Halloweeeeeeeeeen!

If I never have to go to another haunted house in my entire life, I’ll concede that Halloween isn’t really so bad after all. In fact, now that I have a kid who (sometimes) appreciate the lengths to which I go to prepare Special Holiday Fun-Time Crafts and Entertainment for his enjoyment, I’m rather beginning to like it.

Of course, it helps that he’s easily impressed. And that he has no memory of the decorations from last year, even the ones he made himself, meaning I was quite the hero this October.

There’s such a thing as non-toxic edible food markers, and I swear they’re already in my Amazon shopping cart, but dude, a Sharpie works too, and I have one right here, and what’s a little ingested poison when it’s enjoyed in moderation, right?

Do not try this at home.

Also, listen, I know that plastic bags are not toys, but I’ve never heard anyone say I can’t use them for decorations. These ghosts are made from squares cut from a kitchen trash bag (because I wanted them to be weather-proof), then stuffed with bubble wrap for the heads, tied with baker’s twine at the necks (Spoolcraft!), and given expressions via the aforementioned toxic Sharpie.

A paring knife can make magic.

My mom sent this Dover sticker book in the mail.

He may not have had a costume until this morning, but he still fits into his glow-in-the-dark skeleton p.j.s from last year.

My mom also sent him some skeleton gloves, which make apple picking extra spooky.

Speaking of gloves, we should have worn some while making our cheesecloth ghosts. We had a few when I was little and they were always my favorite. Ours turned out pretty cool, but my lord, NEVER AGAIN. Wombat, we’ve discovered, likes being “dirty” but hates being “messy.” Good to know (now that I’m elbow-deep in liquid starch)!

We went to the zoo in costume last weekend, which is kind of cheating because we do that every time, regardless of the season.

And we carved pumpkins too, of course (reserving some for Christmas and swearing we’ll actually follow through, unlike last year, the evidence of which exists in the form of the giant dark orange Cinderella pumpkin that has been on our front porch for A YEAR. And is still fine. Fine, fine, fine, and much happier now that Simon finally gave it a proper face.

Here they all are, before an em-effing squirrel decapitated my kitty-bat and left its half-eaten head on the step just near enough the rest that the one remaining eye could see the horror of its varmint-gnawed neck. I hate those furry little rats.

More carving photos because after a few days of cold weather, it was radiant and glorious this weekend and we celebrated by carving pumpkins on the front porch at 5:30 p.m. in our T-shirts.

Are you a saver-and-eater of pumpkin innards and/or seeds? We aren’t.

And here’s a bonus photo just for fun. Simon found this on my dresser the other day and said, “Who in the world is this?”

Those are my parents. Hee.

Tomorrow–costumes! Including Wombat’s, which I started making on Friday night (yeeeeeah), and mine and Simon’s, which at 9 p.m. on Sunday are still TBD. Livin’ on the edge!