Halloween 2012 Video Playlist
We will be adding to this in the next few days.
Edited: November 2nd, 2012
After Halloween Sale 2012
Each year Mom goes out and buys Dads birthday gifts at the After Halloween sale. People often ask where we get the Halloween props and the secret is to purchase it after Halloween when everything is 50 – 70%.
This year we went to the Halloween store the day before to see what they had left and decided on 3 new animations that we felt would fit into our display. The next day we got there about 50 minutes early to wait for the half price sale to begin (we were third in line).
Our 3 main items were “The Howler” werewolf to go with our other werewolf. The “Popping Goblin” which is really nothing more than one of those plastic pumpkins, except the back moves out and a Goblin pops out of it.
The Witch from the Wizard of Oz was the final one on our list. The Halloween store had two left and when Mary lifted the top one, another person immediately lifted the one below hers so it took about two seconds to sell out. Good thing we got there early and waited.
We also stopped at Jo Ann Fabrics and picked up some Halloween crafts and decorations at 70% off and Marshalls where Mary bought a bunch of stuff for $12.
James came home from school and one of the Hoover teachers (we don’t know if the teacher wants us to use her name or not) gave us a haunted house cookie jar!
Finally, KMart had one Jason left at 60% off and that concluded our after Halloween sale. Our next purchases for Halloween will be in the Spring when the garage sales come around again.
Edited: November 1st, 2012
Halloween Trick or Treat 2012
What a busy day this Halloween was for us. After a quick visit to see Peg we went to James’ school Halloween parade, grabbed a buffet lunch, got home in time to greet James coming home from school still in his skeleton costume, took some pics of him in his skeleton costume, gave him a bite to eat, took some pictures of him in his Mario costume, turned on the decorations, and it was off trick or treating for 2012.
This year we made it from Parker to Lincoln, not a whole lot of kids on the streets this night probably due to the weather but there were still enough to know that it was Halloween.
Probably due to the so so turnout, James ended with a lot more candy than he usually gets. He also got to interact with the people more since there were very few lines this year.
Mom handed out candy while Dad and James brought home the candy. Mom said the house got more compliments this year probably because you could see more (we did not put the inflatables out this year due to the weather).
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Edited: October 31st, 2012
Hoover Elementary Halloween Parade
James and the entire Hoover Elementary class participated in their annual Halloween Parade. James went as skeleton (as he did last year) because he figured there would be many Mario’s (which is what he is trick or treating as tonight).
The parade went into the residential area which was different than previous years. It was also held on Halloween day, Oct 31st, which I don’t think it was in the past. The parade stretched well over a block in length and was very impressive to see.
Great time by all and the weather, although 42 degrees and slightly wet, was good enough to get the event in.
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Edited: October 31st, 2012
Manuels Taco Hut at Halloween
At James Halloween Get Together one of our guest tipped us off to this little gem of a place. During the year its Manuels Taco Hut, but they close for one week in the Fall and decorate the entire restaurant for Halloween. Its a great atmosphere with black walls, plenty of Ultra Violet lighting, and creepy skulls, ghost, and skeletons adorn the entire restaurant.
Mom and Dad had chicken burritos and beans while James stuck with his usual chicken nuggets and french fries. The food was great and nothing was left on anyone’s plate at the end. Mom liked the animated Michael Meyers best, Dad liked the talking sculpture best, and James liked the singing pirate skeleton in the treasure chest the best.
Manuels Taco Hut is on Ecorse road between Pelham and Allen road on the North side. We heard from their website that they do something similar for Christmas.
Edited: October 30th, 2012
James Halloween Get Together 2012
James held his second Halloween Get Together in as many years on Oct 27th and he did a real nice job as host. The event lasted from 2 – 7 and we refer to it as a Get Together because there are no scheduled events or time frames. People can stop in and say hi and leave or people can stay for hours. No need for families to have to hurry to meet a time frame, simply show up and stay as little or as long as you like.
