I love Halloween--yes I know this is premature

This year I wanted to make a Halloween banner. I think it turned out pretty good. I know I am jumping the gun hanging it up so early, but it is very long and would be hard to store.

I love Halloween. It is so interesting and creative. I love the little oddishnesses about it and the macabre--nothing too far fetched or gory, of course--just slanted and of kilter. (like the children's story of the crooked man who had a crooked house ... ). One of my all time favorite movies is "The Nightmare Before Christmas" --the music is so catchy and jazzy and hilarious and the artwork is so colorful and unique--and then of course the Mel Brooks version of "Frankenstein." I love how the story and the music don't quite match up with the picture--you know, Frankenstein tap dancing in tails and a top hat--just the best.

I also love Halloween traditions. For the past four or five years my mother has had a Halloween Party at her house with homemade donuts and root beer and all the little cousins in their costumes. She decorates her front yard with pumpkin art of the most creative variety--she usually makes a pumpkin totem pole or some other type of strange pumpkin fellows. Traditionally I always forget to bring Andrew's costume so we spend the evening frantically raiding and rampaging through drawers of Grandpa Grumpy's clothes and socks and hats or painting on paper bags. (in the past Andrew has been a half naked beggar child with a beard--they do grow heavy beards on that side of the family--and he has been a yellow sack Pokemon.
Traditional forgetfulness.

As a side note, I just wanted to thank everyone for all their thoughtfulness and prayers. This is going to be one of those years I guess, but with all the scariness and the uncomfortableness that comes with having cancer, I have to acknowledge that there is a purpose to it all, that there will be amazing blessings and my family will mature spiritually in ways that they would not otherwise have a chance of doing. I guess this gives me a chance to look beyond earthly treasures and work toward more eternal ones. (I mean I can't really worry about having a bad hair day with a top of the line, pre-styled, perfectly colored mop on my head--can I?) I love you all. I love the blogs and actually feeling like I am involved in your little worlds. I miss all my nieces and nephews and seeing them change and get big every day--so keep those glorious pictures coming!!! ;)

Our Son the Pumpkin

All this month Andrew has had an extraordinary amount of loose teeth. At the same time he has been begging for Heelies; we told him he had to save his own money for them. So, he got it into his head that he would raise money for Heelies by giving the Tooth Fairy lots of business. Not only that, he has been accepted bribes for pulling his own teeth from mom and dad, and his grandmas. At this moment he still has to raise at least $24---and the consequences of this industry and enterprise---He looks like a jack-o-lantern----just in time for Halloween.

The TAG

Rules: list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current goals, 3 current obsessions, and 3 random facts about yourself. Then tag at least 5 people at the end.
3 Joys:
1) my boys, Steven and Andrew
2) the Gospel
3) I Love Halloween
3 Fears:
1) getting lost, I have no sense of direction
2) being afraid to try something new and missing out
3) being so obsessed with the future that I forget about the present
3 Current Goals:
1) Reading Jane Austen's complete works
2) Scripture Study
3) Writting
3 Current Obsessions:
1) Don't worry, be Happy
2) Catching up on Andrew's scrapbook so I can do something else
3) Work
3 Random Facts About Myself:
1) I have loved opera and operetta since highschool and refused to listen to popular music when I was going to school--so Mario Lanza was my pop icon--however, now I have broadened my horizons
2) I took fencing in college, foil and white padding
3)I hate worms--to the extent that I almost panic. Snakes, spiders, scorpians--they are just fine--but I cannot tolerate those slimy beasties.
I tag: Heather, Kjersten, Josh, Andrea, and Patrick