It’s that time of year again when the kids are waiting by the door for the UPS truck to bring them their Halloween costumes.  Well yesterday afternoon their prayers were answered with the ringing of the doorbell!  I almost think they are as excited about the arrival of their Halloween costumes as they are Christmas morning!

Caden, my 11 year old son was just a bit cooler than his little sisters when they heard the doorbell ring.  Olivia and Sydney nearly knocked him down running for the door (the two dogs were smart enough to stay out of the way)!  Once the box was opened and all the costumes were ceremoniously handed out, it was showtime!  (Just a little fyi – these are not pictures of my children, they’re just pictures of the costumes that we ordered online.  However, the costumes look just like this in “real life”.)

First we have my 6 year old daughter Olivia who loves the Power Rangers.  She started watching it a couple years ago with her brother Caden.  Since then Caden has outgrown the whole Power Ranger thing, but not Olivia, she still watches them religiously.  So this year, her costume choice was simple, she wanted to be the Pink Power Ranger.

Next, we have my 8 year old daughter Sydney who had a little bit harder time deciding on what she wanted to be this year.  But after many hours and days browsing through the website of HalloweenExpress.com, she decided that she wanted to go with the Hip Witch Costume (which by the way looks adorable on her).  I couldn’t believe all the cute witch costumes they had.  No wonder she had such a hard time deciding!

Finally we have my 11 year old son, Caden.  He had a hard time deciding between the Optimus Prime costume or being a Gangster.  The minute he realized he could carry a plastic Tommy Gun with the gangster costume, his decision was made.  The costume looked great on him and once we put on the Fedora hat and fake jumbo cigar the costume was awesome!  He loves it!

I’m sure you’ve been sitting on the edge of your seats just waiting to see what they picked out to wear this year; so there you have it!  The kids costumes look amazing and they all fit perfectly.  Now if only they can keep from wearing them BEFORE Halloween even gets here!

I’m not crazy about insects, but I do have a couple favorites; ladybugs and butterflies.  Did you know that if you find a ladybug in your house in the winter you will have good luck?  Children also love ladybugs.   I think it’s because they’re so colorful and easy to catch. 

Butterflies have the same affect on little girls.  They almost seem mesmerized when watching a butterfly in flight.  It’s true though, have you ever watched a butterfly as it lands on a flower?  Before you even realize it you’re staring at it amazed at how pretty and graceful it is.  

That’s why when it comes time to pick out what they want to be for Halloween, a lot of little girls want to be ladybugs or butterflies.  At HalloweenExpress.com you’ll find the cutest ladybug and butterfly costumes to choose from.   The colors, the wings and the overall beauty that goes along with these two “bugs” have little girls everywhere wanting to be one for Halloween.  The ladybug costumes look absolutely adorable on little girls!  For some really adorable toddler sized ladybugs, check out the Tom Arma Costumes!

 This Halloween let your daughter show how pretty and graceful a bug can really be!

There are two types of people in zombie fighting films. There’s the cool guy who has possibly a scar and a troubled past who picks up the nearest shotgun/chainsaw or knife and instantly is more deadly than a Navy Seal with a ponytail. That wouldn’t be me. I’d be the guy with the nervous look who’d probably be eaten in the first half hour of the film.

You'll be alright with him?

So how do you get good, and spin the guns with confidence, cracking zombie heads with the precision of a sharpshooter? A stint in the military is probably not an option and hanging round Brooklyn late at night not advisable, so there’s one thing to turn to you into a sharp shooter, the latest and best kill ‘em and splat ‘em games on the consoles.

And as Halloween approaches, and the inevitable zombie uprising appears, we’re doing a service to all those who want to be the cool guy and the sharp shooter, we’re going to let you know which console you should buy, and games you should endlessly practice on in preparation for October 31^st. And if your girlfriend (or more likely, mother) complains, point her in the direction of this article.

