Spook or Be Spooked

All right... fright night is just around the corner! Now to cram as much as I possibly can into the next 20 days! Halloween crafts, baking, costume finishing touches, breaking out every orange & black outfit we have and watching as many scary movies as possible! Were off to a good start....

Hubby planted some Fall flowers...

Okay, so hubby didn't plant these... these are our creepy Fall mushrooms that have taken over the yard like a Zombie apocolypse. I swear they are making their way to the front door.

Speaking of creepy... I climbed up in the dark dusty attic all by myself last night while the hubby was visiting a friend.  While I decided, as I sometimes do, that I wasn't going to do much for Halloween... well, it's like a crack addict. I can't not at least do some. I went in for some Fall vines/foliage and came out dragging boxes of Halloween decor. Threw a few items in the backyard and once the hubby got home, his holiday freak flag was flying too as he went back into the attic and retrieved the fog machine and laser light show. (Side note, came home from work today and he had gone back into the attic for more.)



The before and after fogger paint job... (hubby painted this thing many years ago for our annual costume parties... paint was peeling/missing, so he decided it needed a makeover. Yeah, he can't ever say a word to me about my holiday excitement... he can be just as bad. ;-)~ I love it.

See the glowing eyes... yes, another hubby holiday craft.

Once night fell last night, we took the kids out in the yard to have a peek. I knew when the hubby snuck past me with a costume in hand towards his workshop/storage building.... well, the next picture says it all.  (Note unsuspecting child in foreground.... we may be paying for therapy in the future.) Yes, the Halloween shenanigans have begun. Paybacks a b****.    ;-)   

On a sweeter note... sweet as in, check out these suuuuhweet crocheted beanies that my most awesome-ly talented cousin Katie in Washington made for the Littles! I LOVE them!!!! (So do they... Josh cried when I tried to take his off and had to wear it in the house for awhile.)



There is a lovely moon out tonight... just right for howling at, moonbathing, or sneaking up on some unsuspecting soul in the soft glow of the moon.... spook or be spooked! Fun ahead!



Family

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family:

Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.  ~ Jane Howard



For the first time in a very long time, some of the family got together, a sort of mini reunion. I know some of them get together frequently, so really, for me, this was a first. Being that I grew up without the privilege of really knowing some of these people, it was an emotional but wonderful day seeing them... my clan, my tribe, my family.

Even drug my cousin Katie from Washington along! She wanted to be there so bad, but couldnt. We made sure she was "there".  ;-)



Yes Aunt A, I don't know what you were saying at this very moment, but Uncle B was right, you do look like you are singing a very passionate round of the National Anthem!

Cousin Dan and myself showing Katie some love.

Don't think anyone was happier to see Katie there than her Dad.

Aunt A did an excellent job sharing bits of info about her Dad, my Pa's, history with Kraft Foods and the incredible carpenter he was.

Listening intently...

I'm pretty sure little Anthony was doing some family tree research online.

(These youngsters and their knowledge of technology kills me. I swear they are smarter than we are.)

My beautiful cousin Wendy.

 

 Granny & Pa were there in spirit...

Too bad Granny & Pa didnt keep a closer eye on littlest Little, Josh, he kept trying to swipe everyone's sodas. Haha!  Poor kid, you'd think I never let them have anything to drink the way my two carried around a soda can. Not one, not two, but multiple cans of soda we are talking about here got drank! Oh the happiness a carbonated beverage can bring....

Once he started singing the ABCs to his Dr. Pepper, it was time to cut him off.

Got Josh drinking water, then had to work on the other one...lol.

Several old family photos were brought... 5 generations worth! Very cool!

My handsome Pa & beautiful Granny.



Great grandparents. (Pa's side.)

Great great grandparents. (Pa's side.)

Great great great grandparents. (Pa's side.)

My great Granny Eddy. (Granny's side.)

This woman was a different breed. You dont meet to many like this today. Heart of gold and a mind as sharp as a tack even in her later years. (She took care of me as an infant.) A hard working woman!



The hubby got Skype set up on cousin Wendy's notebook PC so we could get cousin Katie from Washington there for "real". After a few minutes of fiddling around with it, a couple phone calls... Katie and her two Littles were there!

Was so good to see Katie, Alex & Zoey (and to hear them)!

Uncle B enjoyed seeing and talking to his daughter (note laptop on chair behind him).

We ate (Dickey's Barbecue...YUM), played, chit-chatted, played some more and threw in some silliness!

Cousin Katie was looking a bit dehydrated.
(Apparently she had a hole in her lip too...)

The beautiful miss Karen sharing a cupcake with middle Little.

(We love you Karen.)

Because suckers with stuck on playground dirt are delicious.
(There had to be some kind of minerals in there? Right?)

Handsome little Anthony.

The gorgeous miss Kelly.

Yes the 99th time down the slide is still as exciting as the first!

An extremely talented Cousin Dan provided live entertainment.

  

A friendly game of "we dont know how to play" horseshoes.

Pretty sure Uncle B was claiming a victory, either that or he was throwing in the horseshoe and giving up. 

Goofballs.

(Apparently it runs in the family. :-)

It was time for tired dirt caked little people to go home. I think we took half the park home with us.

  

Good times for sure.
... until next time.