We tried to squeeze in all our Halloween fun into a few days before Halloween.  The upside and downside of an October vacation.  You only have time to do the things that you really like to do for Halloween and everything else gets left behind.

Sunday we carved our pumpkins with for the first time ever no one complaining about scooping out the guts themselves.  Spencer even boiled up and roasted his seeds by himself so he could have a little stash to nibble on.  Then we made Halloween cookies which somehow were mysteriously eaten by a self confirmed Halloween cookie addict with kids only getting a few each.  I love those things.

Monday was Taylor's Halloween school carnival.  It is a sugar high piece of mayhem that my kids love every year.  Taylor enjoys his dinner of chicken nuggets and as many chocolate cupcakes and treats as he can win.

Wednesday was Halloween.  Allison spent the last few nights cutting out and making her owl costume entirely by herself.  I was very impressed with it.
Robyn recycled an old witch costume I had with a few embellishments.  This witch costume has been around since before I left for college and has been well loved and used.

Spencer couldn't decide if he was too cool for a costume or not but at the last moment decided he could still enjoy the holiday.  Halloween morning involved me and Allison assuring me that he looked good and that I knew what I was doing.  Spencer was not convinced as he micromanaged every stroke of make-up goo and fake teeth that went on his face.  I just gritted my teeth and smiled and was glad that he was wanting to dress up and have fun.

Taylor was Carl from Up.  I didn't get around to making his pvc pipe walker but next year for sure.


I got to go spend the afternoon helping with Robyn's class party.  One of the mom's brought in snacks - jack-o-lantern faces drawn on clementines, gloves stuffed with popcorn and a spider ring, a veggie tray in the shape of a jack-o-lantern.  I was so glad not to see candy and the kids loved it!  They ate while she read them a spooky story.  It was fun to see the Halloween parade and just all the fun of being a kid.

For dinner we ate our blood (marinara sauce), bones (breadsticks), brains (stuffed pumpkin) and mouths (apple slices with marshmallows and peanut butter sandwiched in between).  Then Spencer felt very cool as he and Taylor watched Men in Black and handed out candy.  Jeremy went out with Allison and her friend while I leisurely strolled with my friend Brenda following Robyn and her friends.  We are experiencing a wave of warmth right now where it just feels like fall outside, warm afternoons, cool evenings and it was so fun to walk around our neighborhood.  One cauldesac has a fire pit and hands out hot chocolate and doughnuts.  They even have a haunted house in one of the basements for the kids to walk through.  And some friends go way out on their decorations, making it a fun night.  Everyone went to bed with a sugar buzz going on and a smile on their faces.

With the warmer weather I have been pulling out our garden.  Jeremy's truck is piled high with dead tomato plants and leaves.  I think I need a full time gardening crew for a week right now to put the garden to bed for the winter.  I finally finished with laundry on Thursday - I started Saturday.  So I am hoping to make lots of progress this week.

Saturday night we got together with a group of friends to eat and play and visit.  I count myself lucky with the neighbors we have been blessed with.  I had a head cold and felt like I was moving in slow motion all night and still I couldn't stop smiling at everyone joking around.  Its encouraging to me to know so many people who although they mess up sometimes like we all do are still cheerfully trying to live they way we should.