Halloween! Halloween!!

One of the reasons I love being an Elementary School Teacher is holidays, especially Halloween! Some of the highlights of today were: the Halloween parade at school, making Witches Brew with my class, eating Irene's English soup and watching the Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D. And as always the thing I love most about Halloween is dressing up. Here are my picks for best costumes this year:
"Off with his heeaad!" This was one of my most favorite costumes (worn by Brittany) mostly I am jealous of her flamingo.
This is our fearless leader (aka Principal) complete with his walkie talkie (in case he needs to call for back-up)!
My class boogie-ing their way through the school parade!
As an added bonus to Halloween festivities here is the gang at our ward Halloween party. (I just wanted to use the phrase "the gang". I don't know why.)

This is Halloween!

I love Halloween! I mean really what's not to love...dressing up, candy, pumpkin treats... yes, yes and yes! Over the years I have taken a fashion to dressing up as someone famous. There has been Steven Tyler, Paula Abdul, Punky Brewster and this year I was Ugly Betty. In the past my costumes have been...good, but this year it was...awesome! I mean, I thought I looked pretty good at our ward Halloween party but then Mandy found this picture and the similarities are uncanny.

Can you tell who is who?

And yes, those are my real eyebrows!!!

Calling all Johns!

After three long torture-ous days my brother John finally opened his mission call. And the winner was......not me (I couldn't be more angry!) anyway I made a video of it so we can re-live the moment over and over and over again. So without much further ado here is John...

In case you missed it, he is going to Hiroshima, Japan!!!
Konichiwa!

"I Like You Because You're Not Right in the Head"

Last night Mandy and I went to the concert of a lifetime...
Morrissey live in a barn!
It was fantastic... the intimate setting... the lyrical genius-ness... and Morrissey took his shirt off twice. Apparently that is his signature move to remove his shirt during the song "Let Me Kiss You". The shirt removal was also appropriately staged because does it while singing:

Close your eyes
and think of someone
you physically admire
and let me kiss you
let me kiss you
But then you open your eyes
and you see someone
that you physically despise (remove shirt)

The best is that his shirt is all sweaty and then he kisses it and throws it to the audience. A fight almost broke out because of it. It was sweeet!

Sure Morrissey is old and a little chubby but his voice and songs are timeless. This was my first time seeing him live and I was glad to do so with the original, ultimate fan Mandy (I know there have been a lot of recent converts but Mandy is still the original and a s she puts it "I know I am not a significant part of his l ife but he is a significant part of mine. I have loved him for 2 decades.") I think that is pretty hard core. I only wish I had seen him 20 years earlier then I would have seen this...

Other concert highlights included the backup boy band or "Boy's club" as Morrissey most likely refers to them. And of course my Morrissey belt buckle which was given to me by Tara... Thank you Tara!

Party on Wheels!

"Mucho gusto!!!" This was my favorite picture because it took several tries to get it right. Luckily we had time while we were waiting at the Mexican border... Me, Kyla, Laura and Ramzy

Nice bikes!

T.O.W. on the ride again!! This time we rode 50 miles from Rosarito to Ensenada in sunny Mexico. This ride was awesome and just as the registration promised it was definitely a "Party on Wheels".

There was a lot of craziness going on. Many of the riders dress up in costumes or just interesting clothes. We saw a group of 4 Dorothys and a scarecrow. Raimee's favorite was the guys dressed in only ladies underwear and wrestling masks. (two words: ew and ow) And my favorite... people with donkey heads on their bikes wearing panchos and sombreros... very festive! Local kids line the streets to cheer for the bikers and the bikers throw them candy. Again very festive.

Luckily they had roadside assistance... I had a small incidence climbing up the 4 mile mountain. I was unable to downshift and had to tough the hill by riding in my second gear the whole way up. I'm a champ, I know!

The rest stops were also awesome because unlike the Heber ride where they had water, gatorade and fruit the Rosarito ride had stops at various cantinas where they served ice cold beer and tamales. Hmm... drunk people on bikes...and just in time for the 4 miles downhill.

At the finish line they had a fiesta for all the participants and the locals of course! Overall, good times were had by all!