Nana's Halloween Party 2013

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
As far as the grandchildren are concerned........this party is right up there in importance as xmas. LOL

This year was a bit interesting. First I had that awful virus......later discovered severe allergies were making it much worse......just actually had my first "well" day on thurs. So, no real prep time for the party. Friday was bill paying day and the candle sale at my factory.....so that pretty much blew that day. Saturday Aubrey came down to spend the night because Nichole was having an adult version of the party at her house. (Oliver slept over at her husband's parents) Darrin had come over to help Aubrey decorate. It's hard to turn him down. Darrin and Aubrey spent so much of their early years together they are more like siblings than cousins in relationship.....and miss each other terribly. Plus Darrin is pretty darn good at decorating ideas. Then I let the kids watch some Vincent Price with me before bedtime.

Although this is the 3rd halloween party, this is the first time Katie's kids have gotten to come to it. Yes, she started making the usual excuses at the beginning of the week......Evan was sick, he had whooping cough (at least she picked something that IS going around the area)......she was sick......... But I didn't take no for an answer. I told her Evan could come sick. All the kids had been vaccinated. I had a couch, pillows, and blanket if he needed them. To top it off, because she was supposed to make graveyard pudding, I dropped off oreos yesterday to remind the kids to harass her. lol

So I had:

Kayla as your typical I'm Too Grown Up to Dress Up 13 yr old.
Alex as Batman with the mask/cape Nana had picked up for him. (Katie might never get it back off him)
Darrin as a Storm Trooper from Star Wars.
Aubrey as a female vampire.
Evan as spiderman. (thank goodness Nana picked up that costume for him and it fit)
Brandon as the cutest policeman ever.
Connor as Mickey Mouse.
Oliver as Oliver.......he has a tiger costume but wanted no part in wearing it. lol

Food:
pumpkin bread made from freshly carved pumpkins.
pumpkin cookies and some other cookies left over from Nichole's party.
An awesome dip (tastes just like pumpkin pie with whipped cream!) that had a small pie pumpkin as it's bowl.....complete with the stem lid.
Various chips left over from Nichole's party.
Various veggies left over from her party.......which Brandon ate them all. lol
Mummy cupcakes
witches hats
witches brooms
graveyard cake
and witches brew punch
(I'm probably forgetting something)

Alex won the apple bobbing and eyeball drop. All the kids discovered that carrying a bean on a spoon in your mouth as fast as you can (walking) along the sidewalk is NOT as simple as it looks. Pumpkin bowling was once again an enormous hit with the littlest ones......they never want to stop so this time I left it until last.

But I wish you all could've seen the apple bobbing. We were lucky and got a 60 degree sunny day. Still the water was cold. None of them had done it before. Adults laughed until our sides hurt. The kids were determined to get those apples! After they got one they were supposed to hold onto it so they could make caramel apples. Well.....my health nut grandkids ate them right up. lol Alex, Aubrey, and Evan had an additional caramel apple. So I think apple bobbing will be a game that sticks around.

I will keep changing it up each year. Mostly because I'm dealing with a rather wide range of ages and I want it to be fun for all of them. I think in a couple of years there might be a haunted portion added to the back porch......I'm sure I won't have any problem with volunteers for that each year. Nichole's husband is already chomping at the bit.

Kids ate all the food and had a blast. I'm soooooooo glad Katie's kids finally got to enjoy it too.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I admire your energy, your loyalty, your creativity, your sense of fun..........and most of all your capability to build wonderful memories for those you love. Way To Go...again! DDD
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
it was a lot of fun. Although I was quite worn out when it was over.

I pulled it off with a lot of help from my girls, Travis, and even Aubrey and Darrin. I just realized that this year I made none of the food. The ingredients for mummy dogs and "bones" are still sitting in my frig. I forgot all about them in the hubbub. lol

I certainly hope next year I don't have to pull it off last minute again. I prefer time to set things up, less of a pain that way. I had others I was going to invite but I hated to do so when I didn't know if I would have to all it off. Stupid virus.

Oh, Maggie and Rufus were also in costume. Maggie was a bumble bee and Rufus was a skeleton. lol easy child brought them over liver snacks.
 

