Halloween 2013

Ghost Pancakes!

Isaac as a winged baboon, Riley as G'linda, Me as China Girl and Mike as Oz the Great and Powerful

Pumpkin Time!

We've had It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and our arsenal of pumpkin themed books on rotation since late September, but we had a lot of trouble getting to the pumpkin patch this year. In the past we've always gone at least twice every October. Something about being 4 and and almost 11 or my recent surgery or the unseasonably hot weather has really upset the balance around here. We'd get everyone in their pumpkin shirts and ready to head out the door and there would be a meltdown. Worse than that on another attempt we got everyone all the way to the pumpkin patch and the behavior was so bad we had to leave pumpkinless! I started to feel like I'd lost my ability to parent effectively. Mike tried to tell me it was because we get them too excited about stuff before we do it. Yeah, right like I'm going to stop doing THAT.

All total there were two failed family trips to pick a pumpkin, a missed get together with friends at the pumpkin patch and a foregone fall carnival due to one child or the other's bad behavior this year. It is so depressing to sit home enforcing consequences. Anyway, in the end I got my head back on my shoulders a little better and dismissed Mike's ridiculous fantasy of a night time pumpkin patch visit in favor of (duh!) a late morning one. The up side to sitting home enforcing consequences was that once that had happened a few times (for each kid) things got better.

Here was our long awaited trip to the pumpkin patch.

Later that day (aka after her nap) Miss Roo carved her first pumpkin. Isn't it funny how things balance out like that? I had a lot of fun helping her do it, but it made me miss little Isaac. He played on his computer and then when he was told to join us outside ran around the yard with the dog. He wasn't at all interested in the pumpkin carving. I think we've only got a handful of holiday activities as a family left. Sniff...On the bright side aside from refusing to touch the pumpkin guts Riley was a natural! I think her pumpkin came out great.

Isaac and I carving his first pumpkin 2008

Riley carves her first pumpkin 2013

Boo!Seum Event

Here are some pictures from the Halloween event we attended this weekend where Riley debuted her G'linda costume.

G'linda (Oz the Great and Powerful) & The Doctor

Wasn't it nice of the museum to have an Oz exhibit to coordinate with Miss Roo's costume? We did crafts, ate treats, petted a snake, danced and played. Happy (almost) Halloween!

Ortho Follow Up

Before I begin this post in ernst let me just take a moment to aplogize for the boring titles! October has been so spectacularly busy and I just haven't gotten into the title grove as I play catch up editing posts I started in October and am finally publishing in November! Sigh...

Today, fresh off the excitement of Fall Family Fun Night at Isaac's school we were up and out the door early. Mike had a normal work day. Miss Roo gets to hang out with her class AND the class next door on days when the big kids' teachers are off. Isaac got to go to a school's out program called Spooky Science. The lucky duck! They're going to meet creepy creatures, make static ghosts and have a mummy race among other things. What about me, you ask? I get to go to my whatever week post op follow up. Did you catch that? I lost count of how long it has been. It means I'm recovering or that I've been insanely busy and overdoing it. So, I knew this appointment could go either way...

It was kind of a blur honestly, but my only concern was that I've been having chest pain. A lot of it since coming from the hospital. I assumed, it was stress and said nothing. After awhile I complained to Mike, but refused to it discuss with my doctor. Then I got scared and decided I'd bring it up at this appointment. When Mike and I discussed it last night we realized (of course!) that it hadn't happened since I decided to tell my doctor about it, but it was still worth mentioning.

I asked the doctor if chest pain could be a result of position during surgery or something of that nature. He said no, but after a longer chat on the subject we decided that lots of laying flat and Advil were giving me acid reflux which can cause chest pain. So, it was probably stress/anxiety and acid reflux causing the issue. Especially, since it almost disappeared once I stopped laying down and Advil almost entirely.

Other than that issue though the doctor was pretty pleased with my progress. We both agree the surgery was the right thing to do. The part of my back that bothers me most is apparently the area with the "most movement" and I still need to adjust, Isn't that weird. He says I'm dismissed, basically if I need anything give them a call, but that's it. The back hardware removal process is of for the orthopedic surgeons.

Family Fun Night!

Over the weekend we had our first family Halloween event, but tonight we had our first in costume Halloween event. It was "Fall Family Fun Night" at Isaac's school. We've never attended before because it's ALWAYS a weeknight at 5:30pm. This year however we decided since it was Isaac's last chance to attend we'd make it happen. Since their "real costumes" were either still being assembled or white (and this was an outdoor event) we went with their back-ups. Riley was Ladybug Girl (if you haven't read that book series you should it's very empowering to little girls) and Isaac was Dr. Who (a la David Tennant). Behold, the awesomeness!

Ladybug Girl Quick note: I bought ladybug tights on the cheap and stretched them over her existing second hand rain boats Ta-da! I had Mike apply a coat of something for anti-slip on the bottom, but walking on the sidewalk tore up the tights on the bottom of her boots. When we came home we cut the damaged parts off and just stapled the edges so she could walk on the tread of the boot next time (And the tights can still be removed).

Dr. Who Proud Mom Note: He won Honorable mention in the costume contest!

Here is my favorite pictures of the night, before we left the kids posed in front of our Halloween Decorations: (One More Proud Mom/Former Actress Note: This was all acting, aren't they great?)

AAAAAAHHHHH!!!

The Spider (it lights up purple at night)

"Oh no! What will we do Doctor?!?"

