Halloweens Past

Halloween is usually a BIG production around our house. Carroll starts to get giddy around September coming up with ideas for his latest prop(s). These props involve spending lots of time building, programming, and decorating. As we approach Halloween, my car eventually gets kicked out of the garage so the assembly can take place.

If I think back to our first year of marriage, it was so simple...Carroll rigged up spiders to come down above his head when we opened the door for trick-or-treaters. I was appalled that he would drill holes in our wall for the small pulleys required for this to happen. Little did I know that was nothing compared to what was to come years later.

The next year, he added a strobe light skull. From then on, it seemed to get more elaborate by the year...spooky music, fog machines, a witch's cauldron. Then the serious props were made...the pop up skeleton (with remote control), the flying crank ghost, the chained coffin made to look like it was coming out of the ground with a hydraulic thingy banging on the inside and Carroll's distorted voice saying "Let me out!" And let's not forget the need for the stereo equipment and computer to be hooked up to allow for the programmed timing of the strobe light blinking with the thunder/lightning and spooky sounds. Needless to say, this is not a one man show... our good friends, Chuck and Leslie, have to come over each year to help man the operation.

Carroll takes the day off to set up. Yes, it takes the entire day and many trips to Home Depot for supplies for last minute tweaks.

Once the show is on, there are big crowds hanging around to see it in action. Carroll and Chuck are sensitive to the little ones and keep it low key for them, but when the big kids and adults come around, watch out!! When it's time to call it a night, people hang around asking questions, especially about the flying crank ghost floating in our bedroom window. I have to say, that's my favorite prop too. And, she looks just like me! Go figure!

Months later we can be out for a walk and kids will recognize Carroll and act as if he is some celebrity..."Hey! You're the guy with the cool Halloween house!!"

This year, however, we took Halloween off. Carroll was concerned that some of his props were on their last legs and his work schedule is so hectic right now that he couldn't devote time to make new ones. Not only that, but our porch and walkway are under construction and it would have been extremely dangerous to have children coming up to the door.

Carroll said he couldn't show his face around our place with no props, so we headed over to Dancing Queen's house. Wes, Dancing Queen's husband, gets all giddy about Halloween like Carroll too. And this year, with Halloween being on a Friday, Wes was able to prepare quite the spooky yard for all to enjoy. Check back on The Holland Blog for pictures of the set up. We all had a wonderful time and we appreciate them letting us crash their party.

By the way, if you keep up with Dancing Queen's blog, you know her one day will be sister-in-law, Haley of Laura Haley Photography. Haley was kind enough to take some pictures of us while we were hanging out with The Holland Five. Thanks Haley!