The Big Halloween Bash

Last year I joined a group called "CCM" aka Caring Christian Mom's. Towards the end of last year (which follows the kids school year) I volunteered to be an officer for the group. My title is "Officer of Social and Service"...fits me, doesn't it?
If you know what "MOP's" (aka, Mother's of PreSchooler's) is, then that is pretty much what this group is too. If you don't know what either are, then quickly...We meet once a month to hear speakers that talk on topics relevant to our current situations. Like this morning's topic was "Kindergarten Readiness", last month was "Couponing 101" and the month before was "Talking to your children about Death, Illness, Stranger Danger and Sexual Abuse". I have thoroughly enjoyed each topic this year and gotten a lot out of each of them! We also have a play date or movie morning or some sort of fun thing that we meet and do each month in addition to the general meetings. I have really enjoyed being in this group!
So, my big responsibility was throwing the Big Halloween Bash! So if your wondering why you didn't hear from me in October, it's because I was super busy making the gifts I gave Michael for our anniversary and then my focus shifted to the Halloween Party! We had it on Oct 28 in the morning from 9:30-11:30!
I had a party planning committee with Liz and Christy! And the 5 other officers helped out too! And I must say, it was a HUGE success! I had so much fun, but more importantly, so did Jonathan and the rest of the kids! We had lots of fun activities planned for the kiddos! The coolest was Liz's parents are DJ's and they offered to come and DJ for FREE! It was awesome! They played all sorts of fun Halloween and Kid's songs! Other activities were...decorating Trick or Treat Bags, Decorating Sugar Cookies, Played "Boo Bowling", Spider Bean Bag Toss, Learned a Halloween Song, Freeze Dance, Free-Style Dance, and then a Costume Parade!

Boo Bowling - Rolls of Toilet Paper and I glued the ghost eyes and mouth on. Then you use the indestructible pumpkins to knock them down!

Cheesy Pumpkin!

My little Fireman with the Bowling Set-up. - By the way, the Party took place in the Church Fellowship Hall/Gym.

Liz posing with her adorable handmade octopus costume! (I was the Wicked Witch of the EAST (not West) but I didn't get any pictures of me! Oops!

Yummy Halloween Donuts! Thanks for bringing Jennifer!

It was so sweet, Jonathan knew that I had "made" the bowling pins and so at first he was really upset that other kids were destroying them. He kept running to get me and tell on the kids that were knocking them down. I heard him tell another little boy "You don't touch that, it's my momma's!" - Such a sweet heart. So I explained to him that he and the other kids were supposed to destroy it! So He says, "OH! OK!" and off he ran to destroy!

You can kind of see here, I made chocolate fingers, dipped in pretzel sticks, just plain chocolate lollipops and chocolate Hershey Kisses, melted on pretzels, with a M&M on top!

Some of the ladies setting up!

So happy that Amy, Scarlet and Will came!

Such a good one of them!

Scarlet was like, "What? I can throw and destroy? I am SO THERE!!!" She loved it!

Decorating Trick or Treat Bags!

Another really cool thing that we setup up was a "Photo Booth". I am so appreciative to everyone who brought their pumpkins and flowers and Diane's bench! It turned out so well!

Cookie Decorating!!

Looks Yummy!

Dancing Time!

Learning a fun Halloween Song! Thanks so much Mrs. Julie N!!

The Fireman and 2 Dorothy's!

Love the Ariel Wig!

Freeze Dance!

This is the only Costume Parade Photo I could get! All the rest are blurry!

Thanks again to everyone who helped! Can't wait for next year!!! :)

Oh and you don't see sweet Benny in the pictures because he wasn't there :(...Long story short, we woke up that morning and Ben's eye was almost completely swollen shut! I assumed this meant he had pink eye! I was devastated! I had been planning this party for almost 6 months and I couldn't believe that I now couldn't go...So thankfully, my level headed husband suggested that I called a neighbor that works at Jonathan's school, who has offered to take care of the boys, but I had never taken her up on it. I called her and thankfully she was free and happy to help! I took Benny to her for a couple of hours and called the Dr in the mean time. Turns out it wasn't pink eye after all...probably food or bath water/soap that got in there and irritated it. Since it has happened a couple of times since. Oh well, but I think it was meant to be that way anyway, I had fun focusing on Jonathan and running the party!!