Halloween 2013

I am behind (by about nine months) when it comes to blogging....but slowly and surely, I will make some progress.  Life is so busy.  It's so difficult to find time to sit down and blog.  I love the journaling, pictures and documentation.  Looking back - the blog is so beneficial.  So if you are interested in reading about what we did and how we felt 

three seasons ago

this is the blog for you!  Ha ha.  

Halloween is so fun!  We had an UNDER THE SEA theme in the fall of 2013.  I appreciate that Jody is willing to dress up and have a good time. Gracie and Sienna look forward to the family themed costumes, and get a kick out of seeing mom and dad in character. 

Jody went as Prince Eric (look at that black hair...who is that guy?!?!?!) Gracie was Ariel, I was Ursula the SeaWitch and Sienna wanted to be Flounder.  Everyone was happy.  I was somewhat expecting Sienna to throw a fit about not being Ariel - but she didn't care.  My friend from Junior High sewed this custom-made Flounder the Fish Costume for Sienna.  She loved it!!!  Not only did it keep her warm, but the details on this costume are so cute!   

The weather was perfect, and the girls had a blast Trick or Treating!

My mom bought this Candy Corn outfit for Sienna -
perfect for a little girl who loves tu-tu's!

Before the Spooky Holiday - we had a party with some friends in our neighborhood.

Ben * Pete * Scott * Jody 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

There were games (who knew balloon popping could be so potentially dangerous?)  When the dart or knife (seriously - what were we using?!?!) bounced back and sailed right by Jessica's face...then we knew the party was getting real -- No one was injured.

Bekah * Brittany * Brooke * Lindsey 

There was dancing (Bekah Ackerman - even pregnant and dressed as a 1st Mate - had some killer moves), spooky stories, chilling drinks and frightening food. 

Papa and Grandma Tait stopped by for a visit before they left town for California.  

Uncle Michael and Gracie 

Grandma Wiscombe put together quite the legit witch costume!  

Little Spooks and Big Frights

Aunt LaMae was nice to let us borrow some costumes for the neighborhood Halloween party. Sienna was a Little Witch and Gracie dressed up as a Medieval Princess.

 

This pink costume has some history. LaMae made the costume in the late 70's.  Over the years, it got a little more blinged-out. Two of my cousins, Michelle and Nichole, wore this costume. And I went as the same fair princess when I was 4-years-old!  I found these pictures of Halloween 1985. 

  

 

Earlier in October, we helped throw a
Hallopalooza Party!

 Can you guess who we are??
  

    
Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski, of course from Saved by the Bell.  I loved that show growing up.

Jodes really hit it on the head with the giant BRICK cell phone and frosted blonde hair.  My pants are gross...and perfect for the part.  As I was about to leave the house for the party, I waited for Gracie to comment on my clothes and crazy hair.  She is always very articulate about the way I dress, so I was sure she would have something memorable to say. 

She said nothing. 

"Hey, do I look silly?"  I asked. 

"No," she said straight faced.   "You look normal."

Oh Boy...That's a problem.  
  

Halloween was busy! The night before I was scrambling to figure out what I could dress up as to teach school. Reason #48 why it is great to be a former Pageant Girl...you can find fancy selections like "this" dress just hanging in your closet. I threw this costume together, and Jody joined in on the Roaring 1920's theme.  

While Gracie was at her

preschool party, I took Sienna over to visit my parents. While at their house, my dad (who was off work because of knee surgery) helped me find some feathers and sequins..and we created my headpiece. What a great dad! 

I hadn't explained my whole flapper girl costume to Gracie.  So while Trick-or-Treating with the kids, another mom commented on how she liked Gracie's costume.  Gracie responded by saying,

"Thanks!  And look at my mom. She dressed up like an ALIEN!"

WHAT?!  I guess I totally blew it on wearing a recognizable costume.  Later, she kept talking about my feathers.  I'm guessing she thought I was dressed up like an Indian, but Alien came out instead. 