This year we decided to decorate the entire house for the party, even though the party was held mostly down stairs. Our bedroom became the “Exorcist room”, our office room became the “Bates Motel Office”, the kitchen became “Hades kitchen” etc.
The kids appeared to have a good time, playing games, making Halloween crafts, eating Halloween cake, etc. Big thanks to all who attended especially James’ teachers from Hoover Elementary. Grandma came by to help upstairs, unfortunately Aunt Peg could not make it but was there in spirit by providing a whole bunch of candy for the kids.
After the event, James continued to work on some of the projects and crafts in the Un-Living room.
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Edited: October 27th, 2012
2012 Downstairs Halloween Decorations
The majority of these pictures were taken before the Party. Some are redundant and different quality because they are a combination of several people who took pictures and gave us a copy. We have organized the pictures in a way that you would see the basement if you were walking through it. The first set of pictures are of the stairs leading to the basement, or as we like to call it, the “Fallout Shelter Entrance”.
Highlights include the Pumpkin Bar, where the singing pumpkins reside and over 100 of their friends (people asked where we got all the artificial pumpkins and our answer was simple, hit every garage sale you see during the Spring and Summer and get all the Halloween stuff you can at pennies on the dollar). The “Haunted Train” is now about ten years old and always a favorite, “Pirates Cove” is where all the crafts and games are, and the “Black Cat Magic Shop” is something we put together with magic tricks from around the house.
Edited: October 26th, 2012
2012 Upstairs Halloween Decorations
The majority of these pictures were taken before the Party. Some are redundant and different quality because they are a combination of several people who took pictures and gave us a copy. We have organized the pictures in a way that you would see the rooms of the house if you were walking through. First you would see the small bathroom if you came in from the side, or you would see the outside (you might notice there are not any inflatables, that is because of high winds from hurricane Sandy) if you came in from the front… then you would enter the house and see the “Witches Nook”, and so on and so on till you come out at the back of the house at the “Trick or Treat” room.
We tried to decorate each room which meant the day of Jame’s party we had to wake up, make up the bed, then add the Exorcist animation to the bed and move the winged demon to her side. Everything was animated so people would see Regan rise up, head spin, then say something from the movie while the winged demon fluttered its wings and moved its head.
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Edited: October 26th, 2012
The People Under The Stairs
All the Halloween decorations are put away and the Christmas stuff is out and will be put on during the Thanksgiving holiday. We took some pictures of the Living Room returned to normal (with Mary posing as Frankenstein in one of the pictures). Taking down the scene setters was pretty easy, as long as it was on a standard dry wall or plaster wall surface. If it got into caulk (for instance around a door) it was more difficult to remove. It was also very difficult to remove from the basement which has concrete covered by Dry-Loc. Fortunately we did not have much in the basement. The scene setters when removed took up almost no space, so if you want a great Halloween look but do not want to spend much cash or store much away I would suggest going to Halloween City or Spirit Halloween and picking up a roll of scene setters.
Speaking of saving money Mary came home with an animated tombstone Saturday while I was taking down decorations. The cost – $2. Mary keeps her eye opened for things like this after Halloween and it has served us well the last couple years. Even if the prop is broken, odds are its an easy repair like this tombstone was.
James is counting the days till Christmas and wants the decorations up sooner than Thanksgiving, however with things so busy at work I can’t imagine finding time sooner. (more…)
Edited: November 6th, 2011
After Halloween Store Sale 2011
Once again Mom got Dads birthday and Christmas gift the day after Halloween. With 50% sales on Halloween items at Walmart and Spirit, Mary made out like a bandit, especially at Walmart where she got a ton of cool stuff half off their already low price!
We stocked up on Halloween garland and the stone dungeon scene setters that we used in the living room. Mary got a cup cake server (which has a small pirate skull on it in the picture) that she really wanted, especially since cupcakes went over well at the party. James got some shirts and a couple pirate props (James really liked Pirates of the Caribbean), and dad got his Christmas and Birthday gifts early again with several Halloween props and animated figures.
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Edited: November 2nd, 2011