Friday, October 31, 2008

HAPPY HALLOWEEN HOCKEY STYLE!


THE PREDATORS GAVE US A HAPPY HALLOWEEN. THEY BEAT EDMONTON FOR THE 9th STRAIGHT TIME! EDMONTON HAS NEVER BEAT THE PREDATORS.


SELF PORTRAIT

GNASH DRESSED UP IN SEVERAL VERY COOL OUTFITS. THIS WAS TAKEN WHERE THE ZAMBONIS COME OUT FROM

WE HAD SOME POOR EDMONTON FAN TAKE THIS PICTURE NO JOKE HE REALLY WAS JERESY AND ALL!

I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE THIS... JIM & I WERE CHOSEN TO BE ONE OF THREE FINALIST IN THE COSTUME CONTEST! We one third prize...the Geico Caveman won (Mitch) But we were all over the MEGATRON all night and third place was pretty cool we got a $50 gas card, Wii hockey game, tee-shirt... More than we came in with any way. Plus it was a total blast! (Sue and Victoria were the nun and cell block from the 'boro too!)

Katie's friend Emily's Dad got teacher of the month!
WAY TO GO MARK!

WE MADE THE PREDATOR WEBSITE! IN THE HALLOWEEN SECTION VIDO CLIP!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Pictures of Parties Past....

Bunco BOOffet

My Ghostly Groom

Me as a ghostly bride

I got some scrapping in yesterday. Finished the two I had pretty much done. I'm very happy with the pictures we got! At least the pictures of the Bunco food were OK.

Two parties down two to go! I'm making favors for Katie's BFFs and for her. Courtney's crew... Not sure what to do for full blown teenagers... especially boys... ANY IDEAS???? HELP!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Party Dilemmas SOLVED



Well, tis the season at our house to have parties. There seemed to be no good time to have one mostly because we have a bunch of Hockey games right now! So this time we are separating Katie's and Courtney's Halloween parties. Katie is having a sleep over Halloween night with her crew. Courtney is having hers Monday because they have election day off.

Courtney happily printed off her invitations last night. Katie is just doing the intimate group of friends she always has around so it will be over the phone invites for her.

I'm keeping it simple. I'm ordering pizzas. I think those Papa Murthy ones that I just put in the oven for a few minutes or really lazy out and get Papa John's delivery. I'll make some cupcakes, punch, put bowls of candy chips and dip out.

Courtney got a Queen of Hearts costume, the leg Avenue kind.... Not so sure I like it. But it wasn't too bad or i wouldn't have bought it for her. She made Jesse an Ace of hearts costume. They'll be cute.

Katie still hasn't picked out a costume. I guess will be making bits and pieces of what we have work... I guess ther is still two more days...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The Frost is on the Pumpkin! BUT We don't care!

WOO HOO! 7 and 0 BABY! WAY TO GO TITANS


Jim


Me (Kate)


colts vs Titans Monday Night Football


Ray & Jackie


Me annoying Jackie aka mole woman

Jackie Ray and I had a mini tailgate, while waiting for Jim stuck in traffic, with in the warmth of their new Honda mini van. They let ME eat & drink in there BRAVE people. But I let them eat my food...LOL! Vegetable tray I forgot to put out at the Halloween party. Left over Jello shots, & cashews. It was funny.


OMG! it was COLD! especially for us wimpy southerners not use to these COLD temperatures at all. BUT it was worth it! Actually the only thing that was cold on me was my toes. I forgot to double sock. I had bought Jim for his Bday Sunday two small Titan blankets. I'm SO glad I did.


We weren't so sure the first half if sitting in the cold was going to be worth it. But 3rd quarter the Titans turned it on and kept going. Chris hope had a HUGE game with two interceptions. He truly sealed the deal, with the last one setting up Chris Johnsons TD run.

What a great night!

Monday, October 27, 2008

All the Gory Details!



