The Annual Family Halloween Bash

With 11 in our family now, I really can call it a bash! This year, though, it was a bash with a twist in that a few of the family members didn't know beforehand that this was the party.  They just thought it was a family dinner at the City Nest. No one came in costumes.

Upon arrival, there was a little craft table set up for the kiddos.

Dinner would soon be served.  (Costco to the rescue with a delicious chicken pot pie, apple slices to swirl in a creamy caramel apple dip and a chocolate cake purchased at a church bake sale.)

Meanwhile, hiding in the shower stall was my secret: a costume for me and grocery bags stocked with costumes for everybody!

A black dress with a with hat and striped socks is easy to throw on!

I slipped into the bathroom, donned my costume and came out with the bags.  Cackling. I may or may not of scared my Grands with this raucous cackling.

Glad I saved that pumpkin necklace from teaching days!

I took the three oldest into another room to change into their costumes: KMan into a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (his Dad had his own costume years ago that wore out), Miss M into a Little Witch and Miss E into a Red Fairy.

Laughter and movement could be detected coming from outside our dressing room - the adults had opened their bags of costumes as well as the ones for the two babies. CarMan was an adorable referee and Miss H was a Forest Nymph.

Their parents consisted of a skeleton man,

Pippi, an orange-haired ice cream vendor and a French maid.

Oh, they are the Good Sports, aren't they?

We played Halloween bingo after dinner.  Candy treats for every "Bingo" kept them all interested until the cards were filled!

Then there was story time for the kids. There was chaos.

My witch hat collapsed in the process.

 

We sure had a lot of fun!

It's such a treat to be with our family!

Meant to. But didn't.

 

I meant to do a blog post about the Nelson Sisters going to Branson and how we had so much fun hanging around with fellow tourists (see above) who made us feel young, zippy and vibrant as we went to shows and hung around by the pool.  But I didn't.

 

I meant to do a post about celebrating the 60th birthdays of our great friends, Marny and Tracy, with our other great friends, Mark and Carol. But I didn't.

 

I meant to do yet another post about being inspired by artwork  at ArtPrize in Grand Rapids Michigan. (You really should go next year!!!)   But again, I didn't.

Then I meant to do a post about our fall cabin trip and our annual walk (almost) around the lake. But I didn't.

I also meant to write about a very special wedding we attended not long ago where there was a lot of sweetness and bubble blowing. But again I didn't reach my intention. 

Add to the list of meaning to, but didn't: the trip to and tour of the classic Marshall Field's on State Street with my sister's book club after reading the book What the Lady Wants by Renee Rosen. Shown above: the group and the stunning Tiffany Dome.

I also meant to write about the fun we had at our recent alma mater Homecoming 2015. At 

which we were joined by our family in a crazy Photo Booth session. But I didn't!

What about that SCH Gala we went to that we referred to as a Prom for grown ups? Nope, didn't blog about that either.

 

 

 

With all these missed blogging opportunities, I resolve I am absolutely positively committed to writing about our wacky family Halloween party that happened already. Nine days before the Real Deal. In which glitter, Mylar strands of orange and hot pink and every toy in the place ended up on the floor and one certain Turtle decided to add his own "deposit" to the scent of the Costco pot pie baking in the oven.  At least he meant to and DID IT!!