Tiapet

Old Hand
Hound, I love reading about your annual Halloween parties. They sound like such fun, so much lve and devotion put into them and even this year when you were not feeling well and had no time. A family tradition. When my family was a family we stuck with some of the family stuff like extended family getting together for the holidays, on Sunday's it was church days and my Grandparents often would take a Sunday drive after we had lunch (cold cuts and rolls usually). I loved it. I tried keeping many of the traditions alive with my own little family for a few years with or without my extended family. Up until the kids proved it was futile and the extended family just tore everything to shreds and the in-fighting got horrendous. Now there's nothing. I know my oldest daughter got it. She loved it too and yearns for it still. I think these days not many families can have the old fashioned typed traditions or get together for so many reason. Often it is because of a lot of fighting or other interests or rather lack of interest because of the new age happening. It's truly sad because I think it brings people together. I want to be your adopted daughter or sister (not sure of our ages). In the mean time, I'll live vicariously through your stories. :)
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
I love hearing about them since I have been to one! :bigsmile:

When Rose gets a bit older I'll have to start having them again... It's been a while, but I used to do them. Ages and ages ago.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Tiapet, if you're close enough, we'd be happy to adopt you. :) (Just ask AnnieO lol )

I had wonderful female role models growing up. Grandma was practical and maternal. My aunt Janet (pronounced Jeanette) was maternal, creative, as fun as hades. I'm trying hard to do both of them proud.

People have forgotten along the way in our ever increasing techno oriented society that tradition is what binds family together and forges strong relationships.

I'm a simple person. And to me life is all about the simple things that most people miss while they're looking/searching for the big stuff they may or may not find. I cherish my childhood memories, especially the simple ones that involve family. I tried hard to give those memories to my children and now to my grandchildren. I'm pleased they enjoy it so darned much. Because I hope and pray they take these memories and pass them on to their children and grandchildren.

I did have a moment when I said" everyone turn off the electronics" Only to find out they had their phones ect on because they were using them to take photos. lol (yay!) So I must be on the right track.

We did have a couple of unusual moments.

A skull decorated the kitchen table as part of the center piece. It's normally placed in the livingroom and the past two years the running joke was to place Fred's Vietnam Vet ball cap type hat on it. Since it was on the table and I had the hat put away up on a higher shelf on the bookcase where it really can't be seen unless you're looking for it........it wasn't placed onto the skull this year. At some point during the party, the hat made it onto the skull. We noticed because easy child made a comment she wished we'd stop doing it because it weirded her out......Nichole agreed. Travis wanted to know who had found the hat. (I'd moved it to the book case when Rufus joined the family as he chews odd items) Nichole's husband certainly didn't put it there because he'd have made a joke about it as soon as we noticed it. Grandchildren would not have dared to do so. So maybe Fred was letting us know he was here too. Wouldn't surprise me. lol

Nichole, who had her adult party the day before.......was decorating when she suddenly had a very strong paranoid feeling that someone was standing directly behind her watching her. She turned very suddenly in order to catch whomever it was........saw a blur whoosh.....and it was gone. Chilled her to the bone.

So evidently the party is popular enough to attend even if you've crossed over. :rofl:

I am disappointed that I had to keep it to family this year because I was afraid I'd have to cancel last minute. AnnieO I'd hoped you'd bring the little bumble bee. I have a friend at work I was planning to ask if she wanted to bring her 9 yr old stepdaughter. And I was hoping to ask Nichole's bff to come and bring her kids. Virus pretty much killed that this year. blech Such a party is always more fun with more kids.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
It sounds like a lovely party. I love it when the kids get so attached to a costume that they want to wear it all the time. I think it spurs the imagination.

I bet Alex would like the saying, "Always Be Yourself. Unless You Can Be Batman. Then Always Be Batman."

I find it totally wonderful that all of your grands love fresh veg and fruits. I have seen so many kids flat out refuse them unless covered in caramel, honey, chocolate or some other sugary substance.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Susie, Alex would love that saying. lol

And yes, I"m lucky the grands love fresh fruit and veggies. The trick is to introduce them very early. But I will say even Katie's kids are now enjoying them which is nice to see as they really need them.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Introduce them early... Hmm, I wonder if this is why Rose loves peas, and broccoli, and tomatoes and lettuce, and onions... Better than bread.
 
L

Liahona

Guest
I am very glad you are getting better. I was worried you might not have time to get better. You are so busy.

Also glad the Halloween party happened and was a hit this year.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Sounds like I'm coming to it next year Hound..........fingers crossed. Or rather Uncrossed for a Howl a ween party..........
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Where did the "like" button go??? Cuz I LIKE that Starbie!! Woot!!

I'll skip fingers and go right to praying that it will be so. We'll have a rockin' party! :)
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I wanna come too! If my car ever gets fixed, maybe I will just pick up Star, load the kids in the back and we will spend a small fortune in gas to come!
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
OMG......that would be fabulous! Could you imagine???

With you and Starbie here, we'd have to drag Stang over too........I know there are others in the area............ Neighbors would be peeking out their doors to see why on earth we're all having such a good time. lol
 
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