Well my wedding cake wound up being two layered cake with butter cream frosting filled with a strawberry whip cream filling. Totally delicious but lopsided and not what I was going for ... I'm totally humbled and astounded by pastry chefs that work with fondant. I efforts in using it was an abysmal failure. I see cake decorating classes in my future. I hate to fail at any thing...

Now I'm mulling over what I want next years theme to be... Psychotic Circus? the demented clown thing could be really fun. Horror Hospital? Medical stuff is pretty easy to stage... Witch's house... Dead Hollywood... I want to get a idea because the after Halloween sales. That is an art form in its self getting the most BOO for your dollar. I've had my eye on a few things. If I have my theme set in my head it helps weed out a lot of stuff.

I do know that I need to decorate my kitchen area much more! We spend just about the whole time in there. Guess I could replace my coffee collection with creepy specimen jars and lab materials... food for thought...

What theme do you like best?

Saturday, October 25, 2008

COSTUME PARTY!


Jim and I as 1900th century bride & groom ghosts

Kate


Jim


Tina & Ike Turner ( aka Jackie & Ray Delaney)

Tina getting her beat down


Border pattrol catching illegal aliens in the living room! ( Debra & Bob Beagle)


Bride of darkness & a jail bird (Linda & Mike Beagle)


coach of the Tennessee Vols Philip Fulmer and a Go-go dancer (Andy & Susan Rice)


GI Greg ( Greg Colman)


Sarah & Todd Palin ( Carl & Jennifer Montgomery)


Debra wanted this picture just to fool her mom...hum...


Andy & Greg


Alcoholic house wife and soldier ( Anne & Robert O'Boyle)She's been to one too many of our neighborhood Bunco Parties...

Shawn the soccer player (Shawn Hepburn)FOUL! no fair he is playing soccer now!


Tina & the witch (Jackie Delaney & Patty Kinney)


I SEE DRUNK PEOPLE... IN MY KITCHEN!



OGM! We had a blast! The costumes were awesome. Greg did NOT come as the duck hunter!!! Guess he shed that along with other things... any way... Andy made a GREAT Phil Fulmer. He was a total scream! Had the mannerisms down pat. Jennifer really looked like Sarah Plain it was eriee...



I'm quite sure there were some groaning people here in the neighborhood this morning. We all ate and drank too much! Linda's Devilish crab dip is to DIE FOR! Greg you didn't have to eat all the Jello shots! I bet he is one hurting puppy today... Any way Fang-tastic guest! Spooktacular!

GHOUL OF YOU TO VISIT US! HOPE YOU HAD A GASLY TIME!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Stones River Battle Field

What visit to Murfreesboro would be complete without a tour of the Battle field? Plus what's more Halloweenish than hanging out in graveyards?

normal grave stones in the Union grave yard the short ones are for unidentified bodies. The taller have names or initials of the soldier. All Union soldiers were re-buried there after 1875. The confederate were buried in Green lawn cemetery in Murfreeboro. Women raised the funds for this interment.


Fancy tombstone in the cemetery.

We were very lucky to hop into a organized tour for some company. the park ranger was the same one that we had a tour with in July with Andy's family. He is an AWESOME tour guide. He really has the knack of making history come to life.

The tour took us into the Slaughter pen. It just seemed unnaturally cold there. probably just my imagination working over time knowing the history of that spot. How many young men were killed there in that place in a matter of hours. It is horrifying to picture. I would not like to be there after dark. The place gives me the creeps in the daylight. Overwhelmingly sad.

In this battle alone 24,000 men died. Three women were wounded here. They had dressed up as men and were fighting, and were discovered because of the wounds.

The Battle of Stones River is important because it was the first Union victory. It made the British decide not to recognize the Confederacy and not get involved in the war. Pretty much nails in the coffin without support for the Confederacy. It made the Emancipation proclamation have some real teeth. Murfreesboro became an important supply hub for the Union. It helped supply Sherman's The march to the Sea and other key battles.

