Happy Day After Halloween!

Good Morning All!
Hope you all had a fantastic Halloween!
It was a wonderous night!

I took a couple days off of work to prep for my mostest favoritest day!  And I must say that it turned out GREAT! It seems like such a blur now but I'm fairly certain I had a good time (hahaha).
I started the day out by going to visit Wal mart...why you ask (come on, ya know you asked)? Because that's where my wife works and I know everyone ~ and, they dressed up. So you know I had to go see. The lady in the service center was dressed up but I didn't get to see her. The lady in the garden center was an angel. There was a pirate in the clothes department. Then there was Connie. She's in charge of the garage ~ she was the Michelin Man. It was great! She did a really good job with her costume.

Connie as the Michelin Man

Wait...side track....When I got up to our 'freezing' weather (yes, it was COLD - 32 degrees) there was frost and ice all over everything. It made a really cool picture. The ground was covered with frost and it was this errie white. And of course my first thought was 'really? it just had to do this on Halloween'. So I took a couple of photos....

my Scare-me-crow - I think his name is now offically "Mr. Frosty"

Ok, where was I.....Oh yeah, Wal mart..after I left there I went to Wear Me Again (a local consignment shop) to hunt for a little black dress for Halloween. Made you read that one twice, huh? I had to find a dress for my lil' trick or treater. I walked in the store and whipped out my phone...'this is the manikin I have and I need a black dress'. The women in the store looked at me like I was insane. Actually they looked at me like I was a pervert and it was kind of creepy (it was actually really creepy). Once they figured out what I was doing it was great. "Well, we have this one and this one and this one, but they're all black with differnet colors"...no, that won't do. Then she disappeared around several racks of clothes and said "what about this one? It may be too long..."  That's the one! It was a simple black dress with a little white lace. So I gave them my $3 and was on my way. :)

From there I came home and started working on all the little things that make it 'pop'. I got my lil' trick or treater dressed and added her mask and hat...I set up the table and started putting out all the little trinkets and lights...got the stero set up and played Kristen Lawerence's Halloween Carols while I finished setting up. Put out the candy caldroun and the crock pot (had hot apple cider for the trick or treaters - mom's and dad's mostly). Set up the fire-pot and my neighbors brought over some wood for me to use. Barry cut up the wood small so it would fit in my pot - I have some pretty damn good neighbors! Once all that was done I got Amy and Isabel (neighbor and mother-in-law) to 'babysit' my table while I ran to Tallapoosa (my son really needs to move closer) to pick up my daughter-in-law and my grandkids. Lawton and Shaylor were glad to see me and excited to go! Packed them all up in the car and got back home just as Sally was pulling in from work. Yay! great timing. We were running around trying to get dinner going when I hear.."Theres someone at the door wanting candy"..Already? are you kidding? it's only 5:15. It was my neice's and nephew's. So I ran down the stairs and through the garage....plate full of food in one hand and candy in the other. Gave them some candy and got a couple of photos (all in between trying to chew my food). The next thing I knew everyone was in the driveway - they all peacefully ate their dinner and were now ready to go! Most of my dinner was still on my plate.....and so started Halloween night!

Neices, Nephews and their Great Grandmother

Shaylor and Lawton

and Rylee

THE NEIGHBORS! Amy and Barry

Me and Lawton (I know, my costumed was so-so but

that's what happens at last minute)

and then it was dark! this is my table all set up and glowing

with the candles I made

this is right next to the table. we decided to set up in the

driveway instead of on the porch

my lil' trick or treater...ain't she spooky?

Bart #2 with his flashing pumpkin

Mr. Frosty's watching you

and of course...The Fog (didn't work out quite like I wanted

but it will do until next year when I can set it up better)

Connie's daughter P-nut and grandaughter Madison

We started closing up around 9pm. The kids had trikled off and it was cold. Crammed everything into the garage and ran in the house to get warm. All in all it was a good night. We had 66 kids come around - yes, I keep track, so I know how much candy to get next year. I had many "your house is the best" from the kids and the parents. I also had people asking if they could take pictures of my yard, with and without their children. It was nice to be appreciated. :) I had some neighbors from down the street stop to see my decorations up close..."We've been slowing down everytime we drive past..we had to come and see them."

The kids were thrilled with the lights and decorations and were amazed with the candy...you'd would have thought that they had never seen a 'regular' sized candybar. At the end of the night even Amy said 'you got the good candy...I want some'.

I was very pleased how everything went. I was also shocked (but thrilled) with how polite and respectful the kids were...there may be hope for the future of mankind yet! LOL! I wish that my children could have been here...my daughter is so far away in California and my son had to work late. :(  Maybe next year they will be able to spend Halloween with me?  *fingers crossed*

GHDP update:

I managed to get some work done on the faces for the dollies as well. I still have not been able to take the celluclay out of the molds. I think they may finally be dry enough to try again today. Keep your fingers crossed!

the first skeleton face - freehand sculpt from paperclay

the start of a pumpkin head - still wet at this point

some of the eyes I've made from 'fishtank glass'. they work perfectly.

Saturday night we went to 13 acres of hell. Had a blast! It was great to see Travis and Preston and Stephanie. It was a long drive (over and hour) but it was worth it. I was thouroughly impressed - even more so that Preston put it together in 2 weeks. They had some really bad luck with locations, but the one they have is great! When we got there the line was already in the parking lot and people were coming out of the exit running and screaming. The guy that was in the shack in the woods got me good. It was pitch black and I could hear him in the corner, just as we were getting to the door I looked back to 'see' and there he was right over my shoulder. Scared me!! :) I'm already looking forward to next year! When I talked to Travis after the show, he asked how my daughter, Jenifer, was doing. He said "We were just talking about Jenifer and how I wished she was here". That made me happy. She left a lasting impression. She did an amazing job when she was 'haunting'. I found out the following day that 13 acres of hell had a record breaking night on saturday. I'm so happy for Travis and Preston. They deserve it! And Stephanie was doing a great job as director!

I guess that's all for now....gotta get my butt in gear and go check out the 50% sales before all the good stuff is gone!

Have a fabulous day!!

TTFN

p.s. There's only 364 days left! LOL!!