Annual Shippen Halloween Party

The annual Shippen Halloween bash is becoming a highlight of the year, and this year was no exception! The evening began at 6 pm, when the first family members showed up. Over the next 45 minutes, everyone trickled in. The best part of the whole evening is watching everyone come in the door in their costumes! The winners this year were once again Jay and Melissa, who showed up as John McCain and Sarah Palin. After taking lots of pictures, we sat down to white chicken chili and cornbread. Then it was down to the basement for games for the kids--bean bag toss, pin-the-nose-on-the-pumpkin, and a pinata. Thanks so much to Meghan, Ashley, and Melissa for doing the games! You guys are great! I think next year we should have two pinatas--one for the older kids and one for the younger kids, seeing as the older ones didn't get a chance to hit it because the younger ones broke it open! After the games, we headed back upstairs to decorate pumpkins and have the doughnut-eating contests. My kids look forward to the doughnut-eating all year. I think the adults have more fun watching than the kids do eating their doughnuts! Colton ate his doughnut the fastest, while the younger kids took their time and enjoyed them. The adult contest followed, with Brian beating Adam out this year. Then somebody came up with the crazy idea for a doughnut-eating-can-of-coke-drinking contest. I missed that one, as I was dealing with a blown-out diaper in Cody's room, but judging from the shouts coming from the kitchen, it was quite a sight! Thanks to everyone who came and helped out! I'm already thinking about what to be next year!

Our decorated pumpkins--hats off to Family Fun magazine, where I got the idea from. The kids cut out eyes, noses, and mouths from magazines and glued them on--easy, and most importantly, NO MESS!

The guys competing for title of Fastest Doughnut Eater.

Sarah gets the last of her dougnut in her mouth.


Robbie chowing on his doughnut--they can't touch them with their hands, so it can get pretty tricky!

Talia preparing to hit the pinata.

All the Shippen family men!

Me and my girls!

Our family--Chris as the Shippen Biggest Loser weight-loss contest winner, Allison as Sacagawea, Sarah as a witch, Robbie as a football player, Talia as sleeping beauty, and Cody as Sacagawea's Indian baby.