How To Win The Contest

I was thinking of a Halloween from 31 years

ago in 1983, when the youngest was 3 and we had just

adopted my best pal, Ginger, from an event called

"Adopt A Pet In The Park"

I learned that year that it isn't always the

costume that wins the contest, it's the attitude.

We were going to a Halloween party and the

littlest wanted to be a bride -- or, more likely,

I just had stuff on hand that I thought I could

use for a bride outfit and talked her into it.

So we dressed her up.

I put her sister's old flower girl dress on her

and made her a veil out of some cheese cloth,

which I held in place in her hair with some little

fake flowers and clips. All three girls picked

some flowers and we tied them together with

some ribbon to make her a bouquet.

The only picture I have of her is after the costume 

party we attended, when she was eating her cupcake.

I had taken the veil off and tried it out on

the dog...

Now she won 1st prize in the costume contest,

but I don't think it was my dazzling outfit that 

did the trick. 

See, she got a little stage fright at the

last minute and started bawling and didn't

want to be in the contest. 

Her father (my ex) told her she had to go on

stage with her sisters and be in the parade or no

candy and treats. So, up on the stage she went

with her bouquet of flowers and round and

round in circles she walked with the other kids,

but she was bawling like crazy and acting

like she was going to her death, which made

her look just like a reluctant bride.

The audience loved it!

Everyone clapped for her, and she finally

started smiling, when they announced

that the contest winner was...

The Bawling Bride