Family Halloween!

We had our annual family Halloween party on November 1st this year and it worked out great!  In fact, I had a colonoscopy/endoscopy prep on Halloween so I really didn't even realize it was Halloween (we get zero trick or treaters- boo).  We had also had a crazy prior week with Brandi being rushed to the hospital from work by ambulance because they feared she was having a stroke.  I'll tell you, that was a scary drive for me to the hospital!!!!   She had a horrible migraine that she'd had for weeks and it was just blowing off the top of her head but her face and arm went numb!  But they did all the tests and are in a wait and see mode.  They think maybe it was an Extreme Migraine Episode or a TIA (transient ischemic attack)- like a stroke and maybe a precursor to a stroke.  We don't know.  I think she may be at the neurologists as we speak.  Her headache didn't let up until after I took her for some infusion (3 hours!) last week (after the party.) and finally, a day or so later, it started to let up.

This post isn't about that.  And I so worry about my girl and her family and all my kids and kiddos that we won't even go there today.

Okay.

So, in spite of the horrible headache, Brandi hosted the amazing party our family loves!!!!  Here are some of the costumes.

Elijah came as Scrooge- carrying a lamb that said "Baaaa Humbug!"

 Brooke was darling as a flapper!

 A soccer player (I thought he was a pizza delivery man- lol)

 

 

 

 

 

 Ryls was a girl scout-

 A minion

 Straight out of Sonny and Cher era- the disco queen and king

 Boston came as a unicorn.  He is totally comfortable with his masculinity- lol

 loved the dip Ben and Susie made!

 

Rocker Ben and Witch

 

 I was a girl witch and David was a Manwich. Baa haa haa.  Can you tell how much he loves to dress up?????

 

 

 

 Okay, even when I stared at these guys, I didn't know who they were.  Brandi and Doug and family do Halloween the best!  How about KISS?

 
And I don't know where Ryan and Marci's family went during family pictures- disappeared like ghosts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I begged Brandi to keep it simple, which of course she didn't do.  There were boiling bubbly drinks and all sorts of fun Halloween décor.  David and I picked up Village Baker pizza (adults) and we had Little Caesar's for the kids.  Yummy salads and appetizers and desserts.  Thanks family for doing this.  What great memories for the kiddos!  Then we play Family Bunco- and we award gift cards (for adults) or hard cash for the kiddos.  Grandma (me) LOVES handing out big bucks!

Can't leave Halloween without sharing Doug's Halloween costume for school (he's an elementary principal)- he's over the top!  Love him so much!

 

Back to Halloween

Just before Halloween, Brandi called in a dither.  That night was the Halloween party thrown by their amazing friends- and the party always has a theme.

Last year the theme was Super Heroes-one year famous couples.  This year was black and white.

They already had the fabulous Christmas Story lamp shade and box from this year's Halloween party. 

But no, Brandi can't do easy.  She wanted to do this but was afraid that someone else would also do it:

I talked to her about 1:00 of the day of the party.  She was still in debate mode and asked my opinion.  I told her the lamp shade.

A few hours later- she texts that she had a last minute change of mind.

Of course, it just can't be easy....

Day of the Dead.  Oh my!!!!

Family Halloween Party

Monday was our annual family Halloween party that Brandi and Doug host.  I LOVE this- namely because I love Halloween (anything for the kids) and two- because it delights me no end to see David squirm and try to get out of wearing a costume.  He doesn't do "funny" (although he is funny) very well!

Everyone came but the 3 college kids off and away and Susie- who was working. 

Brandi and Doug had everything decorated so cute.  They also made pulled pork for burritos or nachos and we all brought anything creepy crawlie to eat.  A spider cheeseball.  A web of 7-layer dip.
Scary drinks.  I made pumpkin pie cake with whipped topping plus all sorts of Krispy Cremes with scary props.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mario Brother!

 Brandi was the lamp from Christmas Story and Doug was the fragile box from that movie as well.  Addi was in a cow costume with angel wings (a Holy Cow) and Hallee had a pig's snout and ears and
was a "pig in a blanket.  Gracie wasn't getting her costume until the next day...and painted her nose black with liquid eyeliner which then turned her nose blue for school the next day.

 Tenille was one of the Pink Ladies from Grease, Travis a blind man (I think just so he could bring Jeter the dog), and we had an old lade and a gorilla and I forget what Boston was.

 Here Brooke and Tanner are donuts and we have a cat and Anna and a knight and Mario's nemesis- whatever his name is!

 

 

 And ta-da!  David LOVED putting on his afro and beard and being Bob Ross and I was his "happy little tree!"  Great fun!

 Here's a picture of our kiddos....Brandi loves her brothers!

 Hippies, a scarecrow, a beekeeper and a Chewabacca (I don't even see him here?)

 

 

 

 

After dinner, we played a couple of wild rounds of Bunco.  It's a great game to keep even the littles actively engaged. (Plus Grandma provided GREAT prizes!)  Such a fun tradition- thanks Brandi and Doug for making it happen and everyone else for being such good sports!