Halloween 2017

Before the actual day, we have to have Grandma's Halloween party.  My kids really love this and, true to form, my mom puts together a super fun party for them.  I love seeing all the cousins in costume since I don't get to do that on Halloween. A picture on the front porch is mandatory.

Games-

Try to get an Oreo from your forehead to your mouth without using your hands.

Shake the candy corn from one water bottle to the other.

Turn one member of your team into a mummy using one roll of toilet paper.

Guess what you're eating.

cold noodles for Molly-yuck!

Relay race to put on layers of clothes.

There were also cupcakes.

And decorating pumpkins is a favorite.  I love doing it at my mom and dad's because then I don't have to do it at home.

 Brynn carved her pumpkin-she was insistent that she do it all by herself, start to finish-and then decided that she wanted to add some paint to it as well.

Molly and Chloe

Stockton wanted the most complicated pumpkin.  Justin wasn't able to make it down to the party this year so he ended up with me helping him.  It took me a while but we did it and it turned out great.  He was a happy boy!

A few days later was Halloween and the kids got all dressed up for school.  Brynn went as Merida from Brave.  She decided on that clear back in August when we watched the movie one night.  I bought her the dress figuring we could put it in the dress up bin when Halloween was over.  I gave her the option to buy either a wig or a bow and arrow with her own money.  She chose the bow and arrow so for her hair I put it in curlers and then sprayed it with red hairspray.

She couldn't take the bow and arrow to school since it's considered a weapon.

Stockton really, really wanted to be the ghost of Babe Ruth but Babe Ruth gear is way expensive and I didn't know if I could make something like that.  I would maybe try next year, because it would be a fun idea.  He was having trouble deciding on a Plan B so I reached out to my sisters for some of their boys' favorite costumes.  Erin suggested a spy and Stockton liked that idea so I bought him that spy coat and hat.  

Molly also knew a while ago that she wanted to be a scarecrow.  We already had a plaid shirt and I bought the hat at the dollar store.  We had trouble finding overalls.  I checked three different DI's and the Heber thrift store with no luck.  I didn't want to pay $30 for overalls that I knew she wouldn't wear again.  Finally, she found a friend that had some overalls and let her borrow them.  I think she looked adorable!

Halloween is such a fun day at school for them.  Halloween parade and class parties.  I am glad Molly is still in elementary school because the kids still dress up.

Ivy and I drove over to the school to see the Halloween parade.  I was relieved my kids were mostly dressed warm because it was cold and some of those kids were not prepared to march around outside!

Molly, Pallas Anderson, Jackie Bingham

After school, Justin likes us to go trick-or-treating at Lee's and stop by to see him.  I got Ivy ready then.  She made the cutest Snow White I've ever seen!

After that, it's always a bit of a rush to go home, eat dinner (always taco soup), and freshen up costumes for trick-or-treating.  Every year I think I'm going to have the house clean before we leave and every year it ends up being a mess!  I even made dinner during the afternoon and kept it warm in the crock pot.  But that's just the stage I'm in and I'm sure someday I'll miss those types of messes.

When Justin gets home, it's off we go to trick-or-treat!  Molly really wanted to try and go with a friend this year but it didn't work out so she was stuck with us.  She was disappointed but made the most of it.  I think she still had fun but she is getting old enough for that so I supposed next year we'll have to make it work so she can trick-or-treat with a friend.  Don't know how many more years she will trick-or-treat, actually-hopefully she's got a couple left.

We went to Cobblestone, like we have every year we've been up here.  They are close together and give the best treats!  Plus one house does homemade fried scones and you can't beat that!

Eventually everyone gets tired and it's time to head home.  Dad took them upstairs to bathe and shower the little ones.  While waiting for their turns, the kids like to pour out their candy and look at their loot.  They like to make trades which is funny because when they go to bed, I put it all in the same bin and use it to pack in lunches or for after-dinner treats.