"Not to worry Ladybug Girl I'll save you"

"Take that!!"

"Ha, Ha! Nice work, Doctor"

The Haunted Hike

I was Googling "Family Friendly" local Halloween events when I discovered this neighborhood holding it's 10th annual event. It is a walk through a neighborhood with stops to hear festive tales. It was conveniently timed and reasonably priced, but beyond that they were advertising a live performance of Thriller! Riley loves Thriller. Even though I let the boys sneak out to a local Haunted House the other night this was our first family Halloween event. An adventure!

Riley got her face painted with a bat on each cheek! As if that wasn't enough she saw her future husband! Seriously, Nightmare Before Christmas is one of Riley's favorites and she's been announcing she'd marry Jack Skellington when she grew up. A girl could do a lot worse than the Pumpkin King after all!

Off we went to hear tales of hotels for vampires who moonbathe by the pool and all manner of silly spooks. We even saw Betelgeuse!

And then the moment Riley (and all of us really) had been waiting for!

Now we've gotten October off and rolling!

Not So Creepy Crafts (& Snacks) Part 2

Pumpkin Bracelets

Materials

• Orange craft beads
• Green pipe cleaners
• Scissors

The example I found of this project actually used orange fruit loops. So, if those are handy they work too. I bought Riley a bead kit at Target with multicolored pipe cleaners and wooden beads a while back. We also had various plastic beads on hand between Riley and I. The plastic ones with large center holes are the easiest to get on the pipe cleaner, but I love our eclectic look.

Measure the green pipe cleaner against wrist size. My bracelet was two pipe cleaners put together. Then make a loop on one end so the beads won't fall off. Add orange beads to the center area leaving a little excess on the end for the stem. Then twist the ends together and curl the stem around your finger.

Spider Buns

Materials

• Black Puff Balls
• Googley eyes
• Fabric glue
• Black Pipe Cleaners
• The wire center of a bread tie
• Elastic hair band
• Bobby pins
• Optionally a sock (close to hair color)

Gather a ponytail in the middle of the head. Twist pony tail and pin down in a circle with bobby pins the color of the hair. You can also make a sock bun if you prefer. Spray with a generous amount of hairspray.

Glue two eyes on the puff ball to make your spider's head. Then cut 8 pieces of pipe cleaner to your desired length. As you can see I made the legs on our spiders much shorter than the example. Bend the ends of each leg to make little feet.

Please wait until the glue is completely dry before you complete the next step or someone may loose an eye (: Poke your bread tie wire through the back of your puff ball so that it goes in and back out again making a U shape. Now decide whether you want the head in the center of your bun (mine and the example) or on top (Riley's). I think putting it on top is cuter with a smaller bun. Poke both sides of the wire through your bun. Next, feed the pipe cleaners between the bun and your head to secure them. Putting four on each side. This worked great for me but for an active child extra bobby pins to secure the legs may be a good idea.

Festive Snacks

Materials

• A Black Sharpie
• A fruit cup with orange fruit (these are mandarin oranges) or Any round orange fruit (these are tangerines)

They really aren't directions except find your orange snack item and draw on it. Make sure whatever surface your drawing on is completely dry before you begin. Have fun!

Color Week

Presented not in the order of the visible light spectrum, but in the order her teacher requested they be worn. I know Riley had a lot of fun with color week and the pictures make me happy so I thought I'd share.

Color
BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI
What is pink? a rose is pink
By a fountain's brink.
What is red? a poppy's red
In its barley bed.
What is blue? the sky is blue
Where the clouds float thro'.
What is white? a swan is white
Sailing in the light.
What is yellow? pears are yellow,
Rich and ripe and mellow.
What is green? the grass is green,
With small flowers between.
What is violet? clouds are violet
In the summer twilight.
What is orange? Why, an orange,
Just an orange!

Not So Creepy Crafts

This weekend Mike was up to eyeballs in yard work and what I hope is the final dryer repair. I decided it was craft time. Nobody escaped this time, mwah ha ha! Anyway, I just pulled out my Halloween craft supplies and grabbed some paper, plates and a toilet paper tube. I just winged it with Roo, but I set Isaac to work on this guy.

Pumpkin Plate

I said this last year when Riley and I made spider webs, but I can't get over how much she's grown up in a year! She painted her pumpkin all by herself. I alternated projects while paint dried in between steps and she hung in there. I helped cut the face out, but she glued and arranged it on her own. It came out cute, don't you think?

Ghost Feet

When I hung up one of her footprint ghost pictures from last year Riley insisted we do a new one. I painted her foot with white washable paint and had her step down on black paper. One footprint came out wonky so we decided it was a big bone. I gave her googly eyes to glue on. She drew a smile on the ghost and the bone and added Halloween stickers.

Frankenstein Toilet Paper Tube

I let her paint half the tube green and then helped her glue a strip of black for the hair. Once it was all dry she drew a very happy face and stitches.

Paper Skeleton

He used the template I linked to above, but I didn't have the right kind of plates so I gave him white card stock. He traced his own hands and feet. Check out how big his feet are?!? Then I had him trace the outline of a plate on each piece of card stock so that he could match the images easier. I think he did an amazing job drawing and cutting them out. Once he had all the bones I gave him my Crop-a-dile and a quick lesson in it's use. Then we discovered we didn't have any black pipe cleaners so he chose yellow. Did you notice he drew spiderwebs in his eyes?