HOLLEY-ween SPOOKtacular!!!

This post was enhanced by the album version of Thriller by Michael Jackson.

As most of you already know, and the two people that may read this that don't know me, I LOVE holidays, and especially this time of year! Fall is by far my favorite season, first of all, it means turtleneck season is upon us, and I am a sucker for all things turtlenecked, mocknecked or cowl necked. Next, my house is all done in deep browns and reds, so I feel coziest in those warm neutral colors, but finally.....I love to throw parties, and this season lets me throw back to back to back shindigs!! Much to my delight (sorry Jen but it is true!!), Jen and Matt, the official adult Halloween party throwers for the last three years, were in Hawaii this year, so I became the unofficial adult Halloween party thrower for the 2008 season! How fun for me! I borrowed all of Jen's decorations, and Christine and I had a hoot decorating the house for the big event. I must say the house somehow looks better with all of those candles sticks and spooky pictures on the walls. If you don't look too closely, you would think they were just normal decorations! I wanted to do an 80's theme, because quite frankly I love all things 80's, and I think it gives some uniformity to the party, and I love uniformity. Plus, in a moment of sheer delusion, I came up with the crazy rhyming invitation:

Ghosts and goblins beware
We’re throwing a party with lots of flair!
We’ve added a twist for those who dare
A costume themed gala that’s sure to scare

Come dressed from the 80’s, all outfits will do
From Michael to Madonna, and Pac-man too
Be creative, and funny, and not too crude
Think outside of the box, like a Rubik's cube

If the 80’s don’t suit you, then come as you may,
Just don’t forget to come on the 24th day!!
The time starts at 8:00, so come if you dare,
And bring something sweet or savory to share.

My address is the place to be.
The Holley household will be dressed to a Tee.
Leave the kids at home with a proper sitter,
All who don’t attend are sure to be bitter!!

Enough said, I am a looney tune! But, it did make us all reminisce and we had some great costumes! From tons of classic 80's outfits, to Michale Jackson, Kiss, Guns & Roses, and Milli Vanilli (maybe is was the real MV-Jared and Christine were you the real voices behind that 80's sensation??). We had both sides of the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun-flight suit to black leather jacket, and even the hot Kelly McGillis. Punky Brewster, The Flinstones and Smurfs (that would be us under all of that blue) made an appearance as well as classic 80's commercials 'Where's the beef? and 'This is your brain on drugs'. We had some non 80's costumes and they looked fabulous as well, or should I say they looked 'incredible'!!! We ate lots of great food, and played some classics, like 80's movie pictionary, twister, bobbing for apples, and our favorite pass the orange with your neck game! That is always a crowd pleaser, especially with the men! This is about as crazy as a Mormon party will ever get, necking with an orange!!! In the end, I hope everyone had lots of fun, I know I did, and maybe next year, I'll buy the tickets to send Matt and Jen out of town, JK. We sure did miss you guys, no party is ever complete without Matt in a stretchy suit, aka Nacho Libre, I still laugh every time I flash back to you in that costume. Enjoy the pics, and scroll on down for the much tamer Joy School Halloween recap:

Milli & Papa Smurf-before the festivities started.

Milli & Vanilli

Yabba Dabba Doo

Michael & Kiss





Where's the Beef?

Check out the 'back' on that 'baby'!

The Incredibles




80's Classic Infomercial



Group shot #1, with Smurfette and Papa Smurf, but no Aaron or Spencer.



Group shot #2 without Smurfette, but with Spencer and Aaron, Spencer is in Camo, can you find him?

Group shot #3, with no Pap Smurf, and seriously, where is Spencer???




JOY 'SKULL' PARTY

I strategically picked my days for joy school so that it would fall on my turn the week of Halloween! This is such a fun time of year, and my little ones will only be little for so long, so I have to take every opportunity possible to have fun with them before I am no longer the cool Mom, and they just want to hang at Benny's house because, well who wouldn't! This year I just invited the six boys from the 'big' joy school and the four boys from the 'little' joy school, and their siblings, plus two stow aways, but they are my favorite, so they are invited anytime!!! All kids came in costume, and it looked like an official meeting of the Justice League. I have never seen so many Supers in one location. Hopefully the crime rate didn't skyrocket while all of the Hero's were living it up at the Halloween party. The kids really didn't need to have any structure, they were super content just running amok and screaming at the top of their lungs. But like all good parties we needed a few activities to harness all of that energy. We did a cute foam craft, because if you have read my other posts, I love foam. It's cute, easy, and virtually mess free. We played pin the nose on the pumpkin, bobbed for apples, ate donuts on a string, and went for a quick parade through the neighborhood before eating lunch and yummy treats. I hope the kids had as much fun as I did, I really do love all of those little kids, my boys just love having so many fun friends, and I must say, I love having all of the Mom's as fun friends. What a great bunch of ladies!!

Craft Time

Tink and Pink

Ahoy Matte!

Bobbing for apples!

Donuts on a string, what could be better?

Neighborhood Parade

Supers on a mission

Lunch Time!

The whole wild and crazy bunch!

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

After all of those fun parties we finally made it to Halloween night! For all of you who can't tell the twins apart, Aiden is the Power Ranger, and Anden is Superman, and of course cute Ashy was Batman. The boys were the same thing last year, and we were just going to have them rotate costumes, but they were all content being their same Super, Thank goodness. I am hoping to get at least one more year out of these costumes! Our sweet little Adeline was a pink fairy princess, and let me tell you, that girl figured Halloween out fast. By the second door she knew what to do. She would walk up to the door and knock with her little fist, then pick her candy from the bowl, put it in her basket and move on! That's my girl. All of the neighbors thought she was just the cutest thing, and how could they not. Ashden was all worn out from the Trunk or Treat at the church and slept through the real Trick or Treating, but by the time Ryan got home with him, he had woken up and wondered where all of his loot was! In all, the kids had such a fun Halloween season, and I am 'super' excited for next year. They will be school agers then, and we will get to enjoy all of the fun that comes with school activities, carnivals and parades. I better start planning my treat bags for that right now, especially when everything is 50% off!

Almost ready to go!

Give me some candy!

All tuckered out!

yummy, yummy chocolate

Ready for bed, finally!