This Halloween was one for the record books. We had the most trick-or-treaters we've ever had and a ton of fun. In the past year, some enthusiastic readers in our neighborhood started a book club, and this group has developed a secondary purpose: make the 'hood awesome. On Halloween, one member had hot dogs and a fire pit in her front yard. At our house, we set up a tailgating tent and an extension-cord-enabled crock pot full of hot apple cider. Another house had a s'mores bar in the garage. Add to that plenty of decorated houses and flocks of kids, and Halloween was a spectacularly spooky good time. Annie was a Jedi named Barriss Offee. (I think the appeal factors were: she already had the "right color" of light saber, and she got to wear black nail polish. Plus, Star Wars is awesome. Obviously.) Ella - in no way influenced by her father's tastes, I'm sure - chose to be a bottle of Sriracha hot sauce. Happy Halloween! Ella carved her pumpkin all