HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2016

BOO, Y'all! The orange pumpkin I bought to carve for a jack o' lantern didn't make it to Halloween, so I carved a white or ghost pumpkin. That's a first. I like it. 

Our traditional Halloween chili supper ~ at the table from left: daughter Holly, granddaughter Shelby, sister Jane, and bro-in-law Don.

For once it isn't me who has something growing out of my head in a picture. That wreath looks good on you, Don. He handed out candy to the trick or treaters this evening. 

Two tables, no waiting. From left: daughter Kelly, Kelly's (and our) good friends Addelyn, Kelly, and Daniel Hodge, son-in-law Kerry, and grandson Knox

Around the table from left: daughter Holly, granddaughter Shelby, sister Jane, bro-in-law Don, hubby Neil, and niece Julia

Yummy cupcakes

Grandson Elijah 

Niece Julia and granddaughter Shelby

Elijah~Spy Guy

Holly's all decked out for Halloween~love those tights~nice little hat, too

Shelby channeled Negan from The Walking Dead

Julia is very creative and always makes the best costumes

Pumpkin Addelyn with Mom and Dad

Grandson Knox had so many super hero Halloween costumes that he couldn't decide what he wanted to be ~ so he wore a mash-up of Batman, Captain America, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Black Panther, and at one point Bumblebee the Transformer (more than meets the eye)

It simply would not be Halloween without son-in-law Jerry decked out in his camo and werewolf/wolfman costume, scaring all the little kids and their parents half to death. He hides behind 

trees, impossible to see, then ambushes the unsuspecting trick or treaters when they least expect it. Priceless. 

Halloween spirit ~ From top left: Holly, Shelby, daughter Kelly (love those devil horns)

From middle left: Julia and Elijah

Front from left: Addelyn and Knox (who changed into his Bumblebee mask for the group shot)

I really missed niece Sarah who was working on the Children's Theater production of Beauty and the Beast (in rehearsal at the moment) so she couldn't join us tonight. Her mom shared this picture of her (and family kitty Louis) in her Halloween costume she wore for a party (like her sister Julia, Sarah is also very creative). Missed you, Sarah! Wasn't the same without you.

Another Halloween come and gone. It's probably my favorite holiday. Love that my fabulous family loves it, too. So glad we could be together again on October 31.

Hope your Halloween was spooky good fun, too

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I truly enjoy Halloween. To me, besides the fourth of July, it’s the most fun holiday on the calendar, and I LOVE spending it with my family. They get a kick out of finding the perfect costumes, which makes Halloween even more fun. I carved my pumpkins this afternoon and found a heart inside this one. Who knew pumpkins have feelings, too? Well, they have seeds, anyway.

Making chili for an undetermined amount of spooky peeps. I always make chili. I started this tradition when my kids were little. We’d always eat chili before going trick or treating.

Halloween candy for an undetermined amount of spooks who may or may not come knocking at my door this wet, cold and windy Halloween night. [Actually, we had quite a few, even past nine thirty. I didn’t have much of this candy left by the time it was all over]

I carved two pumpkins this year.

I always carve a traditional jack o lantern face. I think it’s a law or something.

The past year or two, I’ve enjoyed stringing up orange lights. This year I added some purple.

Added some to the dining room, too, this year. Fun stuff.

Grandson Knox dressed up like Tow Mater in the Cars movie ~ one of his fave things right now.

Kimbrough peeps ~ Kerry, Knox and Kelly

Hubby Neil dressed up like the serial killer Dexter.

Would not be Halloween at the Ranft house without sister Jane and bro in law Don.

Kerry in his glo-stick glasses

Knox’s friend Addelyn came over to go trick or treating ~ she was dressed as Elsa from the movie Frozen [which it certainly felt like out there tonight]

They were ready to get out there and gather candy

Knox brought his wagon for the ride through the neighborhood

Trick or Treat!

Hand in hand

They got back to the house with buckets full of treats. Knox really enjoyed the Halloween experience this year.

Niece Julia was the cutest bunny I’ve ever seen [her sister Sarah made the costume for her]

Cotton tail

Niece Sarah was decked out in pink braids and a dress that had bunnies and kittens and unicorns all over.

Granddaughter Shelby reminded me of Helen of Troy in her Greek goddess costume. [She and Julia froze to death trick or treating. There is snow in the forecast here tonight.]

Grandson Elijah was the Winter Soldier from Captain America

Friend of the family Anthony was just plain scary

Daughter Holly was a lovely purple haired witch

Chili for a chilly Halloween night

Daughter Kelly with her good friend Kelly and their kiddos

Shelby, Holly, Julia and Sarah

Shelby, Holly, Julia, Sarah, and good friend of the family, Katelyn who dressed up as a deer

Goddess and ghouls

Dexter with his bloody machete

Son in law Jerry dressed in camo and werewolf mask

He lives to scare people on Halloween and does a good job of it, too ~ set up his duck/deer blind in the front yard and frightened trick or treaters half to death when they came over to look inside. Boo!

“She looks like a deranged Easter Bunny,” was the quote of the evening when Julia got her hands of Dexter’s machete

Witchy Woman and a cup of hot apple cider

Bunny, goddess, deer ~ oh my

Hey, it’s me pigging out on candy corn. I had such a good time tonight with my Halloween peeps. Looking forward to doing it all over again next year!

Happy Halloween!!