Caleb's Monster Mash

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to plan, prepare, and throw a birthday for 10 five-year-olds in less than 24 hours.  

OK, yes, I did impose this "Party Impossible" on myself, but I wasn't procrastinating, just trying, and not succeeding, to manage my time.  You see, I had spent the last few weeks planning and preparing the stake youth Halloween activity, the Frighteningly Freaky Food & Flick on Saturday night.  It was A LOT of work!  Click here to see my post on our YW blog about this awesome yet gory party.  I think you'll get a kick out of the menu.

Anyway, as soon as the party was over late Saturday night, I turned my attention to my next big project - halloween costumes, as I had none, except mine, figured out yet, and our ward halloween party was Monday night.  So I spent the next few days coming up with 6 costumes from what we had on hand.  

So it was late Monday night, after the ward party, that I even started making plans for this monster party set for Tuesday afternoon!  Why do I do these things to myself?  So I planned it all Monday night, went shopping early Tuesday morning, then came home and prepared, and welcomed our guests at 4pm.  Here's how it all turned out.

The only thing done ahead of time, of course, were the invitations.  My friend Diana gave me the idea, and that is where I picked the theme Monster Mash.  The invitations were super easy using my SU Big Shot and some punches.  I thought they turned out very cute.

I kept decorations simple - green and purple crepe paper and balloons.  I made these darling monsters out of hanging paper lanterns.  They were very cute.

Eye like this guy.  He looks like Mike.

Instead of a cake, we had creepcakes.  Mom was good enough to bake them for me, then Shari helped me make monster faces using a variety of candies from WinCo's bulk candy.  I love the one on the bottom right with lust a big toothy grin, or the one next to it with his tongue sticking out.

More creepcakes.  Some with one eye, two, three, and even four eyes.  They were all so cute!

When the guests first arrived they got to decorate their green monster boxes with pompoms, foamies, glitter glue, etc, and googly eyes of course.  Having them make their own boxes was a great idea, because I didn't have time to come up with darling goody bags, and I already had the green gable boxes that I found at a yard sale.  Ta Da. Done.  And they had something to put their prizes, goodies, and pinata candy in.  Besides, Caleb's favorite thing to do in the whole world is craft.  In fact, the craft supplies are still on the table and he has made half a dozen monsters since the party.

After the craft, all the little monsters were out on the trampoline for the Monster Balloon Mash.  Every balloon had one of those little capsules with a monster-shaped sponge inside.  We turned on the song "Monster Mash" and the kids had to stomp on the balloons and pop them to get the little capsules.  It was a great time, but very very loud!

Then we played a different version of a mummy wrap game.  There were two teams, each with their own roll of TP that I had re-rolled putting a bunch of monster magnets in at intervals.  The kids had to unroll the TP on their own arm or leg until they found a monster, then rip it off and pass it to their team mate to unroll, until they found a monster, etc. until all the monsters were found.  It took a bit more coordination than these 5-year-olds had, but they worked together, and had fun doing it.

A totally cute kid with a totally cute monster magnet.  OK, let me just say right now, that Target saved me!  I ran into Super Target first thing Monday morning, and was greeted at the dollar spot with a TON of darling monster stuff: monster coloring books, monster sticker books, monster magnets, monster foamie stickers, monster pencils, monster capsules, monster magnets, monster puzzles, monster bouncy balls - all totally darling and PERFECT for this age and this party!  And perfect for prizes, goodies bags, and games like the ones above.  The Lord was really on my side with this one!!!  And guess  what?  When I went to check out, everything was HALF PRICE!  It all rang up as 50 cents each.  I was so happy!

Oh, and speaking of working out great, did you notice the mylar balloon on the first pic of this post?  I was for a fifth birthday, had monsters on it, and was green and purple.  How perfect is that?

The next game was pin the eyeball on the monster.  I just cut out a quick monster from poster board and punched out some big eyeballs.  The game was a hit!

And our many-eyed monster was so cute when the game was done!  The kids were cracking up about the monster eating a few of his own eyeballs.

Then we played another fun game that I got no pics of.  There were a bunch of cute monster foamie stickers in a bowl.  Some had "trick" written on the back and some said "treat."  Each child picked one out of the bowl.  If it said "treat" they got a candy, and if it said "trick" they had to do something like walk like Frankenstein, or do a sill Halloween dance.  It was funny.

Another game.  The kids had to stick their hands into these bags to feel monster parts, and guess what they really were.  I kept it pretty mild for 5-year-olds.  Eyes - globe grapes, hair - corn silk, nails - sliced almonds, fingers- carrots, ears - dried apricots.  The kids got a kick out of it, but a few girls refused to touch anything sight unseen.

Then, after washing our hands, it was Monster Pizza making time.  The kids each got their own little pizza round ($1.99 for 5 at WinCo) and they had to make their own monster face with the toppings.  Another great idea.  They did the work, got to get creative, and we even had prizes for the winners.
Caleb made a 3 eyed monster with mushroom ears and a cheese stick mouth.

