Halloween Party 2010

This post is photo intensive, so if you have a slower connection, it might take a bit longer to load.  Food tables set up along the back and side walls.

Putting out the finishing touches and taking photos before the feasting begins.

We had lots of room for people to manuever around the food stations while still having some inside seating.

Dessert and treat table complete with cookies, cake, candy, toys, light sticks, and flashlights.

Adapting an idea I saw at Home Depot, I used a step ladder with buckets wedged between the rungs to hold chips.

Did you know that Chef's drive tractors and pull hay rides around here?

Lexi was a pink cowgirl this year and is enjoying a bite with her friends.

Haybales around the firepit provided more seating for munching. It was so warm this year that a fire was not necessary, but you just have to have a big bonfire on an October night.

Witchie Poo had a rough landing, but at least the hay broke her fall.

The tire swing is always a favorite.

We opted not to have the outdoor movie this year for fear that we would blow a circuit....we are thinking it might be a good idea to run a new electric line next year.  We had the extention cords loaded and the lights  actually blinked a couple of times...yikes.  To avoid disaster, we played bingo instead.  I had plenty of cards but needed more markers, so we used pinto beans.

After all the fun is finished and most have gone home, Alden takes a minute to wind down.

It was a great party and I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!!

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Halloween Party Prep 2010

We had a great time at our Halloween Party this year and I wanted to share some of the party prep with you.  I ordered two party tents, 10x30, this year and they worked out great.  The UPS guy was a frequent visitor last week and delivered the tents on Tuesday.  He was interested in how our tents turned out...I was able to report to him yesterday that they were a great success.

I wanted plenty of room for 60-75 guests and decided to use two tents, placed side by side to duplicate one large 20x30 tent....worked like a charm.  The poles in the middle were not restrictive in any way to our flow within the tent.  Here is an open view of the tents placed together and without all the sides attached.  We staked the tent down with extra stakes that we purchased seperately, because even though I was pleased with the quality of the tents for the price I paid...these tents would not withstand extreme high winds and I did not want to take any chances.  We put the tents up on Thursday night before the party on Saturday night, and as luck would have it, the wind started whipping up as soon as we had them up.  The stakes were definetly a good idea and otherwise we would not have been in Kansas anymore. 

 Another view of the interior space when most of the walls were in place...you can see the poles in the middle of the tent.  The windows helped bring in lots of light.

Another interior shot.  The ends of the tent have zippered doors, so we left one open for ease of movement.  We placed string lights in the tent and they worked perfectly with just the right amount of light provided. 

I used black, orange and green tulle to drape over the top of the tent.  Because it has been so dry here in Tennessee, our lawn is more dust than grass.  We scattered hay over the tent floor to keep the dust down and provide a good base for the people traffic.  Next year, I would like to have a couple rolls of outdoor carpet turf for the flooring. 

We also had to set up the hay play.  This year, Mike set it up by the playset so that the kids could slide down the slide into a hay tunnel.  This is an in progress shot with Connor (GB 3) providing his stamp of approval.

Mike and Alden (GB 1) unloading the hay to set up the hay play area and the fire pit seating area.   My brother, Peanut, is great and allows us to use some of his hay bales each year for the party. This year, we met in the hay field and picked up the hay as he baled it. 

My girls and the Grandbabes taking a test hay ride.

I'll be back tomorrow with another post complete with party pics and the food set-up.  Posting to the following parties.  Please click on each link to be magically whisked away to each party....thanks to the hosts for having me:

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I Try And I Try...Why Do I Fail??

I try so hard to keep my Blog updated and have regular postings...most of the time, I accomplish that but I can't seem to conquer the times when I have lapses.   Time passes so fast and I'm trying to keep up, oftentimes unsuccessfully.  Before I know it, two or three weeks have gone by and that is not fair to everyone...you don't know if someone is busy or if they were run over by a truck or dropped from an airplane.  All I can say is that I am sorry, it is so unintentional on my part to have these lapses and not be able to keep up with everyone.  Things get busy at work and home and I'll decide that I will post tomorrow and then tomorrow doesn't work out and I'll post the next day and then suddenly, half of the month has passed and I have not done a single post...and in my favorite month of the year.  Have I groveled enough?  

