Monster Mash

This year, we didn't have very many trick-or-treaters, but we made up for that by dressing up and having a blast anyway. We attempted to create a spook alley on the porch, but the wind and rain got the best of us. We left the plastic up because it made so much noise in the wind, it sounded creepy. 

Miriam had a great time dressing up, too. She loves to color her hair with hairspray. Loves it. Did I mention that she loves to have wild colored hair? The claws/gloves that glow in the dark were just an added bonus. She really got into her character. How is it that I never knew how much she loves to be scary? Just look into those eyes, she is thrilled to be dressed like the undead. Should I worry?

Miriam and her best friend Bekkah, who lives across the street, had a wonderful evening of scaring the children of the neighborhood. They sat on Bekkah's porch to hand out candy most of the night. The only time they went inside was when the rain started to attack. These two are so fun together.

Doug dressed up like a mummy. If you have never known this about Doug, he is incredibly intrigued with Egypt. Really. I'm not kidding. There was a time when he wanted to decorate our bedroom (of all places) in ancient Egyptian. He wanted a sarcophagus and everything. This came about because we were in R.C. Willey, and they had a sarcophagus made into some book shelves. He thought it would be cool. I thought it would be creepy. If every day was Halloween, then that would be different, but it isn't. Thank Heaven. Now he has to be content to satisfy his curiosity one night a year. Poor guy.

All in all, we had a wonderful night of bonding as a family. Your children should know their heritage. It's important to tell them where they come from, and what makes them who they are. They should be proud to belong to the family they have been given. I think our work is done, here.

I do have one minor concern: As I am usually the one behind the camera, there aren't very many pictures of me in existence. The one time I have to be in the pictures, and I look like this? I suppose it is better than the alternative. It could be a picture of me in the morning.

A-Haunting we will go!

After all these years, you think I would learn. Seriously, I should know better than to be stuck inside on a rainy Saturday afternoon with Doug. He gets bored very quickly, and then the trouble begins. The comment was made that it would be fun to make some ghosts for Halloween. "Cool! Sounds like fun, let's do it!" (That will be on my tombstone someday, I'm sure of it.) When I got a look at the pictures, I realized that he might just have some unresolved issues with me.....

I began to feel like there was a hidden agenda that day. Had I done something to irritate him? Me, the world's most perfect wife? What could I possibly have done to justify this? Well, I think I better not open that box. It belongs to Pandora.

I took another picture of Doug, and then my questions were answered. Doug's true identity was revealed. I have married the spawn of Satan. That sure explains a lot.If only I had taken this picture 20 years ago.....

Well, at least he is handy. He is great to have around when things go awry and need fixing. I used to think he just had exceptional skills, now I realize that part of his skill is from an extra set of hands.  I can't believe he was keeping that secret from me. How many times have I been involved in something and wished for an extra set? Where can I get a set of my own?

In my attempt to explain to Doug that I am an angel, and he should worship the ground I walk on, he came up with a brilliant idea. Why not take a picture to reveal MY true identity, too? Remind me to say "NO!" next time. I am now totally busted. At least I can claim to be an angel, even if I AM playing for the other side.

We decided an exorcism was in order; after all, we have an image to uphold. It seemed to work, but I just liked the lights. They were pretty. What can I say, I am entertained by small and simple things. Apparently, I am a cheap date.

After we were thoroughly cleansed of all evil, (in my dreams) I took another picture of Doug to see if it worked. Sure enough, he was my super hero again. Able to control the elements, and leap small footstools in a single bound.

My hero! We tried for a halo, but it didn't take. We did get a nice picture of his wings, however. I should have known that he had wings, as he is so addicted to flying.

Doug is also enthralled by the supernatural. He really wants to find evidence of ghosts, so we went ghost hunting. If you've never done that, you should. Lots of fun, but chasing them around a stool can be hazardous, so be careful. You want to make sure you don't break a nail, like I did. Stupid ghost.

We found that ghosts like to play "Ring Around The Roses", and "Here We Go 'Round The Mullberry Bush".

