And the winner is...

Big Dave is this year's Pumpkin Carving Champion, with his touching portrayal of a pie eating contest gone bad. He has yet to collect his prize (1 wish granted by me), but he says he will need time to come up with a good one (which not only makes me highly suspicious by also slightly disconcerted). In the meantime, we thank you for taking the time to vote.

This Halloween was different for us. For the first time in many years, we did not go to Halloween Horror Nights or Howl-O-Scream. Instead, we went to the movies, then picked up some candy and headed for the town's main street, where the annual Trail of Treats was carried out in full regala. Kids decked out in their Halloween finest (or scariest or goriest) walked the street and begged candy from the local vendors on Main Street. Since Big Dave and I live too far out in the country to get any treaters, this year we decided to bring the treats to the kids. We picked a spot on the sidewalk, then waited for the kids to come to us. Unfortunately we underestimated the amount of candy we needed, so we ran out in about 15 minutes. But now we know how to plan better for next year. The most popular costumes seemed to be fairy princess/barbie-esque gowns for the girls, and either Transformers or Star Wars for the boys. One family dressed as pirates, from Mom and Dad as Captain and First Mate, to a little boy and girl (deck hands complete with disturbing scars) to their pug dog (a pirate wench). All that was missing was a parrot.

Speaking of winners, Congrats to President-elect Barrack Obama on his historic win. While this election was certainly one of the most heated and devisive, it also had the highest voter turnout in decades. Good news for democracy. I know a lot of people waited hours in line to vote, but certainly it was worth it. Americans have the opportunity to voice their opinion and choose their leaders - a right not shared by many people around the world. And while our system is not perfect, we are fortunate to have the ability to work towards changing what we don't like. What an amazing idea!