Octobetter/Octobummer

I got this question a lot this month "So, has October been any better?"

Depending on the day, I'd tell you yeah, definitely, it's Octobetter. And then there were a few that made me think it was Octobummer. This entire year has been a rollercoaster ride of high highs and low lows, and month ten was no different.

But let's just focus on the good, shall we?

Visit from Dad and Anne with a Fall Drive:

Phantogram/Future Islands:

Disneyland and an entire weekend of California sunshine with Lisa:

Halloween 2013:

So those are the wins. The rest can just suck it.

Shots of Cheese : Five : Happy Halloween

Saturday night we went to a Halloween party held at the Allen's - Linz's cousins. My original plan was to dress as a ballerina this year - for the Ballerina Comeback of 2011 and all - but the ballerinas made such a comeback that even I was over it come October. Then again, I was dressed as a ballerina for the majority of January 2011.

So I was an Indian. It was warm, and I got to wear a feather in my hair without committing myself to a trend that has been stale for the past year.

I can tell that Michael Granquist took this photo because I think this is how I look at Michael 99% of the time - out of love, of course.

Happy Halloween
Photographed at the Allen's in Conifer, CO
Captured on October 29, 2011

Shots of Cheese: Four : Pumpkin Mummy

I look forward to Halloween every year for multiple reasons.

1. I love candy.

2. I love any reason to get dressed up.

3. Pumpkin carving.

Unfortunately, as much as I love my new apartment - it doesn't give me a ton of room to do something like gut and carve a pumpkin. So this year, I went for the un-carved approach.

The result:

Pumpkin Mummy
Photographed October 30, 2011
Captured at home

Shots of Cheese: Two: Ms. Pacman

This has got to draw up some nostalgia for some of you, or at least get you in the Halloween spirit. I, personally, was a crazy Pacman player as a whippersnapper so I was G A M E to volunteer to wear the suit for the Scream Scram.

The Scream Scram is a 5k run/walk (if you're in a Pacman suit) that Lora (owner of Scream) started 12 years ago to benefit MS - now goes to Boys and Girls Club who actually run it now, but Scream still adds the creative touch and we are therefore, still heavily involved and supportive (of course).

We wanted to go with the art designed for this year's race so we went as Ms. Pacman and the ghosts. Here is the outcome:

Ms. Pacman and Co.
Photographed on October 21
Captured at the 12th Annual Scream Scram at Wash Park

POC 19: A photo you took

Well in honor of Halloween - how about a bunch of photos I took over one helluva haunted weekend?! And yes, there are quite a few that others took as well but what is a Halloween post without everyone's costumes?!

Trick-or-Treat!!

A couple of notes: Victor as Russell Brand definitely won me over for best costume. Although his wife (Arlene as Katy Perry) was a damn close second. Yes, Kid Sister had multiple costumes for the weekend. Yes, Lauren was a vagina. Which made for great entertainment on her behalf all weekend long.

Hope you enjoyed yours as much as I enjoyed mine.

Lots of treats to you-

Love,
HSCOOC

Wild Things

This year, I got it in my head that I wanted to be Max from Where the Wild Things Are. I did multiple searches - and if you know me, you know that I am the QUEEN of searches - but nothing was coming up. I found a few Max costumes on Etsy but they were $100 +. I couldn't believe it - how, when the movie came out TWO WEEKS before Halloween - were there not an abundance of Max and Wild Things roaming around??

This is when I picked up the phone.

"Hey, Ma."

"Hey, Kate. What's Up?"

"Ummm...I wanted to see if maybe...possibly, you might somehow consider making me a Halloween costume this year."

"What?"

"Yeah, you see, I really want to be Max from Where the Wild Things Are and you can't find that costume like ANYWHERE so we'd have to make it."

"We'd?? You must be out of your God damned mind."

A week later we were at JoAnn's picking out fabric and patterns (have I told you lately how much I love my mom?!?) and a week after that, I was headed to my first Halloween party all Maxed out.

A lot of people didn't get it, but I don't think I was working with the right crowd that night. I heard a lot of "King of the Bunnies!" (WTF?) but today, today is our annual costume contest at work and I've got Max in my car just ready to make the debut he finally deserves.

This costume contest goes hand-in-hand with SK+G's Annual Chili Cook-Off Event (and yes, today is basically a big party at the agency.)

Another matter that also deeply involves Pep (again, I love my ma!). The wonderful woman that I call my mother has spent weeks preparing the the 1st place winner (I swear, we've got this one in the bag. We placed 2nd last time). She is even making a side of homemade southern- style cornbread with chipotle cheddar. I KNOW, SHE = AMAZING.

So wish us luck. The Spice Girls are gonna OWN the Chili Cook-Off 2009 event. Sing it with me now (to the tune of Wannabe) "If you wanna eat my chili, grab yourself a spoon. This chili is forever, the spiciness never enddddsss."

What Happened That Night

So, as previously mentioned, Lauren and I were out in Denver for Halloween. The Wiz had a party at her house and Lauren and I ended up playing a classic game of High/Low with Cookie Monster and Elmo (we went as Daisy and Donald Duck BTW), actually, let me explain that first...we had borrowed these costumes from Double L. These things are so large (and in-charge) that they required their own giant red SUITCASE. So as we were checking them in Vegas, Lauren said, "Wouldn't it be funny if the ducks didn't make it there?" Can you guess what happened next?

We arrive in Denver and get our suitcases but no ducks. There was another red suitcase that hadn't been picked up going round and round on the carousel so we assumed that the owner of that case had taken ours instead. So we took matters into our own hands, pulled the other red suitcase off and proceeded to call the woman whose number was listed on the baggage tag. As Lauren is leaving a message, I say "Tell her there are giant ducks inside" and I am dying laughing, which causes Lauren to start laughing and THEN come to find out, that lady just hadn't picked up her bag yet so we left that message for nothing. So we have to file a claim, etc. etc. and when the guy asks me if there are any unique contents inside, I die as I say, "Um yes, two giant duck costumes." They were delivered safe and sound that night to the house.

So, back to Cookie Monster and Elmo high/low face-off. I am HORRIBLE at this game. Seriously, if you're ever looking to get me plastered QUICK for whatever reason...pull out a deck of cards and challenge me to a game of high/low. For the life of me I could not guess higher or lower or red or black for HALF THE DECK. I took down a full pear cider in about 3 minutes and this was after I'd already been drinking. (and yes, I am getting somewhere with this story)...

Daisy and I had to escort one another to the bathroom to assist getting out of these duck costumes. So here we are, a few hours into the night, I unzip Lauren and go to lean against the wall. Now, you know how when you're drunk, you don't gently lean into anything, you fall into it, well come to find out, this wall that I went to lean against...was actually a shower curtain. So back I went, duck feet in the air, using my elbows to break my fall. And seriously, that duck butt saved my life, I would've done some major damage to my tailbone had it not be protected by feathers. So Lauren is trying to pull me out of the tub with her duck costume around her ankles, both of us are crying from laughter (and some pain on my part) as someone comes to open the door which sends us into even more laughter. Then having to come out and explain "what happened in there?" to everyone.

I couldn't bend my elbows for three days. I'm surprised I don't have a photo to post here to show you b/c that is totally something I would do (see my first crash post). But the elbows are healed and the duck costumes are safely back with their rightful owner.

I love Halloween.