Thanks all! They are so cute and we enjoy them. Sometimes they pose on the stone wall just like those metal lizards in the garden gift shops but don't want to wait for me to get a picture. I've only seen one snake so far this year and I don't think it was poisonous but I only saw the back end. It was headed under the deck. We also have possums, skunks, coyotes, racoons, armadillos and even a possible bobcat sighting. You would think we lived way out in the country instead of a few blocks from one of the busiest intersections in the city. I was surprised at how many things survived the record cold last year. The biggest losses around were the tropical palms which we don't have anyway.

David - I will email the particulars, but I will be in your neighborhood in Oct of this year..... and we can make more in person while we sip some CR! And thanks everyone.... they really are fun to make! Alexa

Thank you all for the good ideas. And thank you for letting me know that your evenings aren't always filled with earth shattering memorable excitement! I do enjoy my quiet evenings, but they had gotten a little too common - even for an introvert like me. I am going to have to make an effort to look for things to do and join. My town is small and not known for having a lot to do - but I'm sure once I start looking I'll find more. I'm going to have to leave my hermit comfort zone and try some things. I love to dance, but I haven't heard of anything like that. That would be good for me - active and fun. Several people mentioned gardening, which is a good idea too. We have so many deer though - they eat everything. I tried to put in a garden several years ago and ended up having to screen it in. That's a lot of expense to have a raised screened in garden. About this time last year I made plans to cut way back and change my work responsibilities - mostly because my job had morphed into something that I no longer enjoyed everyday. But since then, we have had several sicknesses, employees with family emergencies and a key employee leave. That has thrown me back into the drudgery part of my job I was trying to get out of. I am of course replaceable, but somewhat in charge and working for family, so that's harder than it might be otherwise. Anyway, sometimes I want my evenings to be relaxing, but sometimes I need them to fun. I think I need to change my mindset to say yes to more things and see where that leads me. And looking at my calendar last night, starting next week I am very busy for the next several weeks and then summer will be here. There's always more to do then. Also - last night I put my phone away. I do think I have a slight screen addiction. It is so easy to get caught up on reading something online, following the rabbit trail and several hours later you're still there. Which can be ok, but at the end of the evening, I was not grateful for my relaxing evening, I was mad at myself for wasting time. So - less screens for me hopefully!

Some favorites from last year: Cute spiders Cute skeleton These were the easiest ones to make, too. Visit a local craft store like Michaels for amazing cupcake decorating supplies. Candy eyes are great! I bought several colors of eyes....spiders should have crazy eyes! I made others, too, but spent time with my icing tips. Cutest was a mummy face with eyes peeking from behind the bandages, lol. You can find candy corn, leaves, and other fall themed edibles at a craft store....some at the grocery store. Simple: pumpkin cupcake, cream cheesey frosting, candy corn and pumpkins on top. Maybe a light dusting of orange sugar sand, too. Use the internet for ideas, for heaven's sake! Be sure to use an assembly line method for decorating....first the sprinkles on the whole batch, then the legs, then the eyes. Have the boxes ready when each is finished so that you can pack them up right away.