Happy Halloween!

We had a great Halloween this year. The girls were so excited and it stopped raining a few days before the 31st and things were able to dry out so we could decorate one day and then trick-or-treat the next.

We always try to get an early start & go around the block so we can get back and hand out some candy, too. We started around 6:30 this year and it was still light, but it took us about an hour to get around the block and it was definitely dark by the time we got home.

The kids (Gracie, Clara and JM/Mike) got so much candy! The girls couldn't carry their bags the whole way because they were too heavy. Our neighbors love to give out treats - one gave out a gallon size ziploc bag full of candy and treats to each child!

Here's a look at our decorations and the kiddos in their costumes. You will have to look carefully for JM. First, he didn't want to hold still and then he got strapped in the stroller. But he did stay happily in the stroller the whole way around the block - I don't think we'll be so lucky next year.





And here's our little Indian Princess, Pocahontas:


Pocahontas joins her friend, Glenda, the good witch (Clara decided to go opposite of last year's Wicked Witch of the West!)

And you can sort of see the decorations in the background.

And unbelievably, there's a picture of me this Halloween:

(I'm supposed to be a witch if you can't tell... I decided not just to act the part, but dress that way, too!)


Almost home - those legs and arms were starting to give out!

When we got home, the first order of business for the girls was to get ready and hand out candy. Here they are, manning their stations.


And I had time to get all of the jack-o-lanterns glowing - Gracie's is on the left and Clara's creation is on the right.


And poor JM had to get ready for bed. He was quite a sad boy - can you see that tear on his cheek? He knew he was missing out on some fun. Maybe next year, little man.

Check out that spider in the background - the girls and I made those out of cardboard, construction paper, red felt and black plastic strapping (for the legs).


And finally, after making sure there were no more trick-or-treaters, it was time to check out the loot!

That's not even all of Gracie's - she had another pile off to the other side already.

Showing off her favorite! Although I think she might revise it now, she loves all of the "Reese's" candies she got!


Clara's candy. She's not a fan of chocolate, so Daddy and Gracie got lots of her rejects.

She did love her fairy card game, though. (And all the other non-chocolate candies, of course!)

And it was finally bedtime around 9:30 - yikes! Thank goodness we got an extra hour of sleep before church the next morning!