Weekend Happenings, Devotions from a Pumpkin Patch (Mum Pumpkin), Halloween Party Games, Wedding News

Good Friday afternoon!

Betcha thought I was a no-show, didn't ya?

I had a busy, fun Friday, so I'm a little late, but as long as I post before midnight, we should be okay.

NOTE TO ANDREA - Hey, Girl... I decided to answer your Comment Questions in the blog this week.

Katie and T. J. are moving to a place called Pittsburgh, Texas. (Mike and I spent some time in San Antonio about eight years ago AND loved it!)

I'll post a pic of the entire Mother of the Groom ensemble after the wedding, I guess.

Roxie is wearing a beautiful dark purple dress along with the other bridesmaids.

Austin and Melia are going on a mini-moon after the wedding to the mountains, and they are planning a big honeymoon during Spring Break.

That is all I know right now!

RANDOMNESS #1 - I haven't taken any new pics since Monday's Pumpkin Party, so, here are some favorite photos from October, 2011 to hold you until next Tuesday...















RANDOMNESS #2 - Wedding News - This time next week, we'll be having the Rehearsal Dinner for Austin and Melia's wedding.

That seems totally and completely unreal.

This weekend, Melia is having a party given to her by her Bridesmaids...

And Austin is having his Bachelor's Party (a/k/a PAINTBALL).

Things are quickly approaching warp speed, and there are only EIGHT MORE DAYS UNTIL THE ACTUAL WEDDING!

It is an exciting time for all of us (the Vines and the Faulkners), and I'm thankful our family will be growing in just a few more days.

And the pictures...

The very idea of having a professional photographer taking hundreds and hundreds of pictures of EVERYTHING that will be happening next Saturday makes me very, very happy.

I can hardly wait!

Devotions from a Pumpkin Patch

Mum Deliveries

I am going to challenge you to buy a nice pumpkin or a beautiful pot of mums to take to an elderly neighbor or relative this week. They are not very expensive. Take the gift (with your child or children) to the neighbor. (Always let your children see you doing a good deed. They learn so much better by "seeing" than by being told.)

If you want to make some muffins and take the neighbor one or two for their breakfast the next morning along with the pumpkin or mums, that would make it even better.

There's nothing better than receiving an unexpected gift on a pretty fall Wednesday or Thursday... except for giving one.


Way Back When...

These two items were first posted in October of 2009.

Halloween Party Ideas

As you all know, I'm a big Scavenger Hunt fan. Here are some ideas for a Halloween Scavenger Hunt.

Scavenger Hunt - Make a list of objects to gather. They can be themed or completely random. Make sure you have a copy of the item list, too. See below for suggestions to get you started:

AAA battery
Acorn
Apple
Black fingernail polish
Blood-red lipstick
Broom
Candy corn
Golf ball
Gourd
Head of garlic
Indian corn
Lock of black, red or gray hair
Map of USA
Miniature pumpkin
Orange sock
Pie tin
Sewing needle
Spider (real or fake)
Thread
Today's newspaper
Toothpick
Tootsie Roll
Whistle

Get the permission of your neighbors, particularly if the scavenger hunt will be on foot. Let them know the types of things everyone will be searching for and discuss what limits and rules you intend to share.

You'll need a clear set of rules for participants. What are the boundaries of the search? The timetable? Of course, make it clear that stealing or "borrowing" is not allowed under any circumstances; nor is driving unsafely or running through anyone's hedge or garden.

Halloween Games

Mummy Wrap - Divide guests up in pairs. Give each pair a roll of toilet paper. One team member will be the wrapper, the other will be the mummy. The first team to use up its roll wins. Or you can give each team two rolls of toilet paper and after the mummy is wrapped, he or she must wrap their partner.

Doughnut Race - Divide guests into teams. Hang as many doughnuts as guests from a tree limb or clothesline by string. Without using hands, each guest must catch and eat a doughnut. The first team to finish their doughnuts wins.

What Am I? - Pin or tape a Halloween-themed picture on each guest's back (without the guest seeing what it is). While others can only give yes or no answers, each guest must guess what he or she is.

