Waiting for the Bus

Jas with Autumn Foliage

Trick or Treat

 

Halloween was busy this year! The girls each had tutoring that afternoon, so I picked them up, ran them home, placed pumpkins, fixed their make-up, got them in costume and all of this before Jas got home from work!

Each girl picked her own costume this year. Mae wavered between "Monster Bride" and "Dead Alice in Dead Wonderland" most of the night, while Miranda pretty much stayed with "Demon/Devil Princess." We spent the evening in their old neighborhood and ran across friends that they hadn't seen since school ended last May. Both had a great time and made away with tons of candy!

When we returned to the Poisoned Waterhole, we noted there was a haunted house being held around the corner, so Jas and Miranda went to investigate while Mae and I got her cleaned up and ready for bed. By the time they got home, Mae and I had read a book and were hunkered down in bed! Miranda says she wished she hadn't gone. Although it was fun, she'd fallen and skinned her knee at the end and got tired of people jumping out at her. Mae wishes she had gone and promises to try it out next year!

The Daring Duo

Somewhere between Nightmare before Christmas
& Alice in Wonderland with a pinch of Bride of Frankenstein...

Oh those eyes...

Day of the Dead Cookies

In Honor of El Dia de Los Muertos, the fam decided to decorate some delicious skull shaped cookies! I couldn't find a skull shaped cutter anywhere in Kansas City, so we made one out of steel flashing. I created the die line and procured the materials, dad helped shape the cutter and the girls and I made the dough and baked the cookies.

Then, Jas and I put the initial frosting layer on. We chose to use royal icing because I really wanted to be able to draw on the cookies rather than pipe the features on. Then, I decorated the cookies using roled fondant for the flowers, edible markers to draw the designs and a little help from my girls!
I think they turned out pretty good!

Originally, I'd planned to serve them as snacks for the Girl Scout meeting because it was to be held on El Dia de Los Muertos, so I created some nice handouts to go with them explaining the holiday with a color-&-cut skull mask on the back for the girls to play with. However, the meeting was moved at the last minute, so the cookies ended up being eaten by us and taken to work!

C'est la vie, no?

Pumpkin Carving Fun

Mae's Pumpkin

Our family has several traditions associated with Halloween. Yet none are as anticipated as The Carving of the Pumpkins! May went with a sort of Jack the Pumpkin King approach, where Miranda stayed with a sort of lost imp kind of pumpkin. Both had lot's of fun and made interesting luminaries for our driveway!

Miranda's Pumpkin

Mae Hard at Work

Pumpkin Massacre (Yes, it's unplugged here!)

Miranda "Changing" her concept

Meat Smoking Madness

Stoking the Fire (Double Exposure)

A Day in the Life

Miranda & Cat

The Big Guy Turns 39!

Happy Birthday, Jas!

Waiting for the Bus

Rainy Day Puddles

A Day in the Life

Talk to the Hand...

After Midnight...

After midnight at the Donut King on 210 Highway... Because sometimes, when you've been moving heavy stuff all day, you need a break!

❣ My Daughter, The Dead Fish

My daughter being a "Dead Fish" last night at dinner.  Isn't she precious? ;D

Miranda Fish Series - Fish 1 - Variant 1

Miranda Fish Series - Fish 1 - Variant 2

Miranda Fish Series - Fish 1 - Variant 3

It's a Strike!

 This year in lieu of a big birthday bash full of screaming neighborhood children, we threw an intimate family party full of bowling at The Diamond Bowl on the Independence, MO, Town Square. Then we hoofed it over to Square Pizza, where we had some of the best pizza around and played vintage stand-up video games non-stop until all were tuckered out.

The Rack is Full @ Diamond Bowl.

 

Mae Plans Her Strategy

Miranda Hefts the Ball

Blow Out the Candles

Make a Wish

Sad Monkey

Pinball!!

 

The Wonders of Galaga

Mae, My Flower of the Morning

Daisy Mae (Photo Manipulation)