Right. Let’s get this out of the way first. We’re only dealing with games available on exclusive platforms here. So no cross platform games allowed. Let’s start with the 360.

Xbox 360

Crackdown

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crackdown

Ok, first problem here – you’re cybernetically altered. Or in other words, made better; you know like that kid at college: faster, stronger, smarter. But the weapons are comparable to what you’d find in the city, and includes explosives! So a good starting point, but don’t try to run as fast.

Nice suit

Fable II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fable_II

Hmmm, one problem here, it’s all swords, arrows and ye olde time rifles and guns. Have you ever gone toe to toe with a zombie? From what I understand, they have unquenching thirsts for brains and super strength (even though I’m sure brains doesn’t give the much sustenance). A weak game to lean how to defend yourself.

Gears of War 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gears_of_War_2

Better guns. This’ll help. And also, it emphasises covering from the enemy and destroying them. All good so far. However, some of the guns are a bit far fetched – can you really expect to be wielding a mortar launcher in New Hampshire? Although they do have a flame thrower, and if Small Solders taught us anything, it’s that anyone can make one of them. Definitely one you need to perfect.

Halo 3

Halo Rocks!

 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_3

How could we not include Halo? Everyone wants to play it and be the chef. Sorry I mean chief. But more importantly – would it train you for the all important zombie uprising? Well, no. Those dudes in Halo have all manner of funky weapons and armour. If you’re left on a street in your underwear with a prodding stick as defence, how would Halo help – be something nice to think about as you get brain fried?

Forza Motorsport 2

 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forza_Motorsport_2

So how will this train you to blow a head clean off I hear you ask. Well it won’t, but we all know that there always needs to be a highly skilled get away driver waiting in the wings, so you need to know how to handle high-performance cars. And this is a perfect game for that. In fact, that’s the only plus of a zombie world, the chance to get your hands onto this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koenigsegg_CCGT#CCGT

Now, onto the PS3

Heavenly Sword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenly_Sword

When you’re fighting zombies there’s always some hotty hanging about. She’ll be angry and stand offish, but will (if you’re good with guns and junk) warm to you. So you need to be good at those sort of things and prepare yourself. Heavenly Sword, although is too heavy on the close-cutting weapons, but  at least prepares you for your flirting with babes who like swords and funny outfits. But in the real world – would it help fight zombies? Probably not!

 Killzone 2

Man elephants, like stealth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killzone_2

This is more like it, Mr Sony – focusing on Guerrilla warfare. Apart from that crap bit in I am Legend, we know these zombies are dumb brain-eating drones, so any tactics that you can throw into the fighting mix would give you a great advantage. Teaching you this, and with cool outfits and decent guns, I think you should get into training with this one now.

 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_Solid_4:_Guns_of_the_Patriots

More stealth! I think the PS3 is sneaking (very stealthily) into the lead! One problem though, the hero has a suit that is like a chameleons and mimics everything around it. You’ll be in your office rags, and if you’re lucky, a set of nike trainers. Don’t rely on hiding in the background as odour de brain is a powerful aphrodisiac for the zombies

Resistance 2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistance_2

Perfect! This is almost a handbook on destroying freakziods, or the ‘nutritionally challenged.’ The game follows one man set off to fight zombie things in a wasteland.  You need to be an expert at this game.

Dark Kingdom

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Untold_Legends:_Dark_Kingdom

More hotties, and more swords. It’s based on the hack and slash technique of gaming, so I’m told. Well that means you’ll again have to get up close and personal with the zombies. It also includes magic. Do you want to say abracadabra just before you’re eaten? I’d not bother with this one.

Using magic won't beat the zombies

Conclusion – or which one’s best

Well, stealth is the key to staying alive, so I’d say that you should get a PS3. More games that teach you not to just blow them all up, but to duck, crouch, hide – and flirt with hotties. So if you want to prepare the invasion on October 31^st, get a PS3 – and on your downtime – watch blu-ray movies.

