My rules for Halloween Costuming

My kids have asked a time or two in the past...."Mom, why won't you let us be anything scary for Halloween?"

And besides my complete lack of interest in the ghoulish side of Halloween, I simply do not want to see my adorable little cherub of a child covered in fake blood or imitating a glorified movie serial killer. Not in my house, you don't.

Some simple unofficial rules (by unofficial that means they are subject to change on the whim and weariness of the mother) for costumes in our home are as follows.

1. Costumes purchased from a store must be done so AFTER Halloween if they are to be used. Meaning, that yes, we have some store purchased costumes but they were purchased as 'dress up' clothes for pennies on the dollar. Think thrift stores!

2. When at all possible we choose something creative and original.

3. Even if the idea is not original, we do our best to create our costume from items that will make it so.

4. Mom does not sew. And even if I did, I will not be sewing five costumes. Period.

5. I can use scissors, glue gun, and duct tape. And so far that's proven effective enough.

6. If bonus points are given for creativity, then double bonus is given for ironic creativity. And triple bonus if the irony is understood.

7. Cuteness goes a long way in procuring large amounts of candy.

8. If you want candy, you will participate by dressing up.

9. One is NEVER too old for candy or dressing up.

10. Halloween is not some big and scary pagan holiday, unless you want it to be.

The Ghosts of Halloween's Past

It is more than a little ironic that the one 'secular' holiday that was most unwelcome in our home growing up, has become a tradition of family celebration for us now. I mean seriously people, I colored a lettuce head in kindergarten instead of a jack-o-lantern. And no, it did not scar me. It instead taught me at an early age that it is okay to go against the culture. And it is okay to be different. My parents were fighting the good fight. And I have often followed their example as a parent myself.

The small town in which my parents now live has an annual Spooktacular event held on the Saturday before Halloween. Because the funnest part of Halloween is the dressing up, I have always been extremely disenchanted with the simple and speedy act of trick-or-treating. This instead is a full afternoon of activity, where we can gather with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents and celebrate together. All while sipping cider, eating carmel apples, and riding a horse drawn hay wagon.

I am quite certain that our family, as opposed to those more local, has adopted the greatest interest in this annual event. I say with almost complete assurance, that we are the most 'active' crew involved. Yes, even we adults dress up. Why you ask? Why not?

So while I can not show you this year's costume selection, which will be as good as ever...I can show you the ghosts of Halloween past. Enjoy!

2006

2007

2008 Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion

2008 My brother's family

2008 Dorothy and the Cowardly Cute Lion

2008 The whole Ozzy Clan

2009 Laura & Mary

Yes we reuse costumes, and as a tradition every baby was Eeyore.

So guess who's turn it will be this year?

In the state I am in....

Recently I was visiting another mommy blog and found her posting pictures of the lovely part of the country where she resides. All while singing the praises of God's beautiful creation just outside her kitchen windows. While I could not agree more, that her part of America is one to sing songs about, it resonated with me deeper that what she was seeing was not just the prettiest picture.

Philippians four is filled with great stuff. As is the rest of Holy Scripture, you should check it out. One of my favorites, and one that was quoted to me regularly as a child is this: "....for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Phil. 4:11)

I believe that God gives us a vision for beauty wherever He has planted our behinds. Yes, even those of us in South Dakota. Our responsibility is to have our eyes open to see it. Someday I would love to travel, to see the many places that poets have written verse about, or of which lyrics have sung songs. But even if my behind stays frozen to a park bench in the upper mid-west, I have seen God's beauty here. And it is well with my soul.

It's going around....

Rarely am I so cooperative, but I could not think of any good reason not to participate in this little game. (But Sohailah, don't say I never did anything for ya, K? :o) Here are my answers to eight random questions presented to me by the lovely Sohailah. I realize that I am to come up with eight questions and tag eight people...problem is I do not know eight people that blog faithfully anymore! So I will leave eight questions at the bottom of this post, and if you wish, you may answer them in the comments, or on the Facebook link. Enjoy.

1) What is your favorite thing to do when you have “down time” and why?

