Trick or Treat

Halloween 2012 at our house this year was fun and memorable. 

It started with our annual Family Night Pumpkin-Carving.

Joe and Maddie did their favorite "pumpkin elf" together.

Miss Katie-lady tackled hers alone and created her own 3-sided self-designed wonder: "trick-or-treat/KU/traditional jack-o-lantern".

And Jake and Levi got busy wielding sharp objects on their jack-o-lanterns together. 

Over the weekend, we enjoyed a fun-filled night out with our church, and they threw quite the Halloween shin-dig. There was an indoor carnival, with various games (ring toss, face painting, doughnut-on-a-string, balloon animals, etc). This accompanied a chili contest/feast, complete with hot dogs, homemade breads, cupcakes/cookies and HOMEADE ROOTBEER! 

 

(Some scary Yong Women with one of their scary leaders)

Then, the traditional trunk-or-treat ritual continued outside.

 

We got a little shocker a few days before Halloween---when we found out that our new schools do not have parades nor parties for Halloween.  After 9 years of school Halloween festivities, there was an adjustment period with this news!  We all spent a few days of sulking and wondering how Halloween was ever going to be fun again.  But, funny thing---life does go on.  And soon enough it played into the most wonderful surprise.  The most precious highlight of our Halloween this year was a package we received on Halloween from my drop-dead, amazing sister, Delight.  It was packed with so much love, that we couldn't help but get teary when we opened it!  Aunt Dee had all the KS girl cousins together over the weekend, and they all had made tu-tu costumes AND included Katie and Maddie. And they made them the exact characters they had wanted in the first place. Awww.  They also packed some fun stuff for Levi and some of Uncle Matt's BDU's for Jake's costume.  Very special for us. 



Trick-Or-Treating in our neighborhood made up for the lack of fun at school that day.  So many people put a lot of time and creativity into making the trick-or-treating fun and memorable for all.  (Jake broke away and went to a different neighborhood with some friends.  Even though he had fun, after hearing of our adventures, he regrets leaving our 'hood).  Katie ran around with the large pack of  kids that are in her grade,  and Maddie hung out with 3 of her favorite classmates.  Levi took off with Katie's group first (they have adopted him), while I stuck with Maddie.  About 45 minutes into it I got a call that Levi was exhausted---made me laugh outright.  Evidently, he lost steam after one too many frights from Halloween displays.  So, I caught up with them and carried my tuckered little man most of the way back home.  On our trek back home, we discovered a few awesome houses that gave me some great ideas for future reference!  But Levi's personal fav was the house that had the Monsters, Inc movie on a big screen in their front yard---complete with blankets, chairs and coolers of pop for relaxation. (Ahhh.  I needed the rest, too!)  I missed a lot of the fun stuff the girls got to see, but they told me about it.  Their favorite was their librarian's house.  It was "tricked-out" (Maddie's term) with a circus theme complete with fake tatoos and a "fire-ant circus" (instead of "flea circus"-lol)
Of course, when it was all over, we had quite a haul.  What do we do with all that candy?!?!  Well, for starters, we ALWAYS spend a few days eating candy to our hearts content!  Yes.  Yes we do.  We indulge in our personal favorites---namely the chocolate! (Mine happen to be Snickers, peanut M&M's and Twizzlers!)  Then we move on to the second favs THEN, it becomes time to simply start making it all "disappear"....you know, randomly throwing handfuls away when no one is looking?!  It usually only takes a week or so to get "back-to-normal".  Sugar rushes?  Cavities?  Bad behavior?  Maybe.  But, not so much.  It's so fun...it's worth it.

**happy little sigh**

Now, believe it or not, our neighborhood is starting to decorate for CHRISTMAS, and I say, BRING IT ON!  I could always use a little more "holly' and a lot more "jolly"!