No question about it – Halloween is a great family holiday!  The children love to go out trick-or-treating for candy and the parents enjoy walking them around the neighbor.  It’s sort of a social thing for the parents as they stop and talk with all their neighbors as their kids run from house to house.  A lot of neighborhoods that have streets in a cul-de-sac will set up a long table at the beginning of the street and all the parents will sit there with their candy making it easier for the children.  It’s just like one-stop candy shopping for the kids!

For years it’s been a tradition at our house that my whole family (brothers, sisters and their kids) all get together at my house Halloween night.  It’s pizza and chaos as we help all the younger kids get dressed in their costumes.  Then it’s off to trick-or-treating we go. 

This year I’ve decided to have a costume party at our house once all the kids are back from raiding the neighborhood candy bowls.  Everyone has to come dressed in group themed costumes (or as I like to call it “family” themed).  We’re dressing as all the characters from the Wizard of Oz!  I love the idea and the kids are actually excited about it!  Wizard of Oz costumes are so easy and fun and make for a great family costume idea!  I’m going to be Glinda the Good Witch, my husband is going to be the Wicked Witch of the West (which I think is hilarious), Sydney is going to be Dorothy, Olivia is the Cowardly Lion and my son Caden is going to be the Tin Man.  We still need someone to be the Scarecrow so I think we’re just going to throw a flannel shirt on our dog with some hay sticking out all over!

Here are some other great “family” or group costume ideas for your Halloween:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Superheroes
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Power Rangers
• Star Wars
• Toy Story
• Sesame Street

Start a new tradition this year with your family by throwing a Halloween costume party!  Use themes such as; horror and gothic, humorous or even movie costumes.  No matter what you decide, just have fun and enjoy spending time with your family this Halloween holiday!

Britney Spear’s video for her song, “Baby One More Time” gave a whole new meaning to the  school girl  uniform.  Girls everywhere were dancing around their rooms with their school uniforms on – minus a lot of material.   As a mother of two young girls, I can tell you this didn’t go over very well at our house.

However, as far as Halloween goes, I think the sexy school girl costumes are great……on women!   They’re just a little too risque for a young girl, but perfect for any woman that wants to take a walk on the wild side!  You can’t really take yourself too seriously in this costume so to me it would be a lot of fun to wear.  You’d definitely get noticed at the neighborhood Halloween party!

HalloweenExpress.com has some really hot little numbers when it comes to school girl costumes.  They have a sexy take on all the schools:

• Prep School
• Etiquette School
• Business School   

Simply throw your hair into a ponytail, pick up a pair a glasses and you’re ready to go.  Oh and don’t forget the thigh-highs!    

When Michael Jackson died on June 25th, his death came as a shock to his millions of beloved fans across the world.  It’s not surprising then that people are already buying tickets to his upcoming documentary titled “Michael Jackson: This Is It” and it doesn’t even open until October 28.  I think the fact that it’s only a limited two-week run makes a difference too.  Everyone wants to make sure they get in to see it.

This year on Halloween Michael Jackson costumes are going to be a huge hit!  We’re going to see a lot of kids and adults wearing the trade mark sequined gloves, dark sunglasses and white socks.

I have a feeling we’ll be seeing Michael Jackson costumes for a long time to come!  Does Elvis Presley ring a bell?  He died 32 years ago and Elvis costumes are still as popular as ever!

So this year make your Halloween a “Thriller” night by dressing up as The King of Pop!

Yes, these outfits do exist!

Hands up who has got an iPhone? Ok, hands down. Hands up who thinks it’s the best thing in the world and it has changed your life. That many – really? Well, I have to say, I’m with you. It is a pretty funky piece of kit, isn’t it? It’s the apps that make it, as the advert says, there’s an App for anything.

Well, let’s put it to the test, shall we?

Halloween’s coming and like every year, we’re pretty sure that that means it’s the apocalypse. It’s not all Hershey bars and trick or treat. It’s not even all sexy Barista.

