Halloween is SUCH a fun holiday! I love it so much! I'm realizing that not only do I love Halloween, but I love that it's the beginning of party season! There is nothing better than a party! My creativity almost starves from January till October waiting for a good party! But now it's here! The season and magic, and we had such a magical fun-filled Halloween! It was party after party, just as it should be!
Our first night of celebration was at the Legacy Center Halloween bash.
This is the first year that Ali has been very aware of Halloween. She was just amazed at all the kids' costumes. She kept saying, "Look at that lady bug!" and, "Look at that Superman!" It was like it clicked in her head. She realized this wasn't just something her mom made up, Halloween is something we're all celebrating.
We also celebrated with Jimmy's childhood/college friends. We love them so much and Amanda put on a great party!
I had promised Jimmy that I wouldn't throw a Halloween party this year since we had a birthday party for Ali. And I didn't. Sort of. But I did host playgroup. And maybe the invitation called it an extravaganza, but that's mostly because the word fit perfectly on the invitation. *wink wink*
But oh, it was FUN! Girls from the ward came with their kids. Everyone brought treats and dressed up and it was an extravaganza!
Ali and Bentlee doing hair and playing princess.
People were so sweet and patient with our small house. I think it was still fun even though it was a little tight.
Me and my kitty-princess.
When Ali's little friend showed up in her princess dress Ali had to change because she recognized that they had the same one. I thought it was cute and it's no big deal that she was half kitty, half princess.
I did the drinks- bubbling witches brew, poison apple juice and hot chocolate.
You almost can't have a party without dry ice!! I LOVE that stuff! And it even makes a bubbling noise when it's in your punch!
Halloween day we went to the library for story time. The ladies did a puppet show and it was SO adorable!! They do such a great job. On the way home I started thinking about how we didn't make it to a pumpkin patch before Jimmy left so I looked up pumpkin patches and had a good feeling about one of them. We went home to get the camera and snacks and set out for the pumpkin patch. It was just this little place at a nursery a few miles away. As we drove there we listened to our Halloween mix. The kids were dancing and singing in the back seat and that's when I knew that it was my most perfect Halloween yet.
We arrived at the pumpkin patch and no one else was there. There were just enough pumpkins left in the patch to make it fun for the kids. They loved walking through the field and picking up the pumpkins. They each chose one tiny pumpkin and a bigger one. Could Ali be any sweeter? No. No, she could not.
There was a rusty, old tractor set by some trees and the kids were thrilled about it. Especially James. He lives for tractors!
I wish I could have taken a better picture of James' face! He had the hugest smile as he turned that wheel back and forth. It was probably his favorite thing about today. Besides the candy.
Ali also loved driving the tractor.
A note about James' costume. He doