The Halloween Party, a photostory

  People who know me will tell you that I am almost always late.Well, my Halloween photostory turned out to be a gigantic chore. Too many characters to come up with costumes for and get dressed. So here I am a day late with my Halloween story. Just think of it as a story of what happened last night. Around here we didn't even have trick or treat last night, as it was cancelled due to weather. We are having it Saturday, except there is supposed to be rain then too. (Plus there is a football game, so alot of people will be otherwise occupied.) So here, what none of you have been waiting for....
                                                           The Halloween Party


   The Worlds are having a Halloween party, with family and friends. Most of the grown ups gather near the refreshments. At 13, Vanessa likes to consider herself part of the grown up crowd. Tonight her costume is 'hippy'.She's sitting with Dolly's sisters and some of their kids.

I love this barn! It's a Melissa and Doug barn and is slightly too short, but I think it worked pretty well.

 

 And of course the men stay near the food.That's Kenzie's boyfriend Milo,Dolly's brother in law Ted (married to the sister next to Vanessa), and Dolly and Wally's son in law Roger. Looks like Roger's boots were too tight. He's in his socks.
  And on the other side of the barn, which looks suspiciously like the first side... 

The kids are going to bob for apples.Heidi and Maria set up the tub while Wally watches. Those Planet of the Apes costumes Tammy talked Wally and Dolly into wearing are pretty cool.

 Harry has come as a clown and Emma has come as Dorothy, but that doesn't mean she can't try on the clown mask. Kind of creepy...

My daughter Emma's 'Emma the Doll' in the middle. She went everywhere and did everything we did for years. She's a little scary these days, thus the mask. That's Ivy's doll 'Swingy Legs' (I kid you not!) on the left.

  
  Wally had to go 'check on the refreshments', so Dolly has taken over.

The various Tommy's and a couple of Kelly friends belong to Fuzzy.He hadn't touched them in ages, but when I invited them to the party he even dressed them for me.Well, except for Melody and Emily. He couldn't be bothered because they were never funny.

 Tammy: Mom, where's your ape mask?
Dolly: Oh. Uh,my face was sweaty.
Tammy: Mommmm!

The family that Apes together...

 

That's Maria's little sister Marcie behind Heidi and Tammy.

                                             Anne whispers to Tammy:Who's the weirdo with no shirt?
                                           Tammy, muttering under her mask: He's a friend of Gareth's.He's 'The Unknown Super Hero'.
                                           Anne: Oh kaaay.
                                           Simon: Got the water in. Where are the apples?

I found the little guy on the left at a gas station when I was a kid. He's made in Germany and has a strange lumpy body and one arm. Fuzz took pity on him as a kid and took him in. We named him Heimlich. That's Emma the doll's best friend Susan next to him.Of Emma's favourite dolls, Only Susan made it out looking almost perfect!

                                                       Harry and Anne are the first to try.

 

The kids all cheer them on. Since they're getting on so well Dolly wanders off to talk with the grownups. But pretty soon she hears alot of shouting coming from the apple bobbing area. She comes back, accompanied by Maria's dad, Mr. Campesino.

                                         Dolly: What's the commotion over here?
                                         Kids: Tammy cheated!
                                          
                                           Dolly: All right Tammy. Give them here.

 

Dolly: Dad! I found 'em!

Somehow nobody feels like bobbing for apples anymore...

But they still have a good time.

There are some of everybody's dolls in this picture. I felt like the Worlds couldn't have a party and not invite all their old friends, even if they aren't as 'aesthetically pleasing' as unplayed with dolls. The three Kelly dolls on the left are Ivy's favourites, 'Rose', her sister 'Blue', and their cousin---wait for it---'Meatball', so named for her giant blobs of puffy side ponytails.

  Apparently Vanessa got bored with the adults and has lowered herself to hanging out with the kids. What is The Unknown Super Hero doing with his Magic Pick Ax? Not the pumpkins!Emily tries to
 stop him.

My son Fuzzy's dolls Melody, as a princess, and Emily as a clown,Fuzzy the Doll as The Unknown Super Hero, Little Purple in the orange vest, and Prince Hashka. The names kids come up with! As you can see, Fuzzy the Doll has been well loved.Emily was originally Emma's, but she hung out with Fuzzy the Doll so long Emma finally gave up claim on her.

Ivy's favourite doll, 'Blue' (center). At one point when Ivy was tiny, all her dolls were named Blue.(Years before Beyonce' and Jay Z!)That's Ivy's 'Rose' on the left and 'Meatball' on the right.

My son Fuzzy's Fuzzy the Doll on the left. Fuzz dressed him for the party this way himself. He's 18 now, but he always had Fuzzy looking in similarly weird ways. That's Fuzzy's doll 'Prince Hashka' on the bale of straw. He's being a tourist for Halloween.

                                              Todd: It's going to get you Gareth! Whooo!
                                              Gareth: Forget it!You're not scaring me. That thing is made of plastic!
                                              Todd: Well how about I just twist your nose with one of these wrenches then?
                                              Fuzzy (The Unknown Super Hero): Man, your brother is cool!

Since Gareth can't tilt his head back, I made it look like he was looking up by just showing him from behind and tilting his hat waaay back. Those are The World's daughters Kenzie and Tina on the straw bale.