--Well quite obviously I enjoy writing. But I do not have an outlet other than here for that, so I really do not do it all that much. Most of my "down time", (and I'd really enjoy a definition of that because I'm not sure I know what it is), is spent with my family. If we have nothing scheduled, we often head out to a lake nearby and enjoy nature by walking trails, playing in parks and being together.

2) If you could “change jobs” right now, and it would have absolutely no bearing on anything financially or relationally in your life, what would you do?

--No one has a more rewarding job than myself. So I won't be giving this one up. However, I would love to write professionally, while mothering full time.

3) Do you play an instrument or sing? If so, what? If not, why not?

--I can play piano. But at the level of a floundering third year piano student. Enough to plunk out a song or two, but nothing you'd hear in the lobby of a grand hotel. And I sing loudly and often. Not in a group of any sort, unless my five kids officially make us a group, but music is the heartbeat of my soul. In the words of our beloved former pope, John Paul II, "I have a sweet tooth for song and music. This is my Polish sin." I do not want a rock crying out in my place!

4) What was your favorite extra-curricular activity in high school?

--I attended a very small school, therefore, extra-curricular activities were as common place as regular classroom work. I participated in track, basketball, cheerleading, oral interp, one-act and Spring play, FFA, yearbook/newspaper, choir, and underwater basket weaving, along with a few I am sure I have since forgotten. I enjoyed the physical aspect of athletics...however I was on the world's worst basketball team. I also loved plays and speaking activities.

5) What is the one belief in your head that you KNOW is a lie, but still have to battle?

--My own strength, resolve, perseverance, or control make all things possible. I tend to jump into things, make a mess of them on my own and THEN remember that all things are possible....WITH GOD. Not the mighty power of Heidi.

6) Favorite type of food and why? And a memory of eating that food – with whom, where, when, etc.

--I really do not know if I have yet to encounter my favorite food. I don't consider myself knowledgeable at all in this area. Some favorite memories related to food though: homemade hot cocoa and toast, cucumber sandwiches, skillet breakfast with my grandpa, birthday cherry pies.

7) Cats or dogs? Why?

--Both. A cat is necessary to deal with my least favorite creation. Mice. And dogs are just down right good company.

8) If you had a plane ticket to anywhere in the world to go to RIGHT NOW, where would you want it to be to?

--I would want seven tickets. If I could add that into the equation, then I would like them to take my family to a beautiful beach in Hawaii. But of course, only if they included the motel and food along with it! But I would cash all that in and take door number two if it held a suburban. :o)

Thanks Sohailah for including me. Not sure if you learned anything to enlightening from mine. Thanks so much for keeping it simple. I am not good with deep philosophical thought provoking commentary.

Now, if you desire to play along, you may answer these 8 questions in the comment box:

1) Creamy or crunchy peanut butter?

2) Indoors or outdoors?

3) Christmas card with or without picture?

4) Tattoo? Where? Why?

5) Coffee plain or creamed?

7) Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, or Hamlet?

8) Song that's rockin' your socks currently

The hunt is on

Hunting season makes me want to shop.

Not a conscious decision like---Man Hunt. Woman Shop.---kind of thing. It just happens. And retailers everywhere REJOICE.

I would argue that it is more like a natural instinct, if you will. It just feels like the thing to do when the men put on camouflage and head off to sit in a cold field for five hours. Something in my head says, "Hey let's go to the mall!" Well, my head used to say that, before five kids. Now my head says, "Hey let's go to the computer and shop online!" The results are very similar, however.

Wives of hunters, can you back me up on this? Because I know that my husband and many reading this, would concur that it is a 'revenge' sort of thing. An immature exchange of 'his time' vs. 'my time' thinking. It is not. I swear. I love that Chad hunts. While I do not understand it for the life of me, the man does so little for himself, that if ugly pants, cold fields and loud guns bring him pleasure, so be it. I love it even more that two or so of the kids and the dog go along.

But after several evenings, and many Saturday's of Fall coming and going with the master of the house away, something tells me that a relief of the monotony will be found in a full online shopping bag.

So tell me, is this a common reaction to the hunt? Or am I just looking for justification wherever I can find it? Either way, the hunt is on.

My lil' punkn'

Have you met Sheena HeeHaw?

