Things I Learned This Weekend

This weekend Olaf and I went to a Halloween Party. It was thrown by our favorite DJ and we, on a whim one day, bought tickets. We haven't been to a Bar/Party since we've had kids. I learned a few things that I'd forgotten in the last 17 years.

1. Several days after I bought the tickets I looked at them. I quickly texted Olaf "The party doesn't even start until 9pm! In downtown SLC!" I had forgotten that nothing of consequence starts before 10pm in the Party World.
2. We tried to get there fashionably late but left early because with the highway construction you never know when they're going to shut the whole thing down and wind you through town, making your trip twice as long. Unfortunately we were on time. A big no-no in the Party World.
3. We weren't the only middle-aged, responsible, babysitter-at-home, type. We weren't even in the front of the line for the party. 
4. They carded us at the door. I've never had my ID looked at with such scrutiny and I used to go out with my friends back in college (they needed a driver).
5. Once the doors opened we were faced with the possibility of actually hitting the Dance Floor. Something we were never good at before and a 17 year absence makes you feel even more insecure.
6. All we had to do was wait an hour for people to get good and drunk and then it didn't matter what we looked like on the dance floor.
7. There's No Smoking in bars anymore!
8. There are a lot of Boob Jobs out there, and they like to show their assets off to the world. Hence the costumes: Slutty Pirate, Skanky Cowgirl, Bad Angel, Delicious Devil, Sexy Kitty, and of course Black Leather-Clad Go-Go Dancer.
9. I left my cell phone in the car, I didn't want to lose it, drop it, break it, get it stolen, etc. But I learned that the Cell Phone is an accessory to the dance floor nowadays. People were taking pictures and videos and posting them to Facebook, Twitter, their blogs, and anywhere else they could. Apparently if you go to a party and don't document it, it didn't happen. So sorry, no pictures of us in action.
10. 12:30 with an hour drive home is really late nowadays, we were both so tired the next day. And we didn't even have a hangover the next day to nurse.

We had a blast doing something completely out of the norm for us. We might even go next year if there's another one. We'll have forgotten what it was like by then. Maybe I'll even take my phone for dance floor pictures.

Halloween Purses

Remember how I mentioned that I went a little crazy and bought way too much Halloween material? Remember how I created my own Holiday called Halloween in July instead of Christmas in July? Remember how I decided to make all my sisters, mom, and sister-in-laws purses since I had bought so much luxurious fabric?

I did it! I finally finished the last two bags! I had previously mailed out all the bags to everyone and now my littlest sister has finally got hers. Of course, I didn't take pictures of all the bags, I'm forgetful sometimes. But this is the front of my bag in that hideously wonderful Alexander Henry 'The Ghastlies' old lady fabric. I love the old ladies in this fabric. You can just feel them glaring disapprovingly at you whenever you look at them. No wonder I feel guilty all the time lately.

Even thought I bought yards and yards of many different, velvety soft, cotton fabrics I still had to piece the front of my bag together because I didn't have enough. I guess I should have bought just a little bit more.

Lesson learned for next year, 'When in Doubt, Buy More Fabric.' Thought I already knew that, but obviously I didn't. Next year I will be better prepared. Maybe you need to place your order now, then I'll have even more excuses to buy fabric!

Missing Someone

Sometimes I just miss Calvin so much. I wonder what he would be doing now. Would he still be taunting Boomer the Basset Hound with the Antelope Head? Would he be driving Boomer the Basset Hound around town trying to pick up chicks? Would he be busy with school and getting great grades or would he still have a hard time turning things in on time? Would he be thinking about which college to go to and getting ready for a mission in just over two years? Would he have actually burnt something down? Would he be grounded from the car every other week?

This year I got the Halloween decorations out early. I decided I have to get the decorations out early if they're going to be put out. As it turns October it just gets too hard. I waited too long and didn't get them out last year. In 2008 when I put my Halloween decorations out life was wonderful and normal. When I put them away my life had changed horribly. I was still in shock. I just couldn't believe that my life had changed that much. Forever etched in my memory is the change that happened while the Halloween decorations were out. This year I put them out early, before October, so I can enjoy them awhile.

While the hurt is still there the rawness has dulled and the pain becomes something I live with everyday. I don't want to lose it because then I would feel as if I had forgotten. The pain is something I treasure and hold close because it tells me how much I love that crazy kid.

I just hope someone hid the matches in Heaven!

Halloween in July

Some crafty people call Christmas in July an excuse to get started making Christmas crafts. I think it should be Halloween in July instead. So in honor of my own Holiday I bought this fabric in June.

I know I'm a little morbid, but I loved the caskets falling out of the hearses.



Skulls and bats on orange are great.



And owls. Who doesn't love owls? They're so in style right now.

I thought I was all set to make some Halloween bags or somethings cool.

And then I found this fabric. It matches the fabric I used to make a Halloween bag last year. I have to have some of this, otherwise I'm incomplete.

See how it matches last year's bag? What to do? Too much fabric! Wait, I didn't just say that. Most women feel like they can't have too many shoes. I don't think it's possible to have too much fabric. I know, it's a sickness. Please don't schedule an intervention.

Halloween Costumes

So what did you wear for Halloween? Since we were in Disneyland for Trick or Treating I made a costume for me and Sister-in-law Nurse. I got the idea from the California Gurls video by Katy Perry.

I went out on a limb and made these daring outfits for Sister-in-Law Nurse and me. Since I didn't have the body of a 25-year-old Pop Star I made ours less risqué. That and I didn't want to be kicked out of Disneyland. We were quite the hit with all the 20-somethings and younger. Most anyone older than that didn't know what we were.