                                           Wally: Hey Gareth. I see you've rounded up a posse there Pardner.
                                            Gareth: It's not funny!
                                            Dolly: But there are kind of a lot of cowboys,aren't there?
                                            Gareth: These guys are lame! My costume is totally different.
                                            Wally: How do you figure?

                                                                   Gareth: I have a hat!

 

   Mr. Campesino couldn't be talked into wearing a costume,but Mr. and Mrs. Rettop were more than happy to dress as Batman and Catwoman.

Mrs. Campesino has joined them too. Mr. Rettop seems to be telling some kind of story.
                                           Gareth: Where'd all the apples go?

Fuzzy: Forget the apples. I have a better idea!

Later, after everyone is gone, Tammy wanders back in, looking for her mask...

 Tammy: Ahhhhh!!!!
Fuzzy: Heh heh heh. Yeah! Soaking in the tub!

Little Purple: I'm a foreign diplomat.
Gareth:Well, at least you're not a cowboy.

Behind the scenes:

As you can see, Emma the Doll, (the 'Dorothy' in the middle, showing Tammy her Toto-in-a-Basket), has no hair and very little face left. There was no way I could leave her out though.Her best friends Susan, second from the right of Emma, and Daisy (the blonde) are a bit more....presentable!

  The part with Fuzzy in the tub was Ivy's idea.We originally wanted him to pop up out of the water while the kids were bobbing for apples, (As Ivy said, "like Snoopy.") but I couldn't fit him in there low enough! When the kids were little and we were playing, this is totally something either Fuzzy or I would have had him do!
I hope everyone had a safe a happy Halloween!

First Day of School, a photo story

  Ok, here's the story I warned you about.I know it's a little late for the first day of school, but I had intended to do this in September. When I was a kid we started school in September, but it gets earlier all the time.This year it was still August when Ivy went back to school.

   It's the first day of school. The World family is having breakfast.

                                Dolly: Where's Tammy? She's going to make everybody late for school.
                                Todd: She's coming. You know she's always late.

Wally: Are they ready? I'm going to be late for work.
 Dolly: Good thing you own the place then. They're  just finishing up, but Tammy hasn't come to the table yet."




 

Wally: "Well, I'm going to go start the car."

Todd: "Mom! The little creep's doing it again!"

Dolly: "Gareth, stop staring at your brother."

Todd: "Mom!"

                                      Tammy, sliding to the table: Made it! Gimme my Fruity-Ohs!
                                      Dolly: Please.
                                      Tammy: Please.

                        Dolly: No. This morning is oatmeal or eggs. The oatmeal just ran out. You're having eggs.
                        Tammy: Then why did I have to say 'please' for my Fruity-ohs?
                        Dolly: Tammy, I'm holding a large spatula in my hand.
                        Tammy: Ok!

Tammy: "I still don't see why I have to wear a skirt!"

                                         Dolly: It's the first day of school. Humour me.
                                         Tammy: Does that mean I don't have to wear a dress or a skirt for the rest of the school year?!
                                         Dolly: We'll see...

                                                                      Tammy: Yay!!
                                                                      Dolly:...about that.

Meanwhile at the Rettop house...

                                Barbara:Is Heidi coming? I need to know what she wants in her thermos.
                                Vanessa: She's still getting dressed. She can't decide what to wear.

                         Richard: Ok. Are they ready? I got the car started, but I don't know how long it'll last.

                                  Harry: Can I steer while you push it back into the driveway this time Dad?

                                              Richard: Let's hope it doesn't come to that...again.

                                Barbara: Heidi is still deciding what to wear.
                                Richard: Are you kidding? I'm going to be late for work!
                                Barbara: What are you worried about? I bet Wally hasn't even left the house yet.
                                Richard: Yeah, but he's the boss.

Richard heads to the bedroom Heidi shares with Vanessa.

                                               Richard: Heidi! Come on! What's the hold up?

                                               Heidi: What do I wear?!

(Poor Sherlock,the dog. is covered in discarded clothes.)

                                                        Heidi: I don't have anything decent!

                                          Heidi: It's the first day of school and I'm going to look like a creep!

(Heidi continues her rampage.)   Richard: Can't she just pick something?! They're only clothes.

                                     Barbara: I don't believe you said that.

Finally...

                                                     Neighbor guy: Hey! Barbie!

                                                                  Richard:  Rettop!

                        Neighbor guy: Whatever. Listen, can my kid ride to school with you today?

                               Richard (sighing, mutters under his breath,"It's starting already.") (out loud)Sure.

 Neighbor guy: You're gonna have to wait for him after school though. He's gonna have detention.

Richard: It's the first day of school! How can you possibly know he's going to have detention?!

                                                                  Neighbor guy: He will.

  Some of you might recognize that fence from an earlier post. It's the Byers fence with the evergreen removed. The World's kitchen table is a My Little Kitchen Fairies  table. It only came with two white chairs, so I pieced together all those red chairs from various yard sales and thrift stores. The Kitchen Fairies table is actually slightly short for 1/6 scale, but I think it still looks great. I found those great Corelle Living wear dishes at Goodwill. They're made by Marx and are from the late 60's I think.And of course, that great Kitchen Littles fridge and sink/counter set. I talked Ken into buying that when Emma was little by saying she and I could share it. It spent her childhood in Emma the Doll's house, and the last few years have been my turn!