Halloween...part 2...

Last year, our costumes were over the top and took countless hours. Although the we got all the bang for our buck...it is not something I am willing to do every year. So this year was an "off" year. Meaning, costumes come from closets and stores...and not by the sweat of my brow. Going into the season I thought I was okay with this idea - yet, each person that approached me telling me how excited they were to see our costumes made me wish more and more it was another "on" year. We set the bar a little high last year. We have people fooled that greatness comes every year which is just not the case. I think I disappointed more than a handful when I told them we were going to be pirates. But I have to keep telling myself - I have my sanity and spent limited time pulling together costumes which is exactly what I needed this year.

Hallie was the mastermind behind this year's costumes. She wanted the family to dress together and I told her in order for that to happen she would need to convince each of her brothers of her idea. And she did just that in the kindest, non-pressuring way.

Hallie has been dying to wear this black petticoat skirt I've had in the closet for years and she finally got her chance. Cannon's costume we've had for years, Hunter wore it when he was three years old. And as odds would have it - I found the exact costume on eBay in both Bennett and Hunter's size new with tags. (which is amazing considering I bought that costume in 2009)





Can I just tell you how fun it is to be married to someone willing to dress up? Steve is always reluctant when an idea is presented but once he jumps in - he takes on the roll full heartedly. I'm sure he was a pirate in a previous life he was that good.

My mom was here to enjoy the evening with us and Steve's parents came by to check out the costumes before we headed out.


We walked through the neighborhood to our Halloween block party where we ate dinner and admired all the clever costumes we came across. It gave me some great ideas for future Halloweens. Bennett was so-so on dinner but what he didn't eat in chili he made up for in a king size crunch bar!


After dinner - we walked the short distance back to our house and trick-or-treated along the way. Hallie and Hunter on their scooters, Bennett in the wagon and Cannon in the stroller. Cannon was hilarious the entire night and he caught on really quick as to what was going on. He got so excited, he would bail from the stroller before it came to full stop just to try and get to the door sooner. He tripped and fell countless times in his rush and spilled his bag of candy three times. He was so friendly at every house singing songs and yelling thank you multiple times as he walked down the sidewalk. There could've been a hole in the bottom of his bag and he wouldn't have noticed, it was the gathering of candy that was so fun for him.

We came home with way too much candy and because that wasn't enough sugar we joined with some friends/family after for homemade doughnuts. I'll take a homemade doughnut over candy any day!

The candy has been sorted, traded and rationed. Now, we're all just coming down from the sugar high. Let the holidays begin!