H is for Happiness is ...

paper mâche)
tie dye
clay

embroidery
clean house
friends' phone calls (maybe too many)

getting things done.

Halloween Day Time -- part 2

N the Zombie. The Pokemon thing didn't materialize.

This is it. The very distinguished J. This costume disintegrated about 10 minutes after this picture was taken. Mustash fell off... bow tie (not pictured) fell into two pieces. Monocle was lost.

The Icee bear. (Bat not included.) The only problem with this costume was that K had to wear the ears, and he didn't want to. Also he had to strike this pose and carry the cup around.
8th grade = costume (not too big a deal) + regular clothes.

Bag lady and clown on the way to schools/spin parties.

Halloween Day Time

This is my favorite picture ... my pal,the bishop's wife, Donna.

Rona and her look-alikes... the gal on the left is her stalker, ah ah ah.


The ol' bag lady and the hot biker chick. I forgot my nose and glasses. Lame. Better figure something better out for next year.

M is a Cinderella-Princess-Hello Kitty-Clown, with cLowN hAiR by S. K's recycled costume with new silky ribbons and ruffle. Almost 10 years ago my friend Linda Hansen told me that I should make the clown costume, we'd use it for years. GOOD ADVISE! C actually did the sewing! He is pretty amazing.

And no, I'm not dressing up in a Sarah Palin costume -- I would not fit in the size 2-4 suits, with mandarin collars (as S points out), and I don't have a few grand to spend on them. That is a costume that is just too scary. I do have nice ankles though...

R is for Red.

On a day when we are celebrating whoknowswhat and wearing green I thought I'd post these pictures from San Francisco ... in red.

T is for Tin Tin!

While trying to clean up the house for ...x... a small Gingerbread get-together tomorrow night I realized that I never shared pictures of one of my favorite Halloween costumes:



That is C as Tin Tin, the intrepid adventurer and detective, missing from the picture is his faithful dog Snowy. M is looking up at Daddio wondering why he has his pants tucked into his socks... C was a little late for Halloween, going into work like this last week, but he was really cute anyway. JUST JOKING -- he wore this for Halloween. He did have a Snowy canine companion for the trick or treating part of the day.

Where did November go?

Charming Warty Toad from Paper Source, in SF. He flew home peeking out the top of my back back. A few travelers had fun with that view. TSA didn't seem to mind. Warty Toad will be part of our holiday decorations. K wants to play "Find Warty Toad!" every holiday. Winner gets to kiss the toad? Nooooo! A chocolate Kinder-egg!
J = a friendly flying "Invincible Archer"
M = Princess Barbie Hello Kitty Butterfly
N = a clever Astronaut, without the helmet, which was found 1 Nov 07.

T is for Tricks... for yesterday's Fashion Monday post.

Yesterday was Fashion Monday. The fashion tip is rather tricky:
Overcoats, ball caps, thick frames & natural hair are all the rage this season.

For a great time... tell your 12 year old to watch for the pizza delivery guy and give him a tip. Then give him a dollar or two in dimes. Then go run errands. Let a lot of time pass so that the 12 year old is really looking forward to the hot pizza! Then deliver some pizza in an odd costume and watch your 12 year old freak at the freak with his pizza. This happened to us the Sat before Halloween. K GAVE ME A TIP!!! He really didn't recognize me and then really freaked when he turned around and saw that this weird bag lady person WALKED INTO his house like she owned the place (while he was trying to quickly scoop up the tip). And, oh crap!, his parents and big S were away, and she was starring at him! His expression was hysterical! Then I was hysterical, laughing laughing laughing.

A is for After, not adorable.

BEFORE

AFTER... Where have we gone wrong?




Didn't S (and her friend's mom's can of Aquanet) do a scary job
on her costume? -- 80's chick. Oh wow. Yes, that was just a Halloween costume, S is just as naturally lovely as ever.

M is for More Fashion EXTRA!!!

M's costume this year was a bit tricky to swing. She wanted to be a ballerina, butterfly, Barbie, Hello Kitty. We did alright by her. The skirt + shirt is from Oopsy Daisy Baby. She turned heads everywhere she went! Eventually the paparazzi was just too much and she just took off trick or treating, briefly. Today K had some candy, instead of asking for some she said, "Trick or Treat!"

P is for Pumkin.

From the Day in Pictures section of sfgate.com.

Seriously folks, if you want to eat pumpkin, this is a great recipe. Something about these cookies makes them super yummy. Everybody loves them.

(Don't look SisterSkinny... it's not pretty!)

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375º

Combine:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Stir in:
2 cups pumpkin puree (16 oz can)
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Then add:
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon (to punch it up a bit I recently added a bit of cloves, ginger and allspice, VERY optional)

Mix. Then Blend in:
12 ounces chocolate chips (mix semi-sweet & milk chocolate)
1 cup chopped nuts (Very optional)

Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper. Bake 8 minutes, or a little more. Cool on cooling rack.

J is for the Journey to Hear Foundation!

Archibald's Halloween Party!
SATURDAY 20 OCTOBER 07
Bring Your Entire Family!
Meet Other Families Dealing with Hearing Issues!
Carnival Games, Food, Prizes & Spook Alley!!!
DRESS WARMLY!
Starts at 5:00 'til your bones shiver!
Questions and Directions? Email Hailey at hailey@journeytohear.org

You might already know about this foundation that C and I and other parents are trying to get off the ground... it is called the Journey to Hear Foundation and it's aim is to create a central place for excellent services (pre-school, therapy services, information, support) for deaf children in Utah County.

Currently families need to take their children allover the state and even the country, to get the services they need. We try to have an activity, to build support, continuity and keep the momentum going, about every 4th Saturday of the month. This month J2H is going to piggy back onto the Archibald's Halloween party. Their party is great, with donations from Wal-mart, college volunteers and huge preparations by Kevin and Michelle. Thank you Archibald Family for your hard work!

If you'd like to know more about Journey to Hear Foundation check out our fairly new blog. http://journeytohear.blogspot.com/

Right now we are working on filling out the paper work to get the 501(c)3 up and running so that we can accept donations and start serious fund raising.

ALSO: Isn't that a great illustration?! Katri Haycock at Dialect (our company) did it. Check out the J2H blog for her other illustrations. So lovely! Thanks Katri!

P is for very Plastic surgery.

S's kindergarten pumpkin.

M and her mentor. (How sweet!)

S's high school pumpkins.

Happy hob-goblins in the entry. Where did the candy corn go?!

A little busy these days... cleaning up and out, putting up Halloween decor. S remembers when I didn't decorate at all. Too much fuss. Les enfants want and need the seasons and their markers. A good excuse for glitter, as if one needs a reason.

P is for very Plastic surgery.

F is for Friend. Ahhhh.

On Monday I made a new friend. For now she is nameless, have any suggestions?

K says, "Jibbly! Jibbly! Jibbly! Creepy--that is not MY friend."

J says, "I hate it. It creeps me out!"

Interstate Ceramics is closing and selling all of their porcelain dolls, and everything else too! I found her on Saturday and thought my sister-in-law, a Halloween enthusiast, would like her. Then I realized I like her. And such a great deal! On Monday I thought if she hadn't sold she was mine. There she was, waiting.

Those eyes, those hands, that face, those socks and boots, those teeth! The long flowing hair and elegant clothes are great accents. Ski fans, doesn't she have nice form?

I think I should prop her up outside the children's bed rooms, reminding them to STAY IN BED!