Kemmerlin Spookalicious Kid-Friendly Halloween Party

Well - it was so much fun - if I do say so myself - and we had a great turnout. Derek and I have always loved hosting parties...heck, we even made sure our house was well suited for parties when we built it! So, now that the kids are older and a bit more self-sufficient, we are looking forward to doing even more with friends. And with Halloween one of my favorite holidays - if it is really classified as that - we decided to host a party for the kids and parents alike again this year. It was fun pulling all the details together, stressful implementing - as always in the 11th hour - but so much fun and so worth it to spend time with friends and let my boys do the same. We cooked turkey chili and had all the fixings...along with tons of snacks - veggie and fruit trays, dips and chips and of course candy and desserts. I was sure to keep the kids occupied - although many of them had the most fun just running around in the backyard or playing on the swingset. The kids went on a scavenger hunt - a very chaotic but fun one that ended up in our basement. The kids also got to make - although most just ate - the brownie spiders. Everyone went home with candy and treats...and belly's full of food. Derek and I were in bed by 11:30 and the house was nearly back in order. So much fun that we are thinking about a Christmas party!

Hatcher and Aidan
(Ferb and Phineas - Disney characters)

The Kemmerlins
(Dr. Doofenschmirtz, Candace, Phineas and Ferb - with Perry the Platypus)

The Schorr Family
(Phil, Dreu and baby Stella)

The Bayer Family
(Derek, Cynthia and Maddox)

The Coleman Family
(Todd - the out of work UGA coach, Amy - the recent grad, and Madeline - the UGA cheerleader)

The Albert Family
(Heather and Owen as Peter Pan)

The Layman Family
(Kristen with Brooke, Landon, and Kip with baby Harper)

The Smith Family
(Greg, Amy, Haley - the princess and Tomy - Captain Hook without his costume)

The Lane Family
(Toby - the Situation, Christy - Minnie Mouse, and Hadley - the princess)

The Franke Family
(Ryan, Michelle, baby Sam - pumpkin and Jack as Buzz Lightyear)

The Riley Family
(Cowgirl Mandy, Cowboy Brian and Carter - Woody and Madison as Jesse)

1/6th of the MacMahon Family
(Mei Mei - a Perdue cheerleader)

Most of the 18 kids
(minus Landon, Brooke and Harper - who had left; Stella - who had left; Sam - who was getting into the car; and the 3-month old twins Bob and Henry who were eating)

the week of halloween parties...before the party

So this was one week that will be hard to top. The kids had a Halloween-related party nearly every night last week. It started on Wednesday with the Trunk-or-treat at church. That is right, the kids go to church - for choir. They have their fall recital in two weeks. The boys have loved it. Hatcher sings songs all the time and that is so sweet. So on Wednesday, it was raining and they moved the party into the church. So the kids went room to room instead of "trunk" to "trunk" for candy. They had a great time. We did two costumes this year. One for the school and other functions and one for the party we were hosting and Halloween night. So for the school and church, the boys were firemen. I had two costumes so it was perfect - and they loved playing dress up.

But back to the week of parties. So Thursday was bring a friend and trick or treat at gymnastics. Hatcher wanted to bring Owen...so, I picked up all three boys and off we went to meet Haley and Tomy at gymnastics. For each exercise they completed they got a treat. Then at the end of each circut, they got time in the jumpy. Oh my heavens they were loving every minute of it. Hatcher is doing cartwheels, somersaults, balance beam (forward and backwards), the uneven bars and the rings. Aidan tries them all but has mastered the somersault and balance beam. They really enjoy that class - so I am glad we can do that for them.

Then Friday was the Halloween parade and party at school. I took the afternoon off so I could go and enjoy the function. Hatcher's class had been practicing Halloween-themed songs so that as they paraded around the school in each of the other rooms, they could sing up to three songs. So freaking cute. I will load video up at the end. Meanwhile - in Aidan's class everyone was just having fun with all the costumes. They too paraded around the school - but without any singing - that is left to the big kids. Crazy - Hatcher is considered a big kid now. Man - where does the time go. Here are some pictures from the week. I didn't get any at gymnastics - which is just as well - I haven't mastered using my camera there!

Wednesday's Church Trunk or Treat





Friday's Halloween party at school





Hatcher singing the Halloween songs in the parade...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our own local fall fesitval

Have I said it enough - I love this time of year. There are more reasons to get outside and play. There are more festivals than ever it seems with everyone coming out to enjoy the fall weather. And I consider Halloween and month of October in general to be the kickoff to a series of my favorite holidays.