Halloween Goodies

Halloween at 2News

Gracie had a blast at her Preschool Party. She was dressed as the Queen of Hearts. We got Sienna ready in her Alice in Wonderland costume and headed off to trick-or-treat at IC Group. Jody and Papa Tait Loved seeing the girls in costume. Then I took the girls up to KUTV, where they gathered even more goodies from everyone in the sales department and my co-workers in the newsroom. Someone was passing out apples, instead of candy, and Gracie liked that. Then the girls were on TV. Producers put us on the bump out shot -- tagging off of the 4 o'clock news. Heidi Hatch & Cristina Florez spotlighted the girls in their costumes. By this time, the sun hadn't even gone down, and they already had tons of candy.

 

We stopped at Grandma and Papa Tait's house next. The girls hit a few houses there. Finally...home to our own neighborhood. Jody had been holding down the fort, passing out candy. We swapped and he took the girls Trick-or-Treating around the block.

Saying they were hyper, from all of the sugar, is an understatement!! They were wired, and weirdly exhausted at the same time. Once they closed their eyes, they slept so soundly! 

Now what to do with all of the candy filling up my house?!?!

Little Alice Just Wants a Piece of Pizza

Don't underestimate HOW funny Jody is...Look at the proof!

Whatever he was doing behind me to make them laugh...worked!

Don't We Look Yummy?!!

It was a deliciously healthy Halloween costume theme this year - Fruit Salad (a happy Banana & some half-eaten Grapes) with a side of one very excited Pumpkin and a baby Pea Pod!!

It was fun to have two little ones to dress up this year. Gracie is posing for a Skittles Advertisement here. She couldn't put the candy down for the picture.


Gracie went Trick-Or-Treating around our neighborhood with her best buddy - Sawyer.

Later that night, an Island Cast-Away and Judge Judy stopped by for some Tricks and Treats!!


Halloween is twice as fun when you throw some ghoulish food and festive treats into the mix!! When I looked in our oven on Halloween - this stared back at me...

I made our traditional Pumpkin Stew - cooked, of course, inside a gutted pumpkin.

Thank You Jody for the artistic face.

We made Dipped White Chocolate 'Candy Corn' Cookies...

And these Spooky Cupcakes.

They really were the Cat's Meow!!


And the BEST part of the night: sorting through all of that tasty candy.

My Sweet Little Pea

Her Dream Has Come True...

Today she was Elmo. You can tell by the HUGE smile that it doesn't get much better than this!


All of the children in Gracie's Kindermusik class dressed up today for some singing, dancing and of course Trick Or Treating. I love this group picture because it's like she's making some casual plans with the little boy next to her... "So where are you headed after you finish your juice box?"

A 'Wonderland' of Halloween Fun!

Who doesn't love a Halloween Costume Party?! We went with the "Alice in Wonderland" Theme for Costumes this year. Gracie really liked wearing her 'Alice' dress. Jody made a superb Mad Hatter, and I was the Cheshire Cat!


We had a blast hosting our Halloween Dinner Bash. We have never had a Gorilla, a Hunter, a Baby Monkey, some Zombies, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, a Doctor and a Magical Fairy...with a side of Summer Santa, Raggedy Ann & a little Frog...in our home all at once!


We split into teams and played Trick or Treat Fear Factor! Here Lindsey, Josh & Jody are showcasing their gummy worm eating talents!


The food was festive and tasted great. My mom always made a Halloween Stew and cooked it in a Pumpkin when I was growing up. Jody and I have carried on the tradition. Lindsey decorated these darling cupcakes!


Jody tried (and tried) to talk me into being a family of Gorillas. Here he is showing off What Could Have Been....(Sigh)


The Homemade Root Beer was delicious...and Gracie definitely had her share. She started crying when Chad carried the jug of goodness out the door. She was sobbing, "Beer...Beer..." Slightly traumatic...but what was even more drama was her bouncing off the walls while the sugar wore off. (I guess it's just getting us ready for all the treats on Halloween Night!)


THriLleR!!

It's been years, because we were living in Montana, since I've seen the Dance Production of "Thriller" up at Kingsbury Hall. It did not disappoint. I went with a bunch of friends who see me at my worst at 6 a.m. for aerobics. We had so much fun!


I asked the zombies to please duck down...as there were some shorter people in the back...they didn't listen...in fact they just growled at me afterward. Scary!