I also learn if I want to scare myself silly hanging out in the slaughter pen will do it!

weekend adventures


My brother, Bruce, and his wife, Susan, are down visiting from Ohio. They got here Saturday night. Sunday we went to the Craft show in Bell Buckle where I bought the dogs' costumes and then to the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Wow! Jack Daniels was one short dude! Got a pictures of Jim posing by the marble statue in the visitors center. we could bring home a souvenir because they don't sell Jack on Sunday... BUMMER.

Monday, October 20, 2008

ALL DRESSED UP!

MY DAPPER DYSON

CUTIE-PIE COOKIE

YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO KISS THE BRIDE , RIGHT?

My dogs' Halloween costumes to match my theme. aren't they adorable? They HATE them.
Found them at the Bell Buckle Craft show and I could not resist... I know I'm touched...

Friday, October 17, 2008

Well my blog got spammed

I just spent 5 minutes with my delete key I won't be getting back. Guess I'll have to set one of those number letter things. So irritating! Oh well...

Bunco any one?


Shot of the part of the desserts

Bleeding rat cup cakes
( red velvet cake strawberry jelly filled with cream cheese frosting and a gummy rat)

Spider cheese cake



I took horrible party pictures! Guess after a drink or two my camera sense is GONE!
We had a great time. I have a hang over.... Too much rum in the rum punch... or maybe too many glasses of it...

full menu
monster eyes (deviled eggs)
Vertebra ( salmon cream cheese spin rolls)
brain dip ( black bean dip)
guts (guacamole)
Humus ( couldn't think of a cute name for it)
monster knuckles (teriyoki chicken)
curried shrimp with peanut sauce
grave bread ( banana chocolate chip bread)
mint tomb stones
no-bake monsters
bleeding rat cupcakes
spider cheese cake
yogert spider dip with fruit
bleeding spider dip with vegetable (buffulo blue cheese dressing)
Deadman's punch

Deadman's punch recipe

pinapple juice
cherry liquid (from the little red cherries in the jar the name escapes me right now)
sprite, or 7 up or any kind of lime/ lemony soda
liberal amount of white rum ( gee pour the whole bottle in it LOL!)

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Monsters are afraid of US


Why because we eat them!

These are my "monster" no-bake cookies with red hots for eye and black gel pupils.

2 cups sugar
1/2 baking cocoa
1/2 milk
1/4 cup butter (half of a stick)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredient in a sauce pan on the stove top. Bring these to a boil stirring. Let boil 1 minute only. Take off heat and add

1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 peanut butter

Stir till peanut butter is mustly melted in to mixture. Add

3 cups of quick oats and stir till oats are covered. Drop by teaspoonfuls on parchment or wax paper (add eyes as you drop them) let cool. Will be solid in 5 to 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Do dish pan hands pass for monster hands?

I bet my breakfast nook is scarier than yours....

I really do LOVE my creep spider Halloween gobbets , flutes and shot glasses... not to mention my BLEEDING SKULL punch bowl, & all the trays serving bowls etc... I mean who wouldn't? (well if they were a Halloween freak like me). BUT one BIG draw back is nothing can go in the dishwasher. I got to spend some quality time at the kitchen sink yesterday. Not my idea of a FUN Halloween project but necessary since I store them in the attic off season. This is going to be the beverage station lined with grave stones...gives it that lovely homey feeling of a crypt, don't you think?

Center piece for the Bunco party ( hence the 2 on the grave stone for table 2)

simple lighting decoration. Draping things is my favorite!

Close up of center piece.

Well today I make cakes and cookies and shop for all the ingredient for tomorrow. The upstairs will be cleaned just in case there is a party guest that winds up going upstairs for the other bathroom... Again not my favorite Halloween projects but necessary... Well maybe I should just dim the lighting a bit more... ROFL!