Here's the whole family. Middle Child's coat zipped up with a funny face and Baby wore a Ghillie suit.

We had a ton of fun trick or treating and made out like bandits in the candy department. We shouldn't need to buy any more candy for at least the rest of this year. And don't expect me to wear this outfit again. Once was enough for a lifetime.

Last weekend I got together with some friends. We used to play Bunco back when that was all the craze. But we all got pretty sick of the game. So now we just get together and eat or do crafts or whatever suits our fancy. This month we decorated pumpkins. I saw this swirly, crystal pumpkin and wanted to make it.

I went to the store in search of crystal swirly patterns to transfer to my pumpkin. But alas, they were stinking expensive! So I resorted to buying some other crystals, a starburst pattern, and plain ones.

I didn't know if they would turn out cute or not but went to work that night. And it did turn out cute! I was so happy.

The crystals are purple and clear. I thought they were perfect Halloween colors.

I saw this one and loved it too. I like the sequins. They add enough bling to compliment the other pumpkin.

And my Mom made this  awesome table runner! I love the prints in it and especially the Trick-or-Treaters out getting candy. Something my boys hope to do soon.

Crazy Halloween

Last week I made a new purse. With this Halloween fabric I fell in love with a few months ago.

 I loved the characters. I thought this waddle of witches was perfect.

And I loved this fun fabric, so I put it on the inside.

It's official, I'm the crazy Holiday Lady. I promise I won't wear Holiday Sweaters though.

Halloween Breakfast Delight

It's that time of year again!

Our favorite cereal is in the stores again.

Time for breakfast to be Spooky again!

Thank you Mom! You're the Bestest!

As if this face wasn't enough to scare you all away!

Just can't get enough. Maybe I ought to buy a year's supply
of their favorite cereal.

I don't think I could afford that grocery bill with the way
their eating their breakfast.

Star Wars is in my Blood

The other day when my friend, A, & I took my mom to the airport to go home we were discussing Halloween costumes. We discussed the things we had been as children and what our own children were going to be this year.

Me: Baby is going to be a Clone Trooper from Star Wars this year. We got him a cool helmet at Costco. He loves it and is so excited!

Mom: That is pretty cool.

A: My boy is going to be a frog. Baby will love it (she knows of his love for everything froggy.) My hubby wants me to be the Bounty Hunter's wife. She is so skanky. I just can't do it!

Mom: Oh, I know exactly what you mean. She wears those short skirts and tight tops.

A: She's got the biggest boobs. She is just scary!

Meanwhile I am racking my brain. I thought I knew Star Wars pretty good, but I couldn't remember a time when Boba Fett's wife was on the show. In fact, they just cloned him, there was no wife involved whatsoever in the process of making Clone Troopers. Finally, in complete confusion I blurt:

Me: I didn't know Boba Fett had a wife? What part was she in? I just don't remember her!

A & Mom both burst out laughing at my one track mind. They had long since forgotten about Star Wars.

Me: Oh, do you mean Dog the Bounty Hunter?

A: You live in such BOY land!

HaLlOwEeN FuN

On Devil's Night we do not allow our children out to burn down abandoned houses like they do in Detroit. Instead we use the evening to create a wholesome activity, Pumpkin Carving! Actually, we don't have it together yet this year and had not gotten around to carving pumpkins and now we were down to the end and HAD to do it. So the kids got to stay up late and carve their pumpkins they picked out almost a month ago.

At 7:30 in the evening we discovered we had none of the special tools created for pumpkin carving. We went searching the local stores while the children cleaned the guts out of their pumpkins. Of course, there were no special carving tools available. We got back home and announced to our children they had to come up with their own designs and carve them out with steak knives. Little did we know how, in the interest of money, Corporate America has been sucking the fun out of pumpkin carving. Our children have never had as much fun carving pumpkins as they did this year! Baby was so happy so be given a Big Knife and told to Cut with it. We don't usually put out butter knives, much less steak knives, for him to use. Grandma was still here and we both cringed as he sawed away creating his masterpiece. Middle Child was the same. Neither were upset that no patterns were provided. They went to town carving away! Here are their creations on our doorstep, inviting all to come and be awed.

Baby's Pumpkin

Middle Child's Pumpkin

Then on Hallowed Trick of Treating Night the children went in droves to fill their bags over and over again with candy. They got enough candy this year for me to gain 20 pounds by Christmas! They're going to have to hide the candy!

Our favorite house to Trick or Treat always provides much needed entertainment for the adults usually freezing their butts off. (This year was nice and unseasonably warm.) This house is a dentists and bankers dream, all rolled into one. While rifling through this year's bag of goodies from them I was almost disappointed because the pamphlets were the same as last year: The Story of Inflation, The Story of Money, The Story of Checks and Electronic Payments, The Story of the Federal Reserve System, The Story of Foreign Trade and Exchange, plus about that many more all complements of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Thank You! This year we also got The Adventures of Buddy McNutty from the National Peanut Board and Milk Matters from US Dep't of Health and Human Services.

My absolute favorite book came from Bethesda and is titled "Color in the Differences." It can be found here just in case you wanted your own copy for your children. It talks about how everything/one is different; Apples and Oranges; Sharks and Whales; Dogs and Cats; and finally your friends are all different from you, you have different names and toys! Then for the last three pages they bring in the children in wheelchairs and talk about how they are different. As if we didn't already know, "They like to be outside and to swim in a pool; They like to be with friends, at home and at school." The end. We get ten pages leading us up to how everything is different and then Wham! Bam! Thank You Ma'am! Disabled children are different but yet the exact same as you! They aren't different after all. Halloween and all it's Tricks.