Pass the Pumpkin - Have one fewer small pumpkins than players. Sit kids in a circle. Play Halloween music while they pass the pumpkins around the circle. When the music stops, the player without a pumpkin is out, but he gets to take a pumpkin with him. The rest of the players continue to play until there is a winner.

These ideas were taken from my Taste of Home Halloween Party Favorites Cookbook.

Slightly Amusing Halloween Story - Whenever we go camping at Guntersville, we always stop at a place called Mike's Warehouse. This building has a little of anything and everything, and we enjoy browsing through the store before we head home. On this particular October Sunday, I noticed a rack of gold lame' Elvis jumpsuits with gigantic black belts and even bigger bell bottoms. There must have been 20 or 30 of these identical Elvis costumes... and they were only $10 apiece.

"Buy one. Buy one NOW," something inside me said.

"No. This is a stupid, stupid purchase... even for only $10," I replied to myself. And then we left Mike's and the rack of gold lame' Elvis jumpsuits on sale for $10 apiece.

Three days later, I was asking the kids what they wanted to be for Halloween. Josh wanted to be a Power Ranger (shocker), and Roxie wanted to be a princess (another shocker), and Austin... Well, Austin wanted to be Elvis.

"What do you mean you want to be Elvis?"

"I think it would be fun, and we already know where we can get a costume."

"Yeah. I'll just make a 2 1/2 hour round trip to pick up a $10 costume and everything will be just fine!" I thought to myself.

"Why didn't you say something three days ago while we were standing in front of the costumes?" I whined.

"I didn't want to be Elvis until today."

Of course. That made perfect sense. How many of us wake up one morning and suddenly want to be Elvis. It happens all the time.

I decided my best course of action would be to get on the phone and see how much it would cost for Mike's to ship me a costume. I spoke to a very nice young lady, and when I told her what I wanted and asked if there were any left on the rack, she started laughing. "Oh, there are plenty on the rack. We have to sell them as a set."

"What does that mean? You have to sell 20 identical gold lame' Elvis jumpsuits at the same time to the same person? What does that mean?" I repeated.

"I know. It doesn't make any sense, but that's what my boss told me."

I sat there quietly trying to figure out how to get her to work with me... and not get fired. Before I could come up with a solution to this ridiculous problem, she cleared her throat and whispered, "I'm going to send you one."

"What?" I couldn't believe my ears. I wasn't going to have to guilt her, or coerce her or bribe her.

"It's stupid to think someone is going to buy all 20 at the same time. Can you pay over the phone with your credit card?" she hissed.

"Yes, I can," I whispered back.

"I'm going to walk down the street to the Post Office at lunch and drop it in the mail for you. You should get it in a couple of days."

"But what about postage?" I asked.

"It's on me," she said. "The day after Halloween the other 19 Elvis jumpsuits are going to be marked down to $1.50 anyway."

Two days later, I held in my hands a beautiful gold lame' Elvis jumpsuit. We had gotten such a deal on the costume, I was able to spring for black hair paint AND an inflatable guitar.

It was one of Austin's finer Halloween memories. And mine, too. I love it when you run into an incredibly kind person. It doesn't happen often enough, does it?

Weekend Happenings

1. Austin is working at Donoho tonight.

2. Josh is at a movie theater with a friend.

3. Roxie is at a football game.

4. Mike and I are about to watch something on Netflix...

And that takes care of Friday night.

5. On Saturday, Roxie and I are going to be taking care of a few miscellaneous "this and that" wedding things before attending a party held in Melia's honor by her Bridesmaids.

6. The guys are on their own Saturday.

7. After church on Sunday, Mike and Josh have planned a Bachelor Party for The Boy/The Man, and paintballs will be flying.

They will not let me come to the paintball field to take pictures, and while that bothers me greatly, I understand my place as Mother of the Groom...

And I know it is highly unusual for the Mother of the Groom to be invited to such an event.

Even to take pictures.

I will abide by the Rules of Etiquette and not attend.

Heavy, heavy sigh.

I'll be back Tuesday with pictures from at least one of the upcoming wedding events, and more Fall stuff for you and your family to enjoy together.

Take care, and I'll talk to you next week.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda