So Halloween was appropriately documented. Although as I was looking through the pictures tonight, I realized we have NO pictures of JC in his costume. Not one. I promise he is still in good favor...don't be alarmed by our embarassing lack of documentation. And he looked so cute...
Halloween festivities started a week early with Maryn's amazing Halloween party (This will show you pictures from the last couple of years worth of parties...no pictures from this year but we are anxiously waiting!) (And she is one of the artists at his company...she does amazing work!) And when I say "amazing", it doesn't begin to do it justice. She is a co-worker and friend of Chris' and every year she throws a big Halloween festival...her house is decorated from nook to cranny with fabulous trinkets and toys, her parties always have a "theme" (this year was fortune-telling...even had a real, fake fortune teller who was amazing!), the food is delicious, the activities charming, and she pulled all of this off after being sick with kidney stones for a week. As we were leaving, JC mentioned he wasn't feeling well, and by morning we had ourselves a sick boy. MC was close on his heels and HB and I joined the festivities the next day. We all had a variation on the fever/cold/cough. And maybe sometime I'll tell you how I tried to take my 3 sick kids and 1 sick self to the county building to get H1N1 shots and how the line wound all the way through a parking garage and down the street. We waited for 10 minutes and after listening to HB hack away and watching MC's little teeth chatter, I packed them back up and decided I'd rather go home and suffer.
We missed lots of school, watched 2,000 movies, and drank enough hot chocolate to give Stephen's hot chocolate a serious financial boost. (I simply must recommend the Pumpkin Spice and Orange Creme flavors!) We braced ourselves for Halloween...
By Saturday, we were all feeling lots better and ready for some serious fun! JC and MC both chose to be Harry Potter this year. Neither one seemed bothered by the other one choosing the same thing...and they had a fabulous time waving their wands at each other and casting horrendous spells. HB was a pink fairy. Not a princess fairy, not a queen fairy, just a pink fairy. She was very specific. Halloween afternoon we attended a lovely soup lunch and caramel apple party at CeliAnne and Josh's house. It was an amazing fall afternoon. We took the new camera out for a spin in their front yard...
I was Alice in Wonderland.
HB as a "pink" fairy.
MC as a fantastic spell-casting Harry Potter.
More pink fairy...now don't think I'm prejudice because there are a million pictures of the pink fairy. She was the only one I could get to come out and take pictures with me. The boys were too busy fighting off dementors with their cousins to be bothered with a photo shoot.
Magical fairies in the forest...
Looking down the rabbit hole.
One of the beautiful surprises I found in Wonderland.
Alice and a little pink fairy.
My girl.
Daddy's little girl.
One of the handsome Harry Potters.
Cousins. Glorious cousins.
My beautiful niece.
After a lovely afternoon, we headed home to attend our next social engagement...our neighbors across the street threw a great Halloween party complete with bobbing for apples, sugar cookie decorating, a little spooky house, yummy food, and games. It was really fun! Hooray for energetic, fun neighbors!
Well, the time had finally come. I loved that daylight savings was late this year. It was still light outside when we headed out for trick-or-treating and it was perfect. The lighting was perfect, the trees were perfect, the weather was perfect...I had an amazing time going out with the kids. Usually Chris takes them out but he was kind enough to stay home and pass out the treats and fix the chili while we covered the area. It was so fun! I felt like I was in a movie...all the kids and parents out, the fantastic houses that are decked out, the people sitting out on their front porches and around fires, seeing all the kids in their costumes, watching Thriller and drinking hot chocolate in one neighbor's front yard, walking up to the "Haunted Mansion" with its decor and fog creeping over the grass, going to the "spooky" house and seeing the blow-up houses and hearses, getting King Size candy bars and using the potty at our dear friend's home...it was magical and wonderful. My 3 children walked further than I thought humanly possible. And by the time we got home, they were wilting. But their bags were full and the candy flowed freely. It was a great Halloween!
And to make it absolutely perfect, Superman showed up at our house.
I have such a crush on the man of steel!
And on a side note to the Halloween festivities, JC earned his wolf badge/award last night at Pack Meeting as well as one golden arrow and 4 silver arrows. We are so proud of him! He has worked hard and accomplished so much over the last year. He loves scouts and I'm so glad! Plus who can resist a handsome boy in uniform??
Me getting my wolf pin from my son.
The newest Wolf recipient.
And the customary wolf being stamped on your back with flour...there are some elements of this program that are still a huge mystery to me!
