Celebrated Halloween Eve with some pumpkin coffee from DD.

I snacked on crackers with Laughing Cow cheese.

We had a Halloween Party at work.  They handed out cookies that looked eerily similar…

…to Miles’ dog treats!

Dinner was BBQ chicken and a baked potato topped with cheddar cheese and plain Chobani.

We celebrated the good news of my being cleared for graduation with a glass of champagne!

Then we watched Interview With a Vampire, which I read the Wiki for just to make sure I remembered the plot, and I sipped a Harvest Moon beer.

Miles wanted to help me with some blog work.  I wore my ghost pajama pants to be extra spirited.

Saturday…

Happy Halloween!  Decked out in Black and Orange to go to the BC game.

After the game we went to the Cambridge Brewing Co. for the Great Pumpkin Festival.  Everything was pumpkin themed!  I tried several types of pumpkin beers including Great Pumpkin Ale (CBC beer), Biere de Gourde (CBC beer), Ich Bin Ein Kurbisweisse (CBC beer),  and Pumking (Southern Tier).

Nicki and Drew were so cute, matching Swedish Chefs!

Even the menu was entirely pumpkin!  We all split the Pumpkin Apple Bisque for an appetizer.  Mmm!  I ordered the Pumpkin Pizza with garlic confit, fingerling potatoes, kale, and Vermont goat  cheese.  It was SO good.

Sunday…

The Boston Vegetarian Food Festival was mobbed.  It was so crowded that it was really difficult to walk, let alone try to take tons of pictures.

Amazing Grass!

Trying my first sip of Amazing Grass blended with apple juice.  I liked it!

Peanut Butter Co.  I Love Peanut Butter!  I tried a few samples.  So yummy!

Tomatoes that we tasted as part of Bruschetta.  Must buy and recreate ASAP!

But this was my obsession….

Vegan desserts!

Beautiful fall day in Boston.

Cute streets in the Back Bay/South End area of town.

Mario and friends as pumpkins!

And one final parting gift to celebrate the end of Halloween Weekend…

(Good thing we picked up the laundry that morning.  Jared was able to put a clean bundle of socks to good use!)

In the spirit of Halloween, I made my first batch of pumpkin oatmeal.

I mixed 1/2 cup of oatmeal with cinnamon, brown sugar, and a heaping tablespoon of pumpkin.  I topped it with a dollop of cream cheese that tasted amazing when blended into the bowl.  So yummy!

Beautiful autumn day in Boston!!!  It’s typically COLD and miserable weather on Halloween so this was a nice treat.

I got free tickets to the BC football game.  We ate lunch on campus at Hillside.  I ordered the “Turkey with Brie” sandwich.

Turkey, brie, lettuce, and honey mustard on cranberry bread.  Served with homemade chips and a pickle.  The cranberry bread is the star of this sandwich.  I love it!

We met Molly and a few of her friends for some pregame partying.  I had to keep the pumpkin theme going with some Dogfish Punkin Ale.  Mmm!

BC vs. Central Michigan

My parents enjoyed the game too!   Jared and I left a few minutes into the 3rd quarter, but kept checking the score to make sure that the Eagles got the victory.

Halloween time:  Jared dressed as an 80s rocker.

I was a 50′s Diva.

Jared just yelled that the dog is staring longingly at my Haunted Gingerbread House and whining.  So I’d better end this post now and tend to the crazy dog!

I began my workout with my strength training circuit so I wouldn’t have any excuses to cut it short.  I modified the original plans to fit my mood and to target areas that had been bothering me lately.   For example, due to typical girl bloating, I wanted to do some ab work.  Here were today’s circuit exercises:

• Push ups (15, 10, 10, 8 )
• Reverse lunges with 12.5 pound weights for 1 minute
• Alternating overhead presses with 12.5 pound weights for 1 minute
• Sit ups for 1 minute

I cycled through the entire circuit 4 times.  I got pretty tired by the end so I dropped to 8 pound weights for the last set of lunges and overhead presses.  I stretched for a few minutes and then ended my workout with a brisk 20 minute walk on the treadmill.

Today’s outfit minus my cream colored grandpa cardigan.  I was going to wear it in the picture, but then I was worried that it would look like a lab coat!

Well balanced snack!

I was really hungry when I got home from work, and I had a slight headache.  I enjoyed a pineapple/coconut flavored yogurt before I left to meet Jared.  I met him in Copley Square and we walked down Boylston to the temporary i-party.  It was jam packed, but I managed to find a relatively inexpensive Halloween costume.  Even though it’s much smaller than the Garment District in Cambridge, the selection was decent and the people were more subdued.  We had to go to H&M to buy the finishing touches for Jared’s costume.  He’s going to be an 80′s rocker complete with a crazy blond wig and gold sparkled leggings.  I’m dressing up as a 50′s diva.  My costume came prepackaged so I’m sure I’ll see several girls with the same getup.

While cooking dinner I snacked on a few triscuits with a wedge of The Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss cheese.

We had spinach tortellini tossed in olive oil and Parmesan cheese.  Plus a glass or two of Cab Sauv to finish off the Cupcake bottle I opened yesterday.

I couldn’t resist trying my costume on.  Obviously the hair and makeup are essential to complete the look.  So don’t judge just yet!

We watched The Office and then I had to attack some piles of laundry because those clean clothes don’t put themselves away.

Now Friday….

I weighed myself this morning, something I don’t do very often.  I even encouraged Diana to put her scale aside and stop focusing on the number.  I was a pound lower (116.5) from what I remember at my last am weigh-in.  I’m really starting to lose a lot of muscle from my cheerleading days.  Lots of clothes don’t fit me anymore because my thighs and butt are shrinking.  Seeing my mom struggle to buy clothes because everything makes her look so skinny, I’m a little worried.  I need to make sure I keep strength training to keep my muscle in place!

I ate a bowl of cinnamon Puffins topped with banana slices for breakfast.

I’m so excited to be wearing my spooky outfit to work in honor of Halloween.  I’m dressed in all black (this is actually the 2nd shirt I tried on because after much internal debating, I decided the first one was actually navy blue) and then I’m rockin’ my skull scarf that I haven’t really worn since I bought it in London in June.  I also have some gold sparkly eye liner on.  I used to wear it when I cheered at BC games, and now it’s been retired to my costume makeup baggie.

Aww, just realized that when I took these pictures, I wasn’t wearing my black Cupcake-and-Crossbones earrings.  I love Johnny Cupcakes gear!

Last night, I dedicated a large portion of my time to decorating my Halloween-themed gingerbread house.  I accidentally added too much water to the icing so it was too runny.  I had a hard time preventing it from dripping down the front of the house.  Eventually, I just went nuts and drizzled orange and purple icing all over the place.  The house looks like it’s melting.  Reminds me of the “Drip Castles” I used to make at the beach.

(And FYI, the house came pre-assembled.  I have tried to construct my own gingerbread house in the past and it was a disaster!  I need all of the help I can get!)

I love the ghost and all of the little bats.  So cute!  I tried not to lick my fingers too often so I wouldn’t go to bed with a  sugar high.  Even though my decorating was a little sloppy, I had fun being creative and making a mess.   I managed to spill orange icing all over the rug in the living room and by the kitchen.  Oops, looks like I’ll need to borrow my aunt’s carpet steamer sooner rather than later.

I made a whole grain mini-bagel for breakfast this morning.  I topped it with black raspberry jam and almond butter.

Today was the first day I tried truvia in my coffee.  I didn’t notice a taste difference.  I thought my cup of “Jamaican Me Crazy” tasted delicious!

I snacked on some strawberries, mmmm!

I created a lunchtime fiesta:  a salad made with lettuce, cucumbers, baby carrots, shredded cheddar cheese, Ranch dressing, salsa, and tortilla chip crumbles.  It was delicious and really filling!  I liked the crunch from the tortilla chips best!