One minute we were bikini clad the next minute we were running the chickens into their coop.

Both of the kids have mastered the pool this trip.

Mad is doing lengths while Baz spins circles around her with his water wings while his lips turn blue.

Good thing for Grampa and his pledge to “go swimming whenever they wanted”.

Poor guy.

He clearly owns this beach, baby.

How great it was to find out, albeit at the last minute, that there was going to be a shuttle lift off during our vacation?
When we found out, we spontaneously jumped in the car to make the coastal quest to experience this rare sight with our own eyes.

Standing along the side of the Challenger Memorial Coastal Highway, it nearly brought tears to my eyes to experience this fantastic show of human technology. Baz, on the other hand was a bit bummed, he thought we were going to be ON the “rocket”.

This is a Mad original. What could make a better party take-away?
Nothing says lovin’ like a homemade tape.

I LOVE her illustrations. She was so great. She made originals for each of her friends that attended the party. Each cover was varied, ghosts, mummies, witches, pumpkins, you name it. They got to choose when they left, the quite successful party I might add, along with their pumpkin-y loot bags.

Great time. Just now I’m ready for a vacation:)

Task at hand: How not to lose control of 10 kids and your mind in the process.

#1 Save the sugar until the end.
#2 Start with a craft to get them into it and to get a chance for the grown-ups to size up the crowd.
#3 Convince extra grown-ups to serve as back up. (i.e.2) – Thanks G&G.
#4 Games, games, games. Tire those kids out.

GAMES

Stick the hat on the witch. Our twist on the donkey. It should be fun for the 5 year old crowd, plus it’s always good for a laugh and will work out 20 minutes. Yay.

Guess the monster parts. The SK version of a haunted house. Tell them we just picked it up from the store, but we haven’t put it together yet.
Grape eyeballs, pasta brains, dried apricot ears…

Mummy Race. Grab your partner and wrap them in TP.
Who’s the fastest? Who’s the neatest?
After that, we’ll do the Monster Mash… & freeze. We’ll see which mummies can stay perfectly still for a thousand years. Then they can do the Time Warp, again.

We’ll finish with a balloon popping race. Who doesn’t like popping black balloons with their bums? Especially ones (all) that have prizes in them.

Then it’s off to the snack table. There will be green ooze (limeaid and gingerale) to drink, fingers (carrots) and slime (guacamole), ghostly cookies and ghoulish cupcakes.

For loot bags, I have orange craft bags packed with mini Play Doh, eyeball gum, pumpkin pencils and gummy fangs. All tied up with green painter’s tape to look (almost) like a little pumpkin.

But the best? The prizes, stay tuned, since they all get the same thing. It’s the super CD complilation that will drive their parents BATTY.

Muwhahahahaha.