Halloween cookies

There's nothing sweeter than to hear your 11-year-old niece on the phone, who called you simply to ask you when you're coming over to decorate Halloween cookies.

This tradition of spending a morning or afternoon with my nieces (and later, nephew) rolling out butter cookie dough, cutting out fun shapes and stirring "angel cereal" (i.e., milk and powdered sugar icing) started probably seven years ago. It's turned out to be a bittersweet study in childhood development. Each year I see it in the decorating skills, the sharing and taking turns with icing and sprinkles, and the conversations around the table.

This year presented the most civilized and dedicated crew. And so darn creative. I decorated just one cookie because I didn't feel my work could possibly measure up to the artistry of these little craftsters.

Rachel told us all about chupacabras, which she had just learned about in school. Inspired, we created alternate lyrics to "Purple People Eater" about a chupacabra bat down in Mexico. Laughter ensued.

Of course, there have always been questions like, "Aunt Liz, can I just have a piece of dough?" (yes), and side activities like accidental finger-licking. These are times for serious rule-making, like rule number one: No one gets to eat candy corn until they've decorated one cookie. I have to set some standards.