the boys 5kroner…hahahaha! As for us, we had one group of kids come and trick or treat here. The same group that came last year. A couple boys who use to go to the daycare where I work and their sister and a friend. Their mother said my house is a must on Halloween for her kids…which is sweet. Last year I was careful giving out the candy because I thought perhaps someone else would venture into the dark woods here and ask for candy but no one came..I felt bad sitting here with a pumpkin full of candy and having only given the kids a piece or two…so this year I told them to grab a handful- which they eagerly did and when they started going for a second handful I told them we needed to save a little JUST in case…well, no one else came!!! So I think maybe next year I’ll just bag up a few candy bags for this group of kids and skip buying more candy then neccessary!

I’ve been a busy beaver today, I took these two guys…

and turned them into this…

with which I then used some of this fresh pumpkin mash to turn into the following…

Pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting!! The recipe you can pick up at Big Black Dog just scroll down on her page and you should see it toward the bottom. While you’re at her page check out all the other yummy things she makes, I’m constantly in there for inspiration and the doggies are adorable!

Speaking of doggies…my baby dog has made a new friend..

Stuart Little (the cat) is the most patient cat ever…I think he thinks he is a dog since he was raised by our labrador Heidi (She nursed him when he first came to us and even produced milk- so she is his mamma). Stuart knows if you stay quiet and don’t run the dogs are pretty good to you..so he lets the dogs do pretty much anything they want with him…like kiss him..

and hug him..

I love cuddles also with this little lion cub…

Until next time my friends…have a spook-tacular Halloween!!