Halloween 2009

Rebecca and I were pretty excited about our costumes this year. She made this amazing mask of E.T. and I planned to dress up as Elliott.


Here I am attaching a white blanket around E.T.'s head. Our goal was to recreate the scene where Elliott is riding his bike with E.T. in the front basket.


How cute is that!


Here is the finished product. You can't see the bicycle handlebars because they are hidden behind the basket, but it was a nice touch.


Brooke and Heather.


Brennan was swine flu.


Two of my favorite film characters from the past few years: Anton Chigurh and Daniel Plainview.


The cast of The Wizard of Oz was pretty good.


The house from the movie Up was unique, but I don't think he needed to write "Up" on the front.


Pac-Man and ghosts.


We ran into Nashel and Megan dressed up as Dexter and a fairy.


This thing was by far the best costume i've seen in years. Remember the fortune teller booth from the movie "Big"? This rendition was a cardboard, wood, fabric, paint, etc. masterpiece equipped with wheels. The booth was constantly mobbed as it made its way slowly down Franklin Street. Some lucky observers were even given fortunes.


The End.

The Stars in the Sky Looked Like Teeth in the Mouth of a Shark

Halloween 2009

Pumpkin carving time.


Grey and Lauren prepping for the slaughter of their pumpkins.


Jaxon helped gut the pumpkins. I usually have the same reaction to that job.




We also celebrated Grey's birthday, and Kari made yet another amazing cake!


Jaxon helped blow out the candles.


Rebecca drew Grey this rad cephalopod for his birthday.


Cannibal Pumpkin.


Sea Turtle and Frog Pumpkin.


Here is the view from my sidewalk.




Pirate wanted to wish Grey a Happy Birthday as well.


After carving we played some games where the losers had to do weird or embarrassing things, like having Pirate lick peanut butter off your forehead. Lauren and Emily lost the first round.




Grey and Warren had to act out a passage that was read aloud by Maria from a book of erotica that was left at our house. I think this had something to do with a mermaid emerging from the water and the fisherman that was waiting for her.


Of course the dude that hates cut off jean shorts the most lost the round where you had to wear a pair of Grey's for the rest of the night.


Poor Katie had to eat a spoonful of salsa, butter, soymilk, and peas. Pretty nasty.


Guardians at the gate.

Out Here, Even The Prairie Questions the Horizon

Rebecca's sister, Laura, and her husband, Chris, just welcomed Caleb Dawson Pallavicini to the world.


One of Rebecca's other sisters, Katie, drove up from Florida to Winsten-Salem. She is determined to be the favorite aunt, so she is starting early.


After all the family members got their turn, I snuck in to hold Caleb only to get this face from him...


He knew I was an impostor.


Smitty the horse gave his approval.


Dollar bowling night is always a good reason to get a group together.


Brooke and Sabrina get ready for their head-to-head battle.


Rob watches his shot.


Leatherland threw the bowling ball a million miles per hour.


Krankin tried to cast spells on me from behind but it did not affect my bowling skills.


Proper form.


Katie showing good technique with the leg sweep.


The best thing about bowling? The stylish shoes.


Rebecca walking away from a strike.


My girl gots skillz.


Brooke trying to do what we all have wanted to do for so long.


While Brian tries to do it to himself.

Someday I Will Return and Burn Everything Down

Grey and I went backpacking in western Virginia. This was Grey's first time hiking on the Appalachian Trail so it needed to be documented.


We started out in Damascus, VA on the Virginia Creeper Trail.




There were lots of fun fungi to observe.




It had been raining a bunch so everything was nice and green. Rain is great for color but bad if you want to have a fire at night.


Unfortunately, it was too early in the season for the leaves to begin to change.


Emily and Galen got married on a rainy afternoon on a farm outside of Pittsboro.


The rain stopped long enough for the ceremonial first toss on the wedding cornhole set.
http://www.cornhole.com/


Look at those cute cornhole bags.


Just like most things dorky, I'm pretty good at cornhole.


Swimmer Dan made his triumphant return to North Carolina.