Friday

Ahhh ... one of my favorite days of the year! Our Halloween Party! I didn't decorate as much as in the past.



However this year, I actually had time to get ready before people arrived!



We had a Superhero theme this year, which was a lot of fun! Matt was Condorman and I was Laser Lady!



Kung Fu Panda, Edna Mole, and Super Baby!

The Ninja Turtles, Splinter, April, and Casey Jones! (Front & back)



"The Noid" and Tinkerbell!



Layla from Sky High!



Generic Heroes!



Hiro from Heroes (Future & Past)



Wolverine and The Black Canary!



Cat Woman!



Lex Luther!



The Great Pumpkin!



We have a lot of good friends and family who are very good sports to dress up with us each year!

Bonita

As part of my mom's family's yearly reunion, we auction off items that help to fund the next year's reunion. Although we are now asked to bring new items, in the past the auction consisted of wrapped white elephants; the only clue to the contents being a description on the outside of the box that said if the item was best for an adult, a child, a boy or a girl.

At a family reunion in 1992, we were still being asked to bring white elephants, but at this point we were asked to not wrap them. My Uncle Stan brought "Bonita" to the auction. Stan teaches at a college; teaching students how to do hair! Bonita was a hair school practice head!

During the course of the auction, they put a funny Robin-Hood-type hat on her. My dad thought she was pretty funny and bought her, and then traded hats with her to make everyone laugh. Here is Bonita in my dad's hat, and he in her's:



Bonita floated around the house for the next few years, usually forgotten in a box, until someone opened the box and screamed when they saw eyes staring back at them!

Around 1998, my mom was ready to get rid of her and asked if she might find a home at our place.

Now we've had Bonita for 10 years. Each year at Halloween she makes her appearance. Once we made her a body and hung her from the trusses in our bay window. Another year we put her behind the door in the bathroom. She's been the centerpiece on the table, surrounded by veggies and dip. We've put her on top of the TV, on top of the post at the bottom of the stairs, on shelves, in windows, and on ice.

Last night as I started my Halloween decorating (I ALMOST made it until October to start) I unpacked her. I put her in the window of our downstairs bay, facing the front door. I thought that might creep someone out.

This morning as I was locking up to come to work, I almost simultaneously jumped out of my socks, peed my pants, and had a heart attack! The first thing that shot into my mind when I saw her looking at me through the window was, 'Someone's in my house!' ... of course I figured it out quick enough, but I had aftershocks all the way to my car. And then I laughed as I remembered yesterday thinking that she might creep someone out, and of course she did, and of course it was ME!

But, that's how it always is! Each year I put her somewhere so she'll scare MATT, and instead, forgetting she's there, she scares ME!

We love Bonita. She's part of our Halloween Family. (Next we'll have to introduce you to Romer Treece.) And I can't wait to share where Bonita's going to be this year! I'll keep you posted!

5 days ...

until the best month of the year!

To wet your appetite for the month of October, here's a little Halloween dessert for you to mix up! Kitty Litter Cake!
And here is an appetizing picture of the finished product:



And here are are the ingredients:

• 1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
• 1 white cake mix
• 2 large packages of vanilla instant pudding, prepared
• 1 large package of vanilla sanwich cookies
• green food coloring
• 12 small Tootsie Rolls
• 1 NEW kitty litter pan
• 1 NEW plastic kitty litter pan liner
• 1 NEW pooper scooper

And here are the instructions:

• Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).
• Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.
• Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often.
• Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.
• When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it too soggy. Combine gently.
• Line a new, clean kitty litter box.
• Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box.
• Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls bury them in the mixture.
• Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything -- this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.
• Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs.
• Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs.
• Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect!

Potions

Surprisingly, the part of our Harry Potter Halloween Party that I wasn't sure would work was a hit! But, that is thanks to the creativity of our guests!

We had a bunch of liquids and dry items out of which we made "potions". Here are the potions that were made:

• Lisa's Potion: "Hiccohault" - Stops your hiccups and gives them to your enemy for 2 weeks. (Instructions: Mix in exact order. Drink upside down after sunset.)
  
• Matt Wilson's Potion: "Po' Worm" - Shrinks people into worms.
• Allen's Potion: "The Shizzle" - He hasn't decided what it does. (Instructions: Drink all at one time, and don't look down.)
• Salli's Potion: "Plantariffico" - Makes peoples breath smell like stinky feet.
• Ashley's Potion: "Smooth" - Gets rid of calluses.
• Launee's Potion: "Age Reduction Elixar" - Makes you half the age that you currently are.
• Karisa's Potion: "Bobblegorp" - Makes bubbles come out of people's nose and ears.
• Linda's Potion: "Cinderella" - Zaps your zits. (Instructions: Apply lightly to problem areas.)
  
• Travis' Potion: "Morning Bacon" - Turns your hands into George Foreman Grills, but they are useless, as the grills are broken. (Instructions: Not intended for ear infection treatment. Do not chew.)
  
• Anna's Potion: "Twenty Four Ha's" - This potion makes someone laugh uncontrollably for twenty-four hours straight. (Instructions: Shake twenty four times while jumping up and down, then drink rapidly.)
  
• Justin's Potion: "Extenzall" - EDITED FOR CONTENT (Is anyone surprised? Justin - I know you're loving this.)
  