I have been busy planning our annual Halloween Party coming up later this month...well NOW, actually I'm talking next weekend.  Time, time...please, please slow down just a bit - You are killing me...literally.  I have mailed invitations, have about 50 lists and am working through preparations and shopping for needed items.  On paper, I'm planning to sail into the party day with almost everything completed.  This is my goal every year and most times I do pretty well, however the last two years, I have failed horribly and am at the last minute making sure all is ready.  Not this year.  That is my goal, do it all and just like I plan it with no cutting corners and be done early. 

This year, I have ordered two 10x30 party tents with sides.  I plan to combine the two tents to make one large 20x30 tent where folks can get warm, or stay inside out of the chill.  All the food and tables will be set up under the tents and I'll have the tent heated, if needed.  This will give my guests the opportunity to move back and forth between the bonfire area and tent area, just in case it is cold or raining, this year.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a mild Autumn night with no wind or rain. 

I'm going to leave you with a promise to come by and visit with you soon.  I have gotten to some folks this week, but am still working on visiting all my regulars.  I'm sorry, that I have been MIA.  You mean a lot to me and I miss seeing what everyone is up to, especially at this, my favorite time of year. 

Here are a few of my decorating pictures that I don't think I have shared yet.  I can't do a post without photos.

Fall In the Smokies

Still enjoying our time off, we have been traveling around town and enjoying the sites along with a bit of shopping.  The trees don't have a lot of their glorious fall color yet, but you can definetly determine the season from all the outdoor decor being dressed about the town. 



A black bear made from round hay bales.

Lots of big, beautiful bright orange pumpkins.

We had the pleasure of attending a Mountain Wedding.

Lots and lots of scarecrows are in town visiting.

A monsterously huge pumpkin and crows.

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Out and About At The End Of September

Mike and I are taking a few days off to kick around and relax.  We began our sabbatical yesterday with a good hearty breakfast...you know where:

Then, it was off to our favorite go-to vacation spot for a few days of nothing but rest, rest and rest....with maybe a few good meals and fun thrown in....but mostly, rest.

The new movie theater at Walden's Landing is not yet complete even though it is slated for an early fall opening.  This will be a six plex and I think there are plans to increse it to an 11 plex at some time in the future. 

There is a new gourmet popcorn shop across from the theatre.  Mike tried the Peanut butter and chocolate popcorn and declared it a keeper. 

They have some cute packaging ideas along with the normal tins of popcorn in differant sizes.  The owner asked me if I was a Spy, when I took a picture and I assured her that I did not yet have my Spy Licence, so was just taking a picture to let folks know about the new shop on my blog.   She was very nice and offered several samples to indulge ....I like the old standard in popcorn...butter or kettle corn and sometimes a litte caramel corn.  I'm not too crazy about all the concoctions like cranberry popcorn, chocolate and popcorn, strawberry popcorn and the like. 

We had a homestyle dinner at the Old Mill and then walked around to take some pictures...the water is a little high coming over the Dam due to the rain that has been coming down all day. 

I love this cute little Halloween themed bolster pillow that I saw in a shop window. 

Little Ms Pothead is sitting under the Gazebo trying to stay dry.  We had so much fun walking around in the rain and checking out all the shops. 

I love this fall village scene from Dept 56 Snow Village....Crazy Cal's Kettle Corn cracks me up...this little cutie might be coming home with me. 

Is this not the cutest thing....Dept 56 has created a village around the Christmas Story movies.  Check out the leg lamp accessory...it just polishes off the whole scene.  Love it.

A few years ago, Dept 56 created some Disney themed pieces and then discontinued them...I don't remember if they were a seperate village line or part of one already established but coming this fall is a new line called Mickey and Minnie's Christmas Village.

I love this idea of displaying the Tree House in a tire swing.  The people at the Christmas Place are so creative in their displays.  I could spend all day in the Village room, just looking around.

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