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       #Post#: 14458--------------------------------------------------
       Halloween 2019
       By: Jack Date: August 14, 2019, 4:51 pm
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       Yes, we're already working on Halloween.
       Last year, I found a bargain price on some displays/decor, which
       I picked up.  All the stuff I got for me personally had a
       carnival/circus theme.
       If you want to read about how we've done the house for Halloween
       in the past, you can read about it here:
  HTML https://bransomtx.com/halloweenathome.html
       This year, we're going with less 'haunted graveyard' and more
       with 'creepy carnival'.  We've set up a table in my library
       (where the chess table usually goes) and used Legos to recreate
       the front yard.  We already have the entrance planned, and I
       have several volunteers to play the demon clowns wandering the
       yard.  Then I know how we're doing the spot I'll be giving out
       the actual treats.  That one's not too hard, since it has to be
       on the driveway, so younger kids can bypass the yard, and so I
       have a place to sit everything.  What we're working on now is
       how to make a path through the yard, since we're not using the
       gravestones like we have in the past.
       Anyway, it's not something over which we're spending a lot of
       time every day, but we're working on it now so we don't have to
       spend a lot of time every day.
       #Post#: 14460--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: Zyngaru Date: August 14, 2019, 5:07 pm
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       When you said Creepy Carnival theme, I immediately thought of
       this movie.  One of my favorites.  Just wish they would make a
       sequel.
       Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
       #Post#: 14465--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: kalico Date: August 14, 2019, 11:39 pm
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       Sounds very cool....
       Hugs kal
       #Post#: 14472--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: Jack Date: August 15, 2019, 6:10 am
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       Hardly one of my favorites, Zyngaru, though I did see it in the
       theater, mostly because of Josh Hutcherson.  I don't really
       remember much about it.
       #Post#: 15219--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: Jack Date: September 26, 2019, 9:45 am
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       Things are going well on this front.
       While I expect the kids' costumes to stay under discussion for
       another three weeks or so, before we really have to make some
       decisions, that's not my main concern this far out.
       What's important at this point is really twofold.
       1) We're going with three Halloween parties this year.
       26 Oct will be for the younger kids.  We gave a lot of thought
       into breaking this group up into two, since we have mostly 8,
       then 10 year olds.  However, there are enough boys of other ages
       that we decided it would work best to go with a larger party,
       but with all the boys, instead of trying to break things up.
       For this party, we're probably going to start late afternoon,
       and have a 'spooky carnival' in the back yard (weather
       permitting), then have carnival-style food,   Sun will go down
       at 6:42 that day, so we're probably going to use the fire pit to
       make s'mores.  After that, we'll probably play a few Halloween
       games 'in the dark', before going inside to watch a scary movie
       or two (I'm sure most of the guests will be sleeping over).
       1 Nov will probably be a party for the middle school set, and 2
       November is looking like we'll host a high school party.  Those
       aren't quite as well defined yet, and we're not positive about
       the high school party, since my HS boys are split between BCA
       and BHS.  They do mostly share the same friends however.  Van
       will probably be playing those nights, so we're trying to make
       sure we have a guest lists put together to decide what we want
       to do for sure.  We're still holding 25 Oct as a just-in-case
       party date.
       #Post#: 15220--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: David M. Katz Date: September 26, 2019, 10:38 am
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       Sounds like a fun time.
       [emoji316]  [emoji317]
       By any chance will it still be warm enough to use the pool?
       #Post#: 15227--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: Zyngaru Date: September 26, 2019, 2:58 pm
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       This will probably sound like a dumb question, but I'm curious
       as usual.
       What do you do with the boys who aren't in the party.  Like the
       middle and high school boys when the little boys have their
       party.  And especially the little boys when the middle and high
       school boys have their party?  They have to be someplace, so
       curiosity got the better of me, and decided to ask where you put
       the off boys during a party? :) :)  :)
       #Post#: 15233--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: Jack Date: September 26, 2019, 5:27 pm
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       [quote author=David M. Katz link=topic=1427.msg15220#msg15220
       date=1569512320]
       By any chance will it still be warm enough to use the pool?
       [/quote]
       Maybe?  You know what weather in this part of the country is
       like.  We will probably not plan on it, and since we can't, it
       probably just won't get used - at least not for the younger
       kids, where more planning is required.
       [quote author=Zyngaru link=topic=1427.msg15227#msg15227
       date=1569527919]
       This will probably sound like a dumb question, but I'm curious
       as usual.
       What do you do with the boys who aren't in the party.  Like the
       middle and high school boys when the little boys have their
       party.  And especially the little boys when the middle and high
       school boys have their party?  They have to be someplace, so
       curiosity got the better of me, and decided to ask where you put
       the off boys during a party? :) :)  :)
       [/quote]
       One of the things that's always worked for me is, as much time
       as other kids spend here, there are always parents that owe me
       favors.
       With the older boys at the younger parties, it's not such a
       problem.  With Connor and Curtis, they'll probably be visiting
       some of their nephews during the other parties.  With the older
       boys, they'll have the option of either staying in their rooms
       or staying with a friend.  With the high school boys, they often
       help with the younger boys' parties.
       #Post#: 15705--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: Jack Date: October 30, 2019, 4:55 pm
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       [quote author=David M. Katz link=topic=1427.msg15220#msg15220
       date=1569512320]
       By any chance will it still be warm enough to use the pool?
       [/quote]
       Definitely not.
       Last Saturday, for the younger kids' party, we had to go with a
       tent, because there were heavy storms on Thursday and rain
       Friday, and the highs were in the low 60s and breezy.
       It took a bit of extra work, but we were able to do most of the
       play and things we'd wanted, then we moved the kids to the game
       room for a while for snacks and games.  While they were there,
       we redid the tent, and by the time it was full dark, we were
       able to have a 'haunted maze' using nothing but glow sticks, and
       included a couple of games at the end.  The kids had a great
       time even before we retired to the theater for a special showing
       of Monster Squad.
       Despite several days of intermittent rain and a freeze warning
       for tonight, tomorrow is supposed to be a bit warmer (low 50s
       about 5pm), there is no rain in the forecast, and the wind is
       supposed to die off before dark.  It'll be cold, but trick or
       treating should be on schedule.
       Tomorrow is going to be a busy day, but it looks like all the
       plans are still in place for the Creepy Carnival trick or treat
       yard.
       The younger boys (basically the 8 year olds) are going as a
       variety of classic monsters, and a couple of the older boys
       (young teens - Kenny, Colt, and Craig) are dressing up as a mad
       scientist and two Igors to accompany them.  The older boys are
       going as Pirate Monsters (variations on our old favorite the
       Vampirate).  A couple of the high school kids are going with
       them as Renfields.  Jake, Kline, and Brennan are going off on
       their own.  They're being hush hush, but I think they're going
       as some type of zombies.  Craig is still torn about which group
       to go with, to be honest.
       Yes, we've checked all the costumes to make sure they work with
       thermals and even a second layer if needed.
       #Post#: 15716--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Halloween 2019
       By: kalico Date: October 31, 2019, 8:31 am
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       I hope everyone enjoys thier Halloween day ....
       Your yard theme sounds like fun... enjoy jack
       Hugs kal
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