Can't really explain it, but the names that Kate and Andrew give their stuffed animals really cracks me up. Maybe more than loving the names, is the simple innocence it represents.

Sheena HeeHaw, B. Dog Teddy, Moriah, Eazy & Ozzie (must be together), Puffer, Coco...on and on it goes.

I am not exaggerating when I say that together they have well over 50 stuffed animals. That is the parsed down total, to a somewhat manageable number. And many of those fifty are their favorites on any given day. Kate drags some assortment of the motley crew off to school in her back-pack each morning to share with her friends at recess. When home, Kate and Andy rush into a room and start playing with the chosen giraffe, ape, penguin, or hamster of the day. On road trips or vacations, several lucky members of the stuffed variety, tag along with us.

At every opportunity to request a gift, or purchase one herself, Kate immediately goes for a stuffed souvenir.

It seems to me that someone with a name that rhymes with Mighty Bo also loved her stuffed animals to the point of obsession. Although I do not remember all of them, I know that a few, like Ricky the Raccoon and Chubs the rat were just a few of my favorites. And yes, I still love a good stuffed animal. Maybe that is why I tolerate them despite the fact that on any given day my living room looks like a homeless shelter for orphaned exotic pets.

Tell me, what floats your child's creative boat?

Living or Surviving?

A thought popped into my head the other day as I was frantically wiping up what appeared to be a counter that had not seen my rag in far too many a day.

Am I living, or surviving?

This past August, when reality and mortality smashed head on, I began to look at my life with a perspective that seeks clarity. Just going through the motions is not what it is all about, and even if it is, I'm not okay with that.

So much of my day is in high gear. I am swiftly moving from one thing to the next in an effort to stay ahead of the game. Which is really pretty ridiculous, because staying ahead of anything other than my own behind is about all that I accomplish.

Do not get me wrong. I have a crazy blessed life. I acknowledge that on a daily basis. Almost to the point of annoying others with that message. But am I living my life, or just surviving it?

What things in my life am I fully engaged in, and what areas am I just wiping up the spills in an effort to leave less of a mess for others?

Let's move toward living, shall we?

Top 10 annoying things about Facebook

I have a very love/hate relationship with Facebook. I'll just be honest. Something about it draws me in like a bad traffic accident. I do not want to look but that deep down strange place makes it impossible to not sneak-a-peek. Don't get me wrong. I did say it was a love/hate relationship. The love part is there too....or at least strong liking. I enjoy being able to interact and banter with others about silly things or pop in on a long ago friend to see where the road of life has taken them.

So in an attempt to laugh at myself, I have complied a top ten list of things that annoy me about Facebook. Now people, remember to read with a humorous heart. I have (or do) said/done many of the things on this list. So instead of taking any offense at my list...add to it. Leave a comment with what you would add to the top ten.

TOP TEN ANNOYING THINGS ABOUT FACEBOOK

10. You don't know how bizarre someones life has become until AFTER you have 'friended' them.

9. The same five people update their status daily...or hourly....or minute by minute. The rest of my 297 friends are MIA. (I do not really have 302 friends, that's the art of exaggeration.)

8. I should not feel one iota of guilt for NOT friending my friends seven-year old. Yet I do.

7. Wall-to-wall conversations that would better be carried on through the 'private message' option.

6. Status updates that make me feel like a low rate mother, wife, friend etc.

5. "Re-post this status if you are not a lily-livered, ignoramus, anti-American, freedom hater!" Or any other attempt to get me to re-post something, with the threat of calling me names if I do not.

4. Along the same lines, a new status update every other day encouraging me to re-post if my mother, sister, son, husband, dog, neighbor, chicken, daughter, uncle, boss, babysitter, turtle, pastor.....is the best person ever.

3. Ambiguous posts compelling others to worry and fret about your mental health.

2. If you like playing games on Facebook, I am totally fine with it. I waste time on many other things....but why oh why do you want to broadcast that you've gained 42 cows in Farmville, by letting it post to your wall/status or what-have-you?

1. People who swear like sailors in their posts or comments. Potty mouths get deleted. Even potty mouth short-hand.

*Since writing this, I have discovered even more....guess it should have been a top twenty!