This is Halloween, This is Halloween!

Apparently, 2011 was the last year mom and dad got to choose Mark's Halloween costume.  This year, he was very insistent on choosing his own.

Halloween, he said, is for spooky guys.  He needed to be someone spooky.

But he didn't want to color his hair, so no Dracula.

And he didn't want to color his face, so no Frankenstein.

Mom said he would trip over a ghost costume.

So skeleton it is!

The catch:  He had to be a not too spooky skeleton, so he didn't scare any of the kids at school.

On the left is our not too spooky skeleton, all geared up for Trick-or-Treating.  He loved it.  He thinks it should be Halloween every week.

Mark of Fridays: How to Make a Jack-o-Lantern

Step 1:  Choose the right pumpkin.  Be sure to wear the proper hat for the occasion.

Step 2:  Watch Mom cut off the top and inspect the insides.  Be careful not to touch them.

Step 3:  Draw on face.  Purple crayon works best for this.

 

Step 4:  Help Mom cut out eyes, nose.

Step 5:  Inspect closely as the mouth is being cut out.  Insist on as many teeth as possible.  At least 6, for sure.

Step 6:  Name pumpkin.   A girl's name--Erin, perhaps--is best, regardless of possible holiday confusion.
Pose next to completed pumpkin and say Cheese!





A Halloween Story, by Mark

Once upon a time there was a dracula and it was very spooky in his land.
And he fell underground and all his spooky friends were there. Then he climbed up from underground.
Then, he fell back down!
And his friends climbed up. He climbed back up with them.
And then they went on a spooky trip. A spooky picnic. Then, they played spooky opposites.


Just try to get some sleep after that one!

How to make a jack-o-lantern in 4 steps

1. Pick out the perfect pumpkin.

2. Help mom scoop out the guts, but don't touch them.

3. Pause for refreshment, project supervision.

4. Enjoy!

Mark of Fridays: Boo!

Can you guess who Mark was for Halloween?

Boo!

Happy halloween!

For his first trip through trick-or-treat land, Mark had two costumes. On the left, Mark is wearing the monkey suit that his great-grandma got for him. You can't see it in this picture, but the costume even included a little tail!

On the right, was the costume that Aunt Megan made.

Can you guess what he is?

The first to guess correctly wins a free used diaper!

Where (and who) is Lynne?

Well, you had a week. Did you guess what Lynne was for Halloween?

That's right, she was...no, not a jailbird. Not the Hamburglar. Lynne was Waldo!

At left, Lynne. At right, not Lynne?

And the winner is...Josh! congratulations Josh, you've won a brand new...fanny pack! Retail value; $19.95. All rights reserved. Prize is non-transferable.

Matt had some doubts that anyone knew who Waldo was anymore, but apparently kids out there are still looking for him. Good for them. Although, perhaps they need something better to do with their time. Matt suggests looking for someone a little more famous. Like him. Or her.

Anyhow, kids were yelling "I found you" to Lynne all day and it didn't even annoy her. And, shockingly, there was a second Waldo teaching at Naperville Central that day. That's what happens when your colors are red and white. You're the home of the Fighting Waldos.

One story from Halloween because it's too odd not to share. But a warning: it starts out sad. So, there's one NCHS student who has an allergy to latex. A severe, terrible allergy. Like the stuff can't even be in the air of the building or it's dangerous to the kid. (That's the sad part.) So, the deal with the students was they had to prove their costume had no latex in it, otherwise it wasn't allowed in.

Flash forward to second period and there's an announcement.

"Excuse me teachers, we've called some manufacturers to check on costumes. If you have the following costumes in your class please send them to the principal's office. Cow with udders. Yellow banana. Man with two heads. Again, would the cow with udders, yellow banana and man with two heads report to the principal's office."

Now, that's not an announcement you can hear too often.

Oh, and what was Matt for Halloween? Scroogy McNofun. No costume required.

OK, so Matt and Lynne promised an update on where the ceremony and reception are going to be. And so you shall have it. Matt will get some pictures this weekend and post them here. So check back soon.
And maybe they'll have a few other surprises. Or maybe not. (It's a surprise!)

Smell our feet, give us something good to eat

Boo!

Did we scare you?

Hope everyone had a very haunted and very recall-free Halloween. Matt is currently in a sugar coma after eating a few (17) too many Tootsie Rolls. They're so tasty!

So, can anyone guess what Lynne was for Halloween this year? Check out the picture for a hint.

The first 5-1/2 people to post the correct answer in the comment section will recieve the prize of seeing their words appear on the Internet. Imagine the fame, the glory!