Happy Halloween

We made it around the whole circle this year. We skipped a lot of houses at the end to get home quicker, but everyone had a great time. W did end the night happy and tired We were also very excited about getting to eat a piece of candy! Bryson wasn't so sure about the night and spent most of the night riding in his car. He got out a few times, but had no idea what he was doing. Anytime someone dropped something into his bucket he would look inside for it.
Note: I know why these plastic pumpkins cost only a $1. We have never put this much candy into them and carried them around. When they get heavy the thin plastic handle really digs into the hand. I will have to hunt for new bags for next year. If I get really serious maybe I will make something when I am feeling crafty!

Mason's School Halloween Party

Oh, I have mixed feelings on being a party mom for school. Our school makes each grade have the same exact party for all the grades. We have 3 kindergarten classes, so you have to plan the party with two other moms and make it the same. Making a craft for 24 kids is fun, but doing it for 75 isn't as fun. Working out schedules to get everything planned is tons of fun as well. I found cute little signs for each group of kids so they would know what station to go to. I divided them up into groups based on the signs. Rob printed cute name tags for me out of skeleton font and then we put the coordinating stickers on them to place them into groups. My kids had a great time painting the signs prior to the party!
I love to look at the costumes. Our school also does a parade so you get to watch all the kids walk through. Well, I didn't because I had to get everything set up, but I did watch Mason go through.
Nothing makes a party run smooth like stations! I dressed up as a witch with long eye lashes! I also had witch stockings on that were red and orange stripped! I think everyone had a good time so I would call it a success!

Trunk or Treat

Ellery's school had trunk or treat tonight. We got everyone dressed and out for some goodies.

We had hand me down costumes for Bryson, but who can resist this cute sock monkey costume? Obviously, not me!

Superman had to wear a mask part of the night, even though he knows Superman doesn't really wear one.

Batgirl was super exited to have a cape.

Happy Halloween

I really should give my kids candy more or expand their knowledge of different types of candy. They are into suckers and M&M's. Next year I am going to train them to pick the Snickers bars for me! They started out with a bang, and didn't last as long as I thought. I jumped ship to hang with my friend Anne after a few houses and sent Rob out with another dad with the wagon stocked with children and beer. The kids came back with some candy, but not near as much as I thought. I was hoping for more snicker bars. I think it was more of a leisurely stroll with a few stops. They were more thrilled to come pick me up and play with their friends than they were over their buckets of candy. We have fire chief Mason pictured with his fellow fireman Parker. Superman Sam is out to save the world, maybe from the Ellery Monkey.

Trunk or Treat

Mason's school had a trunk or treat for the kids. It is when people decorate the trunk of their cars and hand out candy as kids walk through the parking lot. They also had a mini fall festival inside the center as well. Needless to say the kids had a great time getting candy and showing off their costumes. Mason was fun to watch. He couldn't figure out how to get the candy if the person didn't just drop it in his bucket. He wouldn't let go of his fire hose and had to hold the bucket with the other hand, it was humorous watching him try to hold the hose and pick up a piece of candy and then try to drop it in his bucket. I offered no help in the situation, just found it amusing to watch.
Ellery was infatuated with Think 1 and Think 2. I thought this was precious of her checking it out. Cat in the Hat is a real big hit in our house and seeing real "things" was a dream come true for her.
Rob and I put on our cool do's for the evening. I got a chuckle when people would comment on his hair and I would say that is his real hair in a real serious voice. People who knew us thought it was hysterical while people who didn't know us didn't know how to react. Mullets give me the creeps, they are like train wrecks, you can't help but stare!

Halloween Preview

Bryson had no choice or input in his costume this year. His siblings wore the chicken costume and it is only fair that we captured him in the chicken as well. Funny how we bought it off the sale rack at Old Navy right before Halloween for Mason. Wasn't our first pick, but for a good price and in his size we couldn't resist. It has brought us joy over the years!
Next we have the repeat monkey. Originally Ellery wanted to be a clown. She has stated she wanted to be a clown all month long. I bought the clown wig, make-up, and a few accessories. She wore the wig around while I was looking through the closet to see what would work for clown attire. While looking in the closet, I found Mason's old monkey costume. I showed it to Ellery and the clown idea was dust in the wind. We now were dead set on being a monkey.
Next we have rescue fire fighter Mason. We have been through many ideas on what we wanted to be this year. We were going to be Buzz Lightyear, then a racecar/astronaut/firefighter. We then finally settled on just a fireman. When I asked him what he wanted to be for Halloween and the answer was consistently a fireman, that is when I decided we could make the purchase. He is thrilled and I found the inflatable fire extinguisher for him to wear and it just makes the costume. Too cute!
I didn't prepare myself for this year on costumes. I really thought I could have one more year on bending and molding them into a cute duo of some sort that I picked out. Salt and Pepper, Batman and Robin, King and Queen, etc. Thank goodness I have a few more years to bend and mold Bryson.

Happy Halloween

We spruced up our Halloween costumes a bit for the big night. We added some stars to the cowboy hat along with black chaps I cut from some fabric. We also added a duct tape papoose filled with one of her baby dolls to Ellery's back. They really enjoyed dressing up this year, or maybe I just enjoyed it more. Rob was sexy as can be in his mullet wig, while I rocked a pink one minus the mullet part. Surprisingly I didn't get a picture of us, maybe before we pack them away we can snap one to share.
We carved pumpkins late afternoon and let Mason place stickers all over his when he was finished poking holes with one of the carving tools in ours. Ellery wasn't too interested in helping, but she loves to point them out where ever we see them.

We hit the streets with a few of our neighbors. They all made out like bandits while my kids only lasted for 6 houses and then jumped in the wagon and basically went for a walk. Mason kept informing us it was past his bedtime, since it was dark out, while I think Ellery enjoyed the warmth of the blanket in the wagon. I am sure in the years to come we think about these good ol days. We also tried giving them a Kit-kat and both took a bite and pushed it away and requested a sucker. All in due time they will discover what candy really is, but for now the only candy they like is a sucker.

MallOWeen

Oh me oh my. Anyone ever questioning on killing time and hitting the mall trick or treating is in for a treat yourself. It was an experience I wish to never have again, but if I wouldn't have had it I would always be curious of it. No free candy is worth the lines and mass chaos. It was however fun looking at all the costumes and my children didn't seem phased by it at all.

Pre-School Halloween Party

I volunteered to help out at Mason's preschool Halloween Party. I have to say his teacher, Mrs. Ziemba, had everything under control and didn't really need much help. I was shocked out how well the kids played and did their stations with no outbursts, noise, or fighting. They each have a button with their picture on it and only two kids to a station. When you pick your station, you put your button on the velcro button holder to hold your spot at the station, so if anyone starts to scuffle over a station, it is easily solved by who claimed the space first by placing their button on it. I wish that concept would work at home. I have to admit I had an ulterior motive other than being an active parent in my child's life, I had to meet Brielle. I was having a conversation with Mason in the car the other day and he kept telling me about his friend Brielle and how great she was. Going on and on how he "really really really likes playing with Brielle". I then ask him if she is pretty and he comes back with a yes, this is where I should have stopped because I wasn't prepared for the answer. I ask him if she was prettier than mommy and he said......yes. I could have substituted smart, funnier, nicer, etc and all the answers would end up a yes. Brielle is pictured above in the black cat costume with pink fur.
Also, meet Mason's new friend Jack the storm trooper. Jack's dad stays at home and I had my first request for a play date from a dad. We met at Burger King the other day and let the kids play in the rat cages and they loved every minute of it. I was nervous on what I would talk about with Jack's dad and had no reason to be. We had the same ahhh's and woe's on being stay at home parents.

Halloween Sneak Peek

We had a Halloween dry run yesterday. We went to a Halloween Party at our gym for the kids. What an experience. We debated on our kids costumes for the longest time, but once I ran into Ellery's "Indian Girl" costume I fell in love. I can literally say I have little cowboys and indians running through our house. We kept asking what Mason wanted to be for Halloween and he would say "Pumpkin". I nixed that idea and then he wanted to be Spiderman. I also nixed that idea due to the fact that every other 3-5 year old would be Spiderman. I didn't nix it until I went to the store and attempted to buy one and found out they were sold out or picked over. I then got creative and put the movie Toy Story on and really talked about Woody the cowboy. Look at his boots, hat, etc. and to also "reach for the stars". He was sold after that and we now have a cowboy and an indian. Yes, I realize I gave my kids toy guns and a tomahawk.