So to round out the month of festivals - it was our own city's turn. Berkeley Lake hosted its annual festival this past weekend. And they put on a great event again. Same "attractions" as last year - the jumpies, face painting, pumpkin decorating, games for prizes, scavenger hunts and finally the candy in the hay search. We usually hang out for the full two hours - and this year we followed suit. Hatcher was too excited to nap so he powered through until 2 pm - which was the start of the festival, but Aidan couldn't hold out. He crashed around 12:50p - but when I woke him to tell him about the jumpies - he was up and alert and ready to go. Derek was out sick - his sinus infection took a turn for the worse and went to his ears. He had enough and spent a few hours in the am at a minute clinic for some antibiotics. So, while he was resting in bed, the kids and I spent the afternoon at the party. It was a great afternoon. The boys had a good time. It is great to watch them play together. They really get along so well. They are always looking out to make sure the other is in tow...and wanting to share each new adventure with the other. We really lucked up in that department. Don't get me wrong - they bicker...but they are really good friends first. Derek and I are really loving these ages. Now - if they would only sleep all night long - without getting up to go potty in our bathroom and then sneaking into our bed. One day...one day!

Adult night out...and a Halloween party to boot!

It was the return of the annual Schorr Halloween party - Phil and Dreu throw a mean get together. They took last year off as it was near the exact time their daughter Stella was born. But with a year of parenthood under their belts - the party was in full swing once again. This year was no exception, they had a tarot card reader, games and more. Everyone had great costumes...and of course I took pictures of them all. It was a fun night out with adults all acting like kids! Too much fun. Until the next party!

Derek and I
(The bizarre phase of Joaquin Phoenix and a good old fashion witch)

Neil and Ramona
(Sous chef and his Geisha girl)

Cynthia and Derek
(beer drinking redneck and Billy Mayes - the Oxi Clean man)

Colman and Fran
(The Situation and Snookie)

Mort and Debbie
(recently rescued Chilean miners)

Hosts Dreu and Phil
(Lady Gaga - wearing a meat dress and her devil)

The girls

Busy, busy, busy...I feel so behind - but we are having so much fun!

We have been some busy folks lately. It seems we have something planned every weekend in October and most of November already. But, I did manage to squeeze some last minute fun between planned events. We started off the month at fall festivals...and pumpkin patches...and managed to squeeze in our fall photos with Mandy. We met her in downtown Roswell near a creek and an old mill. The kids had so much fun running around the creek and pretending to fish with sticks and throwing in rocks. The pictures turned out so good and Mandy spent nearly two full hours with us. I am using some of them for the Christmas cards...but here are some of my favorites that we aren't using. Thanks again Mandy.




Check out Mandy's Ellis Avery Photography website for more wonderful photos.

Fall Festival at School
A week or so ago the kids' school held their annual fall festival and the boys were so excited. Hatcher asked me repeatedly that morning if I would be there on time for the party so they could jump in the jumpy. The school had a cake walk, snow cones, a train to ride, hot dogs, a jumpy, a "music man" performer, and the chick-fil-a cow on site giving out coupons! Could you ask for more? Apparently you can! The kids wanted MORE of everything. They got a bit of all of it...but it was still bribery at "go time." I took Aidan away in full on tantrum and tears mode. Hatcher rode with Derek and we met up at La Parilla (fav Mexican food joint) for another distraction and some alcoholic drinks for the adults!






Another trip to the Mountains - Hiawasee, GA
Derek and I both just love this time of year. Cooler temps. Changing leaves. The smell of firewood burning. And of course, hot boiled peanuts. Where else can you get all that - but the mountains of course. Only a 2 hour drive, we headed up once again. A quick tour of Derek's first college experience - Young Harris and some scenic driving (we've learned that Aidan may be one for car sickness on mountain roads) and back home we went. Here are some pictures we took in Hiawasee looking towards Bald Mountain - the highest peak in GA.






Wings over Georgia Air Show
So much fun for the whole family...the free air show that is held every year at Dobbins Air Force Base. They say that over 250,000 people were in attendance over the two-day event...a record for a southeast air show. Well - we were one of those quarter of a million folks crammed into the base. Hatcher remembered going last year and seeing the Blue Angels perform. And - since they were here again this year we just couldn't miss it. The kids were so excited - but alas they never realize the hurry and wait scenario that is with large events. They were so pooped by time the Angels came out (look at the picture where they are both just laying out on the concrete). But all in all it was a great day. They sat inside a helicopter, walked through a cargo plane and got to see some stunt pilots and FA-16s in flight. But the best was of course the Blue Angels. They always play the infamous Top Gun theme song - which I told Derek will NEVER get old. Here are some of the fav pics of the day.