We had a blast this Halloween. As a family, we had a joke that we were going to "embrace the Halloween season" and do everything as Halloween-ie as we could think of to celebrate. It made for a lot of memories and over 200 pictures! We started off the season with our first Halloween dinner early in the month, October 11. Evan, Monyka, Danny, and our little family gathered in our tiny dining room and ate "Monster Burgers" and "Jack-o-lantern Mac and Cheese." Everything looked awesome and tasted delicious! We had a couple of outings this year to the pumpkin patch. One on October 13th as a family (with Danny) to Jaker's where we had a blast picking out our pumpkin straight from the vine, going on a hayride, and watching Elle play in the "corn box," hay pyramid, hay maze, and petting zoo.
Elle rocked the stage at her Kindergarten Halloween Show October 26th. I was so proud to see her in front and center stage. She was so cute. I took some pictures and tape recorded most of the show. She looked adorable in her witches costume. Later that week on the 28th, I was a mother helper for her class Halloween party. I got to help the kids make a craft - little tissue paper sucker ghosts with googly eyes. I also helped pass out some cookies and help with a "mummy wrap" game done with toilet paper. Elle was so proud to have me in her class, and showed off her baby sister and Grandma too (who came to help). Now I am wishing I would have volunteered for more of her school activities.
After a conversation about our old Halloween traditions with our home teachers, we decided that we've been living here two years and it was time to bring out "the ghost." Shayne and I used to put out the ghost every year in front of a main window of our home a week or two before Halloween. Friends, neighbors, and strangers would pass and enjoy the ghost but being in a two bedroom home - if we were to put up the ghost it would be hanging over my head in bed in our room window. Well, since this might be the last Halloween here, sure enough I let Shayne hang the ghost over my head and we kept it there the full two weeks. I heard some comments about how "cool" it was, and that made everything worth it.
We also had the fun opportunity to go with Sarah C. and her girls to Hee Haw Farms Oct 15. We easily spent the day there and the girls had a blast. We enjoyed the corn maze, hay ride, and court yard activities they had. We met with Sarah and the family again on Friday the 22nd, where we carved our pumpkins. We always have our own "competition" to see who can carve the best pumpkin, but in the end I think we all ended up winners.
October 30th of course was the day Halloween was observed and we met again with Sarah, the girls, and Momma J for some fun Trunk or Treating to both of our wards and around a town in Springville. Watching the girls go door to door was the cutest thing I had ever seen. It was freezing cold (it literally snowed that day) but it didn't slow down the girls at all! They looked like they could have trick or treated all night. My favorite part of that day was when my sweetheart won the "Spiciest Chili Award" at our ward dinner. He put 18 long hours of cooking time into his chili, and I was thrilled when he won his Strawberry Shortcake apron! Way to go Shayne!
Kaitlyn was adorable this Halloween. She didn't seem to catch on too much of what was going on but she looked so sweet in the bumble bee costume and dressed as a sweet little lady bug both days. She also tasted her first little bit of sugar sucker and drank her first bits of water from a cup. Even though it was very cold outside, Kaitlyn seemed to like being in her stroller all nice and warm walking around town with us.
Halloween wasn't over yet though! October 31 was our second Halloween dinner with the Burrows/LaTurner family. It was a blast seeing what people brought for our pot luck; Elle and I made some "Potato Bugs" and "Feet Meatloaf." Evan and Monyka brought "Swamp Punch" and "Monster Bean Dip." Mom brought "Roll Mice," and everything looked and tasted WONDERFUL. We ended the night with some rounds of MONOPOLY DEAL (our family favorite game) and started planning our trip to California for the next week.
I definitely feel like we "embraced the Halloween season." Now that Halloween is over, we are looking back and glad that we did everything that we could to make it the best ever. This Halloween will be remembered forever.
Yes Halloween was the best this year!
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