It’s a time when quite possibly zombies will take over the Earth, still feeling confident with your Apps and your iPhone? To help, we’ve got 10 apps that will get you through this uncomfortable time and very possibly turn you into a god in the dawn of the new age and get you your very pick of zombie honeys:

Tube New York

http://appsearch.justanotheriphoneblog.com/tubenewyorksubway-iphone-15212/app

A rough place, the New York Subway system.

Let’s face it, if you’re a Zombie, you’re going to be wanting to catch the sites as well as munching brains, so you’d want to stay in the major cities. But this represents a problem. Half the day is light so you’re going to hide down in the subway. So, this App will keep you safe, and navigate the NY subway system without the fear someone would stick a straw into your head and suck.

Allrecipes

http://allrecipes.com/Cook/18467985/BlogEntry.aspx?postid=86614

Our Zombie friends are misunderstood. They eat brains because that’s all they know. Perhaps they tried chicken once and it was rubbery and undercooked. They have never experienced the joy of polenta. So, when faced with salivating, marauding hordes, show them some nice recipes that you can cook, sans brains. It could turn them, and make you their master. Like Gordon Ramsey.

Halloween Costume Generator

Cool costume!

http://www.appstorehq.com/halloweencostumegenerator-iphone-72391/app

Do we really need an explanation? Blending is the key to this all. Get some drab threads and moan and crave live brains. A way to stay alive if you’re a coward and want to try out a different culture.

Live off the land

http://www.appstorehq.com/expertvideo-wildernesssurvivalbasics-iphone-71806/app

So, the cities are awash with brain eating, unhygienic zombies who smell, frankly, like a Frenchman. This App lets you both live harmoniously. They have the city; you have the great outdoors. Healthy aye?  Perhaps it would stop the obesity epidemic!

Paper Toss

http://www.appstorehq.com/papertoss-iphone-36563/app

Let’s face it. A post apocalyptic world would be pretty boring. No NFL, no sports and probably no E! So in the major gaps between striking up harmonious relationships with zombies using Apps, foraging for food and hiding from vigilantes in armoured cars, there’s a whole lot of nothing going on. A simple game, so it doesn’t take your battery power, but a brilliant one none the less. My best is a paltry 6.

Pzizz Relax

Get them to chill out.

http://www.appstorehq.com/pzizzrelax-iphone-66922/app

Perhaps all that needs to be done is for everyone to calm down a bit. Listen to some trance and sit down for a while. A nice relaxing app will perhaps revert the zombies back to ‘normal’ people. Well, if they come from Arkansas, good luck with that one.

iBody

http://www.iphoneappsfinder.com/video/ibody/

Did you know that if mammals lived on just rabbit as a food source they would eventually die. Perhaps that’s where Zombies come from. Anyway when trapped by a group of zombies, don’t reach for the shotgun in a Resident Evil style, show them the nutritional  information on a human brain. It might be the reason they’re always tired and have trouble sleeping.

Augmented Reality App

http://www.thinkartificial.org/machine-interfaces/augmented-reality-iphone/

Haven’t heard of this yet? Oh dear, get with web 3.0 man! It’s not going to save you from the zombies as such, but it will make you think twice of blowing their heads away. Snap up your iPhone and you may see that salivating zombie was once Melanie in accounts, as she’s your friend on Facebook. Perhaps you can make her a coffee in the way she liked it and appeal to the final thread of her humanity. Or not.

Flashlight

Not as good, but far cooler.

http://www.exactmagic.com/products/iphone/flashlight/index.html

Powers gone, the national grid is messed up. Those zombies have chewed their way through all the wires somehow, so you need something to light your way, scaring zombies as you do it. This light app will light your way. But beware, it sucks your battery life and with no juice available, you might suffer the consequences.

iPump

http://www.pumpone.com/ipump.html

No there’s no excuse for being caught by those knuckle draggers on a straight running race, is there? As we’ve already covered, they’ve not got the best diets in the world so even if you’re not Usain Bolt you’ll be alright. But, in your down time escaping these things, best to keep on your toes and work out some more.

