Halloween Evening!

Since I was at the school, I grabbed the kids and we went to the store to get pumpkins. I had been trying to avoid this part of Halloween but they so nicely reminded me that it's something we "have to do!" Courtney had a free pumpkin coupon so it worked out. And, as a bonus, I sweet-talked the kids into drawing faces on their pumpkins instead of us having to carve them!! It worked great. When we got home they began drawing and had so much fun. It took a lot less time and wasn't a huge mess.

My parents came over at 4:30 to take their pictures and give them their candy bar.

Is it obvious to anyone else that I'm going to have to take the Calvin and Hobbes books away from Ethan?!?!
Then we took off for the neighborhood party and fun with friends. Our neighborhood is so great because it's a huge pot luck with bounce houses and tons of talking. The kids love it and the adults look forward to it each year.

There were some fun additions this year. A group of girls did a dance for everyone (it was really good) and a cupcake walk was held for the little kids.

We also had the traditional 2 bounce houses. The little kids get one and the older boys (teenagers) take over the other one and wrestle. Usually someone gets hurt. Last year Ethan's glasses were broken, this year he was kneed in the nose pretty hard. But they still have fun!

Here is Courtney attacking the banana:
Ethan with Brennon and Braydon.
When it started getting dark (kind of) the kids split into groups and began trick-or-treating. I ran home to hand out candy while Bryan went as a parent with one group. It's a great time for the dads to chat and not feel like they are gossiping like women. ;) I got our luminaries out we had made weeks before and lit them. They looked great....until people began stepping on them and breaking them. Oh well. Next year I will put them more on the porch so they are decorations rather than lighting the way. Or I may put them in front of the garage where people don't walk.

When the kids got home it was time for them to sort out their loot. They are allowed to keep 5 pieces of candy each (Bryan and I also get 5 candies from their loot) and the rest is set out for the Halloween Fairy to take and leave a toy in it's place. This was a rough part for Ethan because he couldn't decide what to give and take.

They usually dump it out on the floor, divide it into piles of alike items and then they mull over what they want to keep.


After the decision was made they spent the rest of the evening (until bedtime) opening the door for trick-or-treaters and trying to scare them by yelling "boo!" They got a few but for the most part people just looked at them strange. ;)

It was a fun day/night and the kids had a great time!! Now on to Thanksgiving...unless you go to a sctore and then it's on to Christmas. ugh!!