Summer's pizza had broccoli hair and sprinkles of cheese fur.

Nate made some kind of mummy pizza with olive eyes, pepper lips, and olive teeth.

While the pizzas baked we had an eyeball spoon race.  

Lukie was having a tough time getting his eyeball into his spoon with a handful string cheese and pepperoni.  He wasn't letting go.

Caleb upped the ante by putting his spoon in his mouth.

Soon everyone was following suit, and eyeballs were dropping everywhere.

Then the call came, "Pizza is ready!"  Mummy dogs too.

See all the fun monster faces!  The one in the middle bottom was Walker's.  It was sauce with one cheese stick.  He had started eating it before we popped it in the oven.  What a funny kid.  I think he should have won for scariest pizza.

Morgan takes a bite out of her monster.

Lukie goes for the appetizer - gummy body parts on ritz crackers, of course.

The boys were amazed by the monster claw green slime punch.

And then, of course, came the pinata.  Again, Target came through with funny monster.

I love how the older boys hung out above the pinata as the little guys swung away.  This is the first time that the four older boys didn't participate as guests in a party.  They were so helpful to me and I really appreciate them.  Of course Dennis and my sister, Lisa, were huge helps too!  Thanks guys!

Candy, candy, everywhere candy!  That could be the theme of this whole week, I think.

Finally came the presents.  Caleb is very excited about arts and craft supplies!

So I think the party turned out great considering my limited time and resources.  I don't know if it lived up to my usual reputation as a party thrower, but kids this age are very forgiving, thankfully.  And it helps that I have thrown a lot of parties by now, and am becoming quite an expert I guess.

Happy Birthday Cabes!  From that first moment I held you in my arms I was smitten, and I've been smitten by your big brown eyes ever since!  You are a remarkable boy.  Very artistic, very persistent, and always thinking.  I love watching how your mind works and listening to you pontificate about the world.  You have been looking forward to turning 5 since before you were 4, and I hope it is everything you dreamed it would be.  You always said "When I'm five I can ..." do this and do that.  Well, now your 5, and there is nothing holding you back.  Your 5.  The world is your oyster!  Have to it.

Just remember, your monster momma loves you, Caleb!

My Letter

Yesterday my letter to the editor was published in the Desert Sun.  This is what I wrote:

Throughout human history, nations have risen and failed, but the family, the basic unit of society, father, mother, children, has always endured. Are we so "enlightened" today to think that we can change the definition of marriage, the very bond that holds the family together, and survive?

True, there are many great families that don't fit the ideal, but children are most likely to thrive in a home with a father and a mother, and it is incumbent upon us as a society to preserve that ideal for the sake of our children and our society. I submit that no society can survive the collapse of the family. None.

This isn't about people's right to be together. Anyone already has the right to be with anyone. When we speak of rights, lets speak of the right of children to be raised by a father and a mother. Isn't that what we want for all children? Isn't that what we wanted as children?

When we mess with the definition of marriage, we undermine the bond that holds family unit, the basic unit of society, together. In these dangerous times we need to vote yes on proposition 8.

Yes on 8 is a no brainer for me.  

  

God himself defined marriage as between a man and a woman, and His definition will always be between a man and a woman.  It is frankly arrogant and prideful for man to think he can stretch forth his puny little arm to change that, just like it would be arrogant and prideful for man to think he can stretch forth his puny little arm and change the weather (oh wait, I guess man is already doing that too).  The definition of marriage, and the climate - these are in God's arena, not ours.   Men start acting like gods in these things because they refuse to admit there is a God, because as soon as you admit there is an all powerful, all knowing, all loving creator who makes laws and controls the universe, you have to start to live a moral life.  Many people frankly don't want to have to do that, so they set themselves up as the supreme intelligences in the universe, and start trying to change what is not theirs to change.   

The fact is there IS a God, and I am going with HIS definition of marriage.  

This isn't a political blog, so please keep comments kind.  Thanks.

Welcome to the Witch's Lair

  OK, so I got just a TAD bit carried away with my Halloween decorations this year.  Maybe I wanted everyone who entered to know beyond a doubt that a witch lives here.

Care to come in, my little pretty, for a virtual tour of my lair?   Cackle Cackle Cackle

Weary?  Here is a nice comfortable chair on the porch.  Sit a spell.

I love the black weepy funeral wreaths on the doors.  Please, step inside.

My entryway is guarded by black crows on stone pedestals, a black cat, a gargoyle, and a huge back spider.  A warm welcome.

I made this darling "SPOOKY" pennant garland this week.  It is SO funky and fun, and was so easy with some fun papers and my new SU Big Shot.

My very FAVORITE vignette in my lair is the witches coat rack wall.

A long time ago I made this black rack with some antique glass doorknobs.  This year I used it to hold my hat, with an antique bone buckle, and cape, some antique black lace, a silhouette drawstring bag, striped witch stockings, some giant old skeleton keys with a tag that says "Dungeon Keys" on a black ribbon, a large rat, and a paper that says, "Save the Date, 10-31, Halloween"  Above it I found these 3 oval frames at a yard sale a few weeks ago, painted them black, and cut out silhouettes of a few witchy relatives.  I love them!

Don't you love my pumpkin glass ornaments on the chandelier?  I used to have a dozen, but each year a few get broken when my kids start swinging sticks on stuff around.  Now I'm down to 5.  BOO hoo.  Maybe I should cast a spell on those boys.

On the opposite wall of the entry way under the saying "Family is Everything" are the family portraits.  The family pose says "The Hal & Lou Ween Family" (on Dennis' side of the family- see the resemblance?).  The two portraits  change when you walk by from young,  to old, then to decayed corpse.  Super spooky, but they're family, so we gotta love them regardless.

The candy corn kept getting eaten out of my spider jar, so they have been replaced with wood candy sticks, ($5, TPT)

Another little vignette in the living room has some old books, a owl, a skull candle on a silver pedestal, and a bouquet of flowers.  I found the flowers at the dollar store and spray painted them black.  I found the candelabra years ago at a yard sale.  This year I sprayed it black, then I took old candles and dripped red candle wax on them to look like bleeding candles.  The orange boxes I printed off from the Internet.  They say "Tricks" and "Treats".

My new cat friend ($7 TPT) sits with my old book of spells on am old school desk.  Below is the fun pumpkiny pillow I picked up in Oregon.

Dine with me.  In the dining room is pretty creepy.  The centerpiece is a human skull under glass surrounded by vials, a mortar and pestle, and some ingredients I need to make my witch potions.  I know it's the dining room, but a witch has to work somewhere!

I have a bit of a bug problem.

On the sideboard I keep a Heart of a Champion, Extra Ears (you never know when you'll need them), and someone's Brain I picked once.  I'd love to pick yours!

Happy Halloween!

TPT - Meant to Be

Have you ever experienced one of those serendipitous moments where everything just falls into place and works out just right?  You know it was meant to be.  That is what happened to me this week.   My new favorite store that I discovered in Utah (see my last Yellowstone trip post), Tai Pan Trading, had announced that they were opening their first store in So. California.  I have been anxiously following its progress and discovered to my great joy that it would open on Monday, October 20.  That was the day I would be flying home from Oregon into the Ontario Airport.  The new store is right across the street from the Ontario Mills Mall, which is just nearby the airport.  Our flight was coming in at 4:30, so we would have plenty of time to shop!  See.  Meant to be!

It really did work out just like I thought it would, and it was just fabulously fun!  I should have taken pictures. TPT is a Mormon-owned giant warehouse of super-great priced wholesale home decor.  Only it doesn't look like a warehouse, it looks like an out-of-control-huge boutique.   You know how when you walk into one of those pretty little boutiques, you just love to look at all the pretties, but you don't dare pick them up to look at the prices, because you just know they are too high, but then you look at the price anyway and are shocked because it is even higher than you expected?  Well, here the prices shock you because they are so low.  You love to check out the prices because it makes you so happy! And there is SO much to see!  It took us almost three hours to see it all.  Of course it was opening day, and crazy and crowded.  

The gal who worked there noticed my email address when she took it down and asked if I was with Stampin' Up!  She said she was Shelli Gardner's (the founder and chairman of SU) niece.  Moments later her mom and grandma (Shelli's sister and mom) walked in the store.  We started talking and I found out that she, Shelli's mom, was the very first SU demonstrator (her demo ID is #1, mine is #17373) and that I am her down line just 3 steps down - kind of a SU genealogy.  It was so fun talking to them, and they gave us each a gift certificate for $10 for TPT.  That was unexpected and exciting! 

 I got some really great deals that day and loaded everything up in an already luggage-packed car.  Don't you just LOVE it when things just work out so nicely?

Here are a few of my many fun finds from Tai Pan:

Artificial plants.  I have always wanted to have pretty little plants and herbs growing in my kitchen, but plants commit suicide in my care.  I say it is a good thing kids don't grow in pots, or mine would all be dead by now.  So I bought these very realistic looking potted cherry tomatoes ($14.95), eggplant, Roma tomatoes ($9.95 each), lavender ($7.95), and herbs in a peat pot ($2.95).  Tai Pan specializes in silk flowers, plants, and produce that look totally real, and are much cheaper than the not-so realistic flowers, etc. found at craft stores.  So now I can have a green thumb all year round.  How fun is that?

Also these yummy looking chocolate covered strawberries that can fool the eye, but not the taste buds, unfortunately.  A bag of 5 cost only $3.95!

Here was a souper deal.  8 tomato red soup bowls at $1.34 each = $10.74 for all of them!

OK. so now you can see what I mean.  It was all meant to be.  I was supposed to have those soup bowls.

So ladies, the offer is up on the table once again.. Who wants to take a trip up to Ontario to go to TPT with me.  We have to go before Christmas, definitely! They have Christmas decor galor!  Krispy Kreme is right across the street.  I'll buy you each a doughnut, OK?