The annual Rose family spookfest was held this weekend, and we did it up in grand ghoulish style. There were candy apples and coiled intestines (ew), pink-cheeked little girls and a Grandpa with a grin, even severed hands hiding in corners, and on cupcakes.  A look inside our bash:

(The coffin that my sister’s husband built, now in its second year.)

Marshmallows, peanut butter, apple slices, and a total pain in the you-know-what.

Mini lady apples make these perfectly party-sized.

Layered burlap and cheesecloth for spook-tacular tablecloths.

I  made pumpkin-shaped Rice Krispie Treats, with fondant and tootsie roll leaves and stems:

Graveyard cupcakes:

Soup buffet:

Spooky seven-layer dip:

My sister’s awesome giant pumpkin popcorn ball (note the stem):

Happy little boys bobbing for apples:

Spooky decor:

Pumpkin cupcakes with maple cream cheese icing:

Our new favorite trick: a mechanical severed hand that walks across the floor on its own, triggered by motion nearby. My aunt SCREAMED. It was awesome. We dressed up this version from Grandin Road, which happily landed in my mailbox at work this summer and has been entertaining all visitors to my cubicle for months.

This year, we ventured into some extreme gory territory to please children who are now teenagers, and unimpressed with apple bobbing and dry ice in witches’ brew. Lesson of this experiment: people will eat anything.

Totally dorky, but it made us all laugh: Mount Mushmore (hummus with a peanut butter candy head garnish).

Revolting (cheeseball covered in prosciutto, courtesy Heidi).

And, I’m sorry, but it had to be done. Kitty Litter Cake:

(Will got to serve it, much to his delight.)

As ever, SCABS. (Beef jerky).

And the famous ribs:

Costumes: pretty kitties.

Pink cheeks.

Sleepy skeletons. Note the binky:

Homemade paper dolls and dice:

And a sweet little boy who I found hanging out on Grandpa’s lap:

Happy Halloween.