Halloween Night 2010

As Dixie mentioned before, we were both too wiped to put up the haunt on Monday. So, we left everything up so I could take a few more pictures that night. It’s a good thing I dragged myself out there to get a few token shots, because early Tuesday morning a torrential downpour started that did not stop until this afternoon. Hopefully our paper mache items will recover. They are a little soft, but still intact. I currently have a triage area setup in the garage so I can operate on the worst cases.

Ahhh…the splendid night of the 31st! Much less TOTs this year versus other years, but a really quality group of people this year. Everyone was very well behaved, and not one teenager looking for trouble. I really hammed it up this year to get them to stop by the haunt. Our house sits two doors down from a very busy street that runs to an affluent neighborhood just to the North of our neighborhood. I situated myself on the street corner in full costume motioning for cars to divert to our street. I got quite a few! Those that didn’t stop, honked at me as they passed. I’m sure people will be talking about the freak on the side of the road for a good bit!

We now have regulars attending our haunt every year, and they go out of their way to let us know that we are now a tradition on their Halloween nights! Wow! We also had a rather large tourist group from Spain stop by our haunt. These people were going on and on about the haunt. We must have spent 20 minutes just posing with each of them for photographs. They probably hung out at our haunt for close to an hour just taking pictures of everything we had. Really nice people.

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I really enjoy the people more than anything else about this holiday. The kids are the best! There was a family of 5 that showed up with a small 4 year old boy that was not afraid of anything. I had a very scary costume and had been scaring the socks off of people right and left all night, but this little guy just walked right up to me and gave me a big hug! I ended up playing Simon Says, Peek-a-Boo, and Hide-n-Seek with him! I haven’t laughed or had so much fun in a very long time! I hope he comes back next year.

Anyway, I could go on and on about the fun that was had, and the plans for next year, but you people have all heard this before. So, lets get with the pictures already!

 

Plus, here is a cheesy YouTube video slideshow:

364 More Days, eh?

Happy New Year, right?  Planning for 2011 starts today.

For me, planning began last night around 1am.  Sitting across the street, smack dab on the sidewalk - in our costumes, because our feet hurt so bad, staring at the panoramic view of our haunt. 

Just staring at it…. Saying things such as:  I like this…. I like that…. need more of this…. need more of that… take that mess out completely, and wouldn’t it look cool if we had a big huge one of those right about there.

You know the drill, right?

We got the kids off to school this morning, just a few hours after we finally got to bed ourselves, and today is resting, and planning the 2010 take down.  We took today off to put everything away, but still need more pictures, so it will stay up a few more days.  Which is good, I don’t think either of us could move if we wanted to!

What is up with that?  I know I just turned 39 last week, but that’s not old!  I think we pushed ourselves way too hard since Thursday night, trying to get more and more and more done.  We didnt eat a bite yesterday, rushing around, it felt chaotic, like our wedding day. 

The only thing I don’t understand.  We plan all year.  We have sketches of the “finalized haunt” for positions, etc.  We scheme, we makes lists and discuss every little detail…. yet…

Every year, we spend the last 4 days like chickens with our heads cut off, trying to ADD this and add that.  Never satisfied, always looking for just this or that extra little detail.

I guess I need to buy less food that needs to be cooked for the last 4 days of next year, and more Power Bars, lol.

Pictures coming soon in a Jaybo post, I’m sure.

My Favorite Haunt Shots

Jaybo put up a few of his faves, so here are some of mine….

We didn’t really have specific characters that we were portraying…. we were just spooky Manor owners I guess :)

Jayson was trying to get a shot of the fog filling up our street, and got this KILLER shot!  I love it!

The ever popular Hallowindow eyeball there…

You guys have seen this one enough for 3 life times by now, eh?  :)

And one last pic, with some familiar faces for you…

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween… and don’t forget – THREE HUNDRED SIXTY FOUR Days!!!! 

:D

Meet the Parents

My parents don’t get any Trick or Treaters on Halloween, so they usually come over to our house, set up a few lawn chairs, drink some wine, and watch us scare all the 7 years olds down the street.  Usually a very entertaining evening for them.

This is what they normally look like, only normally they aren’t standing at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but… work with me here.

So last night, we were putting the final touches on everything at about 4pm, when the door bell rang….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and THESE people show up!!!  Woah!  So, they walked around the graveyard, scared a lot of kids, and just overall MADE MY NIGHT.

I have the coolest parents ever! 

Woohoo! Best night of the year! Time to crash now…

Had a great time tonight! Tons of TOTs, ran out of candy twice and we had a LOT of candy!

Dixie is already passed out on the couch and I am headed to the lounger in the corner. Too tired to make it to anywhere else. Here are a few pics from tonight. Will post a bit more after we recover. Hope everyone had a great night!

Since Halloween has now officially come and gone, Happy El Día de los Muertos and All Saints Day! I have to go collapse now.