• Andrea's Potion: "Maturity" - Will turn immature boys into suave men. (Instructions: Use only when tired of immaturity.)
• Spencer's Potion: "Don't Worry, Be Happy" - No bad days at work. (Instructions: Drink before work.)
• Pam's Potion: "Patience" - Brings you patience. (Instructions: Smell, don't drink.)
• Diane's Potion: "Love Conquers All" - (Instructions: Swirl 10 times, shake 30 seconds, marinate 30 days in the Chamber of Secrets)
• Weston's Potion: "Cortana's Love" - This potion will improve your Halo 3 skills so that you can beat Halo on Legendary with your eyes closed. (Instructions: Chug immediately before playing; do your best to keep it down.)
  

Per requests we have had, here are the ingredients:

DRY INGREDIENTS:

1. Moonstone (White Jordan Almonds) - Scientifically known as a form of mineral orthoclase. It can be gray, yellow, red, or green, but when it is white it is called moonstone, and can be used in potions or as jewelry.
2. Scarab Beetle Powder (Pistachio Pudding Powder) - Used in the Wit-Sharpening potion and other potions.
3. Fluxweed (Dried Mint Leaves) - Fluxweed is native to North America and tends to grow along creeks and streams. Fluxweed picked at full moon can be used in many potions.
4. Dragon Heartstrings (Red Sour Punch Straws) - Dragon heartstrings have highly magical properties, and are commonly used in the cores of magical wands, as well as in many potions.
5. Puffer-Fish Eyes (Yellow Gobstobbers) - Used in the Swelling Solution and other potions.
6. Billywig Stings (Blue Sprinkles) - Billiwigs are small, sapphire blue insects native to Australia. Their stings are used in several potions.
7. Runespor Eggs (White Good and Plenty's) - The Runespoor is a three-headed serpent, which lays eggs through their mouths. The eggs when used in potions will stimulate mental agility.
8. Bicorn Horns (Powdered Sugar) - Horns from a two-horned beast that survives by eating virtuous husbands. Powdered Bicorn horn is an ingredient in Polyjuice Potion and other potions.
9. Sneezewort Powder (Purple Pixie Stix Powder) - Useful for inflaming the brain, so it is used in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts. Generally used in potions where the intended effect is one of rashness and recklessness.
10. Ginger Root Powder (Ginger) - Powdered ginger root has been said to have medicinal properties, aiding with many ailments. It can be used in many potions, including the Wit-Sharpening Potion.
11. Porcupine Quills (Asian Stick Cookies) - Porcupine quills are a simple ingredient that can be used in many potions, including those to cure boils and aid in restful sleep.
12. Ashwinder Eggs (Red Hots) - Ashwinder is a serpent that lives for an hour, just long enough to lay eggs. The eggs are bright red, hot, and will set their surroundings on fire if they are not frozen. Used in love potions.
13. Belladonna Berries (Cranberries) - Also known as Deadly Nightshade, Belladona is a shrub with extremely poisonous berries and leaves. Used in many common potions.
14. Bezoar (Chick-O-Sticks) - A small, shriveled stone taken from the stomach of a goat. Bezoars are used by wizards as an antidote for most poisons and in potion making.

WET INGREDIENTS:

1. Acromantula Venom (Dark Purple Gatorade) - Acromantula venom is almost impossible to procure from a living Acromantula.
2. Armadillo Bile (Egg Nog) - A liquid produced by the gall bladder of an armadillo. An ingredient in the Wit-Sharpening potion.
3. Bobotuber Pus (Jose Cuervo's Margarita Mix) - Bobotubers are black, slug-like plants that are covered in pus-filled protrusions. The pus is a yellow-green color.
4. Doxy Venom (Strawberry Milk) - Doxys, also called Biting Fairies, secrete venom from double rows of needle-sharp teeth.
5. Erumpent Fluid (Guava juice with green food coloring) - The Erumpent is an African animal. It has a large, sharp horn, which contains fluid that causes anything it is injected into to explode.
6. Flobberworm Mucus (Karo Syrup with green and yellow food coloring) - The Flobberworm’s ends are indistinguishable, and both exude mucus. Flobberworm mucus is used to thicken potions.
   
7. Glumbumble Treacle (Pineapple juice with red food coloring) - Glumbumbles are gray, furry-bodied, flying insects, native to Europe. The treacle they produce is an effective antidote in many potions.
8. Hellebore (Sugar Water) - Part of the buttercup family, Hellebore is used to ward off madness. A few drops are used in the Draught of Peace potion, along with Moonstone.
9. Leech Essence (Lime Juice) - Leeches are used in Polyjuice Potion and their essence is used in the Shrinking Solution.
10. Pomegranate Juice (Frozen Pomegranate Cranberry Concentrate) - Pomegranate juice is used in the Strengthening Solution and other potions.
11. Re’em Blood (V8 Splash) - Re’em are extremely rare giant oxen native to North American and the Far East. Re’em blood endows the drinker with immense strength.
12. Salamander Blood (Grenadine Syrup) - Salamander blood is used in the Strengthening Solution and other potions.
13. Snake Venom (Papaya juice with blue food coloring) - Snake venom is used in a potion that can keep alive and restore form to a wizard whose soul has been separated from his body.