Halloween

I really enjoy fall.  I like the cooler temperatures, the color of leaves changing, and the crisp smell.  And I really like Halloween.  I always loved Halloween as a kid, but as a parent it's so much fun to watch my kids experience it.  I love taking them down the Halloween isle at the store and laughing as they freak out at the scary decorations.  And I love all the activities that are available during this season.

We went to see the witches at Gardner Village with some friends, and Jamie was able to come with us too. 

Luke was scared of the witches and refused to sit or stand by them in any photos.

We carved pumpkins as a family.  The kids are grossed out by the guts, but they cut theirs much better by themselves this year.

Luke got the cut-out of his bat and had fun stabbing it over and over the whole time.

And the girls got invited to a Halloween party at Brightyn's house.  They were so excited and had a great time with some of the neighbor girls.

I had my annual family Halloween party.  We had chili and bread sticks, salad, brain jello, and yummy pumpkin pie.

Our family decided to be mythological creatures.  

Isaac was a satyr.  (He was supposed to make  his horns, but slacked off so I made them for him.) 

For some unknown reason Isaac posed with this face in all his pictures.  I guess that's what he thinks a goat looks like.

I was Medusa.  I found some cool snake jewelry on Amazon.

Sophie was a mermaid.  I wanted her to be a creepy mermaid, but she didn't like the face paint of my scary version.

Aspen was a woodland fairy.  I think her costume turned out pretty well, but she looked a little like a Renaissance person.

And Luke was a centaur.  Unfortunately his wheely legs didn't work quite as well as I hoped.  But his costume still looked really cute.

My parents were the "Incredibles".

Isaac's parents were the "Bernstein Bears".

Lacey and Justin's family were the characters from "PJ Masks".

Jamie was "What About Bob".

Kevin was a magician.

Jason was King Bob from "Recess".

And Hannah and Gabe were ninjas.

After dinner we went for a walk to the haunted forest (some neighbors decorated it and made a scavenger hunt for the kids).  Some of the kids (James and Luke) were terrified.

I like how Barry is standing in the background like a serial killer in this photo.

And I love Aspen's face and pose in the scared photo.

On Halloween day, we also got to go to the Halloween parade at Sophie's school.  We have to sit in the cafeteria for about 30 mins before it starts, and Luke and Aspen were terrible.  They were so bored and whined like it was the worst thing in the world.

Then we had to go back for Aspen's afternoon kindergarten parade.  But that was really short so it wasn't too bad.

This year I stayed home to hand out candy because in the past we have left a bowl that is always completely gone when we get home and we worry some kid dumps the whole thing in.  But staying home is sooooo boring.  The doorbell rings so frequently you can't really do anything because reading or watching a show is interrupted too frequently.  And if you don't answer in a nanosecond they ring the doorbell a million times.

Isaac took the kids trick-or treating.  It was a little chilly that night, so after a while he brought Luke  home to hang out with me. The kids had a ton of fun celebrating Halloween, and Luke ate all his candy in less than a week.