It wasn't long before we realized that our ghosts were just trying to make us dizzy and fall down. I have to say, it was pretty effective. There was plenty of dizzyness going on that evening.

We decided to check out Miriam. She is old enough that we thought maybe she was haunted, too. We were not quite as surprised with the results as we should have been. She is turning into a teenager in a couple of months, after all.

After realizing she had a direct connection to the mother ship, we performed another exorcism to disconnect her. I'm not sure how long it will last, but let's hope it will get us through the next 5 years, or so. Yeah, good luck with that, right?

Well, it seemed to work, if only temporarily. I guess we'll take what we can get. I'm just hoping that the moodiness subsides for a week or so. I could use a break. I found that Miriam has inherited her father's ability to manipulate the elements. Either that, or the mother ship is trying to reconnect. We'll keep checking, just in case.

Beware, all of you that have family members that are easily bored. You just might get more than you bargained for. Make sure you want to know what is really going on in the seedy underbelly of family life. Luckily, I have a great couple of people to live with, aside from the occasional attempt to bump me off. Halloween will be over soon, and we will all be back to normal, right? Right? Please tell me that we aren't always this twisted and creepy...

This Is Halloween!

Ok. This year is the first year that Miriam didn't want to dress up as something scary. She decided it would be fun to dress up as a hairstylist. Good thing I had everything she needed. How convenient.



I think it was because she got take my old blowdryer, and brushes, and clips, and permrods, and marcel irons. Either that, or she just thought it would be cool to have stripey hair. Probably the hair.



In this one, Doug was playing photographer, and was giving instructions, like, "Show me happy... Now angry, that's it... Now let me see your pouty lips!



Here is our spooky house. Too bad you can't hear the creepy music that Doug had playing. It scared many a little one away.



This is our cauldron full of ectoplasm. If the music didn't get 'em, this finished the job. It was fun to watch, because it would become a huge column of smoke rising out of the cauldron, and then across the ceiling of the porch. Very spooky, but hard to photograph. Just a bunch of gray.



I loved Doug's pumpkin this year. It took him about 10 minutes from start to finish, including the cleaning out. I think it was his best one yet.

Calling all Ghoulies!

It's Witch's Night Out once again! Every year all us girls go to Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. We have a blast. We pick a restaurant to have dinner before the event, and of course, there are always questions from other diners about why we are all dressed up.

Dinner at the Paradise Cafe with my family: soon-to-be mommy, Misty, new sis-in-law, Tori, and new mommy (again), Trina.

I loved my sis-in-law, Melissa's red shoes. Every good witch should have a shiny pair of ruby slippers, don'tcha think?

This year, Miriam got to come. She was very excited, until she realized that all we do is walk around in the cold, shopping among huge crowds of crazy witch women. The verdict is still out on whether or not she wants to go again next year.

Gardner's Village is always decorated so cute for Halloween. I think that's the real reason Miriam wanted to go. She loves it there on Holidays. It seems there are many, many witches in the state. It was crowded enough that Miriam wouldn't let go of me at first. She was afraid we would get separated.

I found my place to hang out. By this time of night, my hat was a little droopy. It had been used in many spells and a few too many frogs had hopped away with it, I think. This year, none of us could find all our costumes, so we were doing good to come up with hats. Next year we have to make up for it, though. I just hope I find my real hat and costume by then. Moving always seems to take a few boxes and absorb them into the Borg Collective. I may never see them again.

I think this witch is the most tired of all, If you can't miss this building on your broom, you are in real trouble. This is one of Miriam's favorite witches that they put up every year.

This is one of the last shots of the night. We cackled and cackled until we cried when we saw it. Ok, when we saw me. I am always good for a laugh. I just think the witch behind us looks like her spell didn't work.

All in all, we had a great time, and plan on going again next year. And the year after that, and the year after that...... I just hope that I never have a cat and mouse infestation in MY skirt. That could be tricky, especially when riding my broom.