Monday, October 29, 2012

Costume Contest

Remember, Halloween is this Wednesday October 31st, so if your porch light is on after dark you will have kids ringing the doorbell looking for candy. If you have no candy to pass out, make sure your porch light is off. Have fun!

The Halloween Dance/Costume Contest is one of my favorite nights of the year.  I've been asked many times,"what is Halloween?" by some of you DSPs out there who are new to the U.S.  In the case of our Hallween Dance, it is all about using your imagination and having fun being someone or something you are not (or maybe deep down you ARE)!  Everyone looked GREAT, here are just some of the best:










Someone please ask Pete to dance next time - she's over there dancing with the scarecrow!



Friday, October 26, 2012

Pageant Auditions


It is time to start preparations for the annual Christmas Pageant!
Auditions are Friday evening November 2nd at 6:30pm in the Activity Center.  Please do not worry about having a talent or not, this is the chance for us to share ideas about the program like special roles and favorite songs.  Everyone is welcome to participate, whether behind the scenes or front and center.
The Pageant will take place Saturday December 8th at 7pm in the Chapel of our St. Charles campus.  A minimum attendance of three rehearsals is required to be in the pageant.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Wolf Sanctuary

Cindy recently led a group to the Wolf Sanctuary near Eureka.  Many different varieties of wolf and fox were seen.  Watch for a trip back in the Spring including a campfire, stories and maybe the sounds of howling!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Fall Festival

The Fall Festival is THIS SATURDAY from 10a-2p on the main campus. Join us for games, crafts, food, haunted house and more!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

All About Halloween


Halloween Is....


Halloween is cats and bats

And jack-o'-lanterns bright.

Halloween is dressing up

To trick-or-treat at night.


Halloween is candy corn

And haunted houses, too.

Halloween is spooky stuff

And fun for me and you!
Not everyone grew up celebrating Halloween traditions, so if needed let this be your guide....

Halloween is celebrated on October 31st but the decorating and fun starts well before that. The traditional colors are black and orange. "Jack-o'-lanterns" are pumpkins with a face carved in (cut off the top, scoop out the guts, carve a face and light it up with a candle - outside). "Trick or treaters" are children dressed in costume going house to house on Halloween night to receive a small treat (candy!). Turn your porch light on to indicate you are passing out treats or off if you are not. Traditional Halloween costumes include witches, monsters, clowns....



The Halloween Dance will be Saturday October 27th at 6:30pm. Start thinking about your costume!

Party Food!  How to make an Artichoke Spinach Dip - tried and tested by Shelley and Leadd Students who gave it high ratings.
Ingredients:  1/4 cup butter, 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach partially thawed, 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts drained and chopped, 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese softened, 2 (16 ounce) containers sour cream, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, garlic salt to taste
Directions: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in spinach and artichoke hearts.  Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Mix cream cheese and sour cream into the spinach mixture.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.  Serve warm with crackers or something softer like pita bread.

For the original recipe from 'allrecipes.com" including nutrition information, click here.

How to make a scarecrow decoration:
A scarecrow is a traditional Fall or Halloween decoration.
Supplies: shirt, pants, stuffing such as newspaper, safety pins, jack-o-lantern (real or plastic), wire or tape

Directions:
Take an old shirt, preferably plaid, and an old pair of pants. Stuff both with more old clothes or crumpled newspapers, and tie off the ends of the armholes and leg holes. Using safety pins, attach the top to the bottom. Then use a hollow jack-o-lantern, and either attach that to the head with wire or tape. Give your scarecrow a straw hat, and prop him on the porch or in the corner of a room.