Happy Halloween 2006

**Pictures will be posted whenever Blogger decides to cooperate**

It’s been a fun-packed Halloween weekend and start to the week with plenty of costuming opportunities!!

Friday night and Sunday afternoon were home University of Wisconsin Women’s volleyball games where fans were encouraged to wear costumes. To Friday night’s game, Gemma wore her Easter Bunny costume (yes, she’s been planning for months to be the Easter Bunny for Halloween!). Rowan decided to go as an animungus from Harry Potter fame (you know a human that has the ability to change into an animal). She was in her witch form on Friday night and Sunday both. Gemma was a “fashion witch” for Sunday’s game.

My folks accompanied us to Friday’s game. They were visiting from Washington Island on their way to a family wedding. They (and we) were treated to an AWESOME game with Wisconsin winning over #2 ranked Penn State. The Field House was ROCKING with excitement and I nearly lost my voice from cheering. We won on Sunday too, though it was a far less dramatic game against Ohio State.

Saturday brought us to a Halloween party hosted by friends with a daughter Rowan’s age. So there were lots of kid-friendly things to do, including decorating cookies and gourds and listening to “spooky” stories. Gemma dressed as an “old fashioned girl” for this event while Rowan continued her animungus witch/bat theme.

Trick-or-Treat evening brought yet another costume alteration for Gemma – of course. If this kid doesn’t work in theater someday, I’ll be stunned! She decided to go with the Harry Potter theme, abandoning her bunny attire and dressing as a cat – no ordinary cat though. She was Professor McGonagall in her cat form, because you see Professor M has the ability to transfigure herself into other things. Rowan took on her bat form, wearing a cape she’d made herself. And yes you can see that the girls’ normally lighter colored hair is darker than usual – thanks to black hair spray. You should have seen the ring that and the face paint left in the bathtub last night!!!

Gemma’s comment this morning as we were getting ready for school was “it’s so long until next year when we can celebrate Halloween again.” It is truly a beloved holiday for our family. It’s a good thing we are hosting a Samhain gathering on Saturday night, so we get to extend the fun (and remember the true meaning of this harvest festival) for just a little longer.