Oh, BTW, Happy Halloween!

Usually Halloween is a big, long production including lots of time sewing costumes. This year was an exception...what a surprise :) As it approached I realized we had no costumes for the boys or myself. Every year my 2 friends and I host a big themed party complete with games, activities, food, and more. This party was also simplified given our recent events. Thurs. the 30th I took the kids to the thrift store and costumes we did find! I couldn't believe I found all the perfect pieces I needed in one trip at the last minute. The thrift store is not always so kind.

That day was very hectic...Andrew had an eye doc appt. that morning and found out he needs glasses, so after school Tom took him to pick some out. I dug around in the decoration boxes and threw some stuff up on the porch and in our window. Tom took the kids out trick or treating, as usual, in our neighborhood, then the boys went to a party at Tom's friend's house. I stayed home with Summer and passed out candy here. The kids got a huge haul of candy...oh joy. Andrew promised me he would eat it all and not save it :) Little Tom usually stashes it for months before I finally throw it away. Morgan tried her best to eat it all the next day!

Andrew drew on his faces and I cut them out...his eyes were still dialated from the eye doctor...

Tom and Morgan had fun digging out the guts...yum!

Phew....fastest decorating job ever!

Jackolanterns all lit up....no candles this year because of the explosion of oxygen tank issue....

My little devil :) Ah, how appropriate...he's really an angel in disguise :)

Tom's grim...as the reaper...he likes the cool sickle we found

Morgan agreed to wear this Little Red Riding Hood costume I made for her last year...she loves hoods...she started by Trick or Treating at our door before they even left! This girl has a serious sweet tooth!

I even carved a pumpkin for little Summer :)

Andrew, Antonio, Morgan and Tom posed (reluctantly) before they left

Andrew's eyes even cooperated for this pic ! Tom displays his stash that will probably last him all year! Ha ha

Cattle Drive, Cook Off, and Showdown at the Rockin' L Ranch

Our annual adult only party on Nov. 1st was a cowboy theme. We had everyone bring their own rubberband gun and had different target pratice tests they needed to do to see who would be the new sherrif...It was fun seeing a bunch of adults running around shooting things with rubberbands :) My friends, Cathy and Bridget and I plan this every year and start discussing our plans in the Spring. It has become a fun tradition each year. We are even writing a book based on our themes we have done! We have been working on it for almost two years off and on and are trying to get it finished to be re-submitted to a publisher...needless to say, my life has been turned a bit upsidedown lately! I haven't been able to contribute much in the recent months....maybe life will slow down a bit for me soon, haha....

Yeeehaw...Me and the little cow with hubby....ah, yes, he too looks good in this borrowed pink hat!

Allison shows off one of the many Wanted posters Bridget made for everyone...her identical twin sister, Amber posed for the picture used :)

Angie and Brandon were brown baggin' it that night!

We 3 responsible for the yearly mayhem...Cathy, Me, and Bridget...our brains only function together :)

It usually takes a few "shots" to get a good one!

Note the coffin clock used almost evey year with different legs inside...Bridget's hubby Tracy made this a few years ago for our Edgar Allen Poe Victorian party...an annual favorite for us :)

Vannah with the pin the brand on the cow game

Stick em up! Our annual group photo...

back: Joyce and Mark, Bridget, John, Suzy. Middle: Allison, Tracy, Mel K, Mel C, Tom, Summer, Cary, Cathy. Front: Ben, Angie, Brandon, and yes, another Mel! Mel M.

Just one more for posterity...my theme song!

Suzy won the showdown and was the new sherrif...we adorned her with a badge and pop gun

Ben and Bridget...her yard stick shot far!

Cary and me...like the boots? They are Suzy's George Strait signed elephant skin boots...she made me remove them after the party and leave them at her door....I delivered them wrapped in a diaper for safe keeping :) They are her babies after all!

Nice gun....it's amazing what you cna do with 5 minutes and a roll of duct tape! I did have to make some adjustments throughout the night as my gun kept shooting the closepins with the rubberbands......Bridget said it hurt, oops, sorry :)

Angie and our damsel in distress, Allison

Brandon and Mel M

Tracy's best cowboy stance and Mel K

Suzy the ghost rider and Mark with his 6 shooter...looked cool, not too efficient in a shoot out though

Cathy, John, Joyce and Tracy waitn' for their turn at shootin'

Tracy, Suzy, and Mark

Nice belt buckle! Angie was a recycled homemade cowgirl

More shoot out

Our games were as easy as shootin' ducks in a barrel!

Aw, cute little cow... ...complete with rubber glove udder

Cary's rubberband gun was as long as his car!

Our shootin' range included a Jackolantern target

Evil Mel C and good Mel K

Mmmm, homemade Sasparilla

Allison did the dishes...well, hers at least :)

Bridget wore dead things :)

Mel K tried to escape my photo finger....booo hahaha.....got her

Suzy and John are naturals....she laughed when her mother in law commented how funny it was she came home from horse back riding and changed to get ready for a cowboy party!

Mmmmmm, the food is always good....sorry Tracy, I caught you red forked....I am usually the one posing for this shot, you are just the lucky one this time! We had stew, chili, cornbread and pie :)

Ben and Cathy host the party every year...after their huge remodel, they win for the biggest house!

Ben

Joyce and Mark had the cool 6 shooter guns

Cathy and her gun she had her hubby make