And finally…I think you may need a solar charger as well. Obviously.

Well, you’re all set now, aren’t you? Go off into the Zombie world and either become their leader or just survive. Just say you owe it all to the lovely iPhone.

I’ve always said that to complete the look of a Halloween costume you have to accessorize, accessorize, and accessorize.  The right Halloween accessories can give your costume that edge you’re looking for. 

Some accessories you just have to have in order to complete the costume such as; a Dracula’s fangs, Darth Vader’s light saber or Superman’s cape.  Those accessories are as much a part of the overall costume as the costume itself.

In the past, a mask was considered an accessory to any costume.  However, in today’s world of Halloween, a mask IS the costume!  With Hollywood style special effects and foam latex, Halloween masks are incredibly life-like.  With any good horror mask you’re sure to find a little blood, gore and even brain matter for that lovely evil wretched look.

Check out the Top 10 Halloween Masks for 2009!

Masks can also be a simple way to create a costume.  Much of the time the mask speaks for itself in regards to who or what that person is trying to become.   With world politics as usual the political masks definitely speak for themselves and are a huge seller this year.  Barack Obama masks as well as his better half, Michelle Obama masks are flying off the shelves.  Former president’s are also popular.

The old school masks such as; Michael Myers, Scream, Hannibal Lecter or Jason from Friday the 13th films are always a classic at any Halloween costume party.  Famous faces from the big screen and television are sure to get recognized and it’s a simple matter of throwing together an outfit and away you go. 

Halloween masks are great for all ages, old and young alike!  Get yours at HalloweenExpress.com now!

Wow, how many times have you heard that line before?  Every time you hear any type of heavy breathing it’s always followed by that infamous line by Darth Vader in Star Wars.  I love it – it always makes me laugh!  However, did you know that it’s actually a “misquote”?  The line, from The Empire Strikes Back, was never actually said and is the most misquoted line in movie history!  The real movie quote was, “No I am your father,”  but I think the misquoted quote is so much better!  

No matter what the line,  no one is going to soon forget such great characters as; Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, etc.. from the more than six Star Wars films that have been released since 1977.  The most recent being Star Wars: The Clone Wars; an animated film that follows the Star War saga, was released in 2008. 

Since 1977 Star Wars costumes have always been a classic during the Halloween holiday.  You can never go wrong with a Darth Vader costume or Storm Trooper costume.   Want to have fun?  Go to your next Halloween party with a group of friends all decked out as  Star Wars characters. 

No matter your age, Star Wars costumes are the way to go this Halloween!  Don’t believe me?  Check out the ABC show, The View for great Halloween costume ideas.  This morning they had a catwalk of  awesome Halloween costumes on their show from HalloweenExpress.com; costumes ranging from Vader to Vampires! 

So stay away from the dark side and go to HalloweenExpress.com for all you Halloween costumes needs! 

 They have the largest selection in all the galaxy!

I’ve never been one to get all that worked up about politics.  Perhaps I’m nieve or just not all that interested in the subject matter but it does surprise me at times how far some folks will go to stir things up.   For as long as there have been Halloween masks it seems there’s a certain segment of the public who just love to make a statement by dressing up as a political figure.  Personally I would have thought the demand for these political masks would have subsided after last year’s election but apparently not.  This season it seems there’s a new mask getting a lot of attention recently. It’s called ‘Barakula‘ and according to the manufacturer, it has a striking resemblance to a cross between President Barack Obama and a blood-sucking vampire.  Hmmmmm.  I wonder why the manufacturer chose this name?   The name notwithstanding, depending upon your political persuasion you may or may not find this mask amusing.    To each his own I suppose.  One thing  is for sure, if you’re looking for Halloween costume ideas this year and you can’t make up your mind … you’re sure to get plenty of looks with the Barakula mask.