Happy Halloween!

Halloween has felt like it was four months long.  Between decorating the house, watching the kids waiver between costumes, finding the costumes, going to numerous Halloween parties at different schools, and then finally trick-or-treating- we squeezed every last ounce of fun out of the Halloween season!

It has taken a few years for me to find tune the Halloween decorations on the outside of our house.  Finally, after much tweaking and plenty of help and input from the kids, we got it right!  They have titled our house, The Spider House.  I stretch webs across the majority of the street facing portion of our house.  Last year I found these awesome huge black feathery spiders.  They are perfect.  I purchased about five more this year and we were able to hang them every few feet to make our house look spooky.  They hang on elastic so they bounce and move in the wind.  I love watching people walk by and point to the spiders.  The kids love it, too! (Of course, I do not have a picture.)

Costumes were a big part of our daily discussions this October.  Matthew was firm since the first day we talked about costumes that he wanted to be WOLVERINE!  After flipping through costume magazines and looking for a costume that would show off Emily's svelte figure, we decided on a cute BUMBLEBEE costume!  At first, Claire thought she wanted to be the Queen of Hearts- but after shopping at Spirit Halloween store, she was confident that she wanted to be 1/2 ANGEL 1/2 DEVIL.  Michael's choice didn't come easily.  He was conflicted because he not only wanted a cool costume but he wanted a funny costume.  We looked and looked and looked.  Nothing.  Auntie Nannie even sent Michael an email with hilarious ideas, but they weren't right according to Michael.  It got down to the wire and I told him that by the end of the day, he needed to pick a costume.  After much discussion, Michael decided on SHAGGY!  He told me that he would be Shaggy, if I would be Velma.  Deal.

The first Halloween party we had was at Matthew's school.  Only, he didn't wear his costume to school on Halloween but on the Friday before Halloween (school's choice).  Matthew and Emily got dressed up and enjoyed the fun projects, Halloween themed lunch, and the Halloween parade.  Matthew was feeling cool.  He was so happy that he was the only Wolverine at this school!  Emily could have cared less if there were other bumblebees there.  She felt like she was on stage during the parade, stopping every few feet to throw her bumblebee leg out and wave.  It was hilarious.

All was going well until we gathered after the parade for some lunch.  I looked at Damien and asked if he knew where Emily was.  Nope.  There were so many kids at the school that day.  I was calm and looked for her bumblebee stripes.  Nothing.  After about two minutes of searching, panic set in.  I told Damien to check the other classrooms and I went to the exit to see if she had left the school.  The bad thoughts were going through my head at this point.  When I came back in the school, Damien told me he had found her.  Where was my little lady?  Sitting in another teacher's classroom, singing songs in circle time, with a room full of people she had never met.  Yep, that's my Emily!

Halloween fell on a Monday this year and the kids were excited to start the week off with a bang!  We had to get up extra early in order to get everyone in their costumes, make up on, hair done, teeth brushed and on time.  It was a little chaotic to say the least!  Michael and Claire had a Halloween parade fifteen minutes after their school day started so I just hung out with the two little kids until the parade started!  All sixteen classes at their school parade around the parking lot and weave throughout the classrooms of their friends.  It is quite the sight to see so many kids in such amazing costumes!  Michael and Claire both looked great.  They seemed happy and confident in their choices and I am happy to report, Michael got many laughs (which was his goal).

That evening, we had a Halloween gathering over at our house.  Mark (Fred), Jocelyn (Daphne), Brennan, Gabe, Heather, Chris, and Ali (Mad Hatter) joined us this year!  Everyone looked great!  Brennan was the Black Spiderman and Gabe was a ninja.  The rest of us?  Once Michael had decided to be Shaggy and I went with Velma, Mark and Jocelyn decided to be Fred and Daphne.  Damien, for good measure, dressed as Old Man Whithers and said all night, "I would've gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids!"  I must say, we looked pretty awesome!

We had some yummy food before we ventured out for some trick-or-treating.  All the kids loved going from house to house for some sugary sweets!  I went around the block with Emily, and then returned home to give out candy to our trick-or-treaters.  We get so many kids here!  I love it!  Afterward we had caramel apples, played with dry ice, and ate more candy than you can imagine.

After a long but fun Halloween season- we took off our costumes, turned off the porch light, and counted our candy in the family room.  Just the six of us.  It was a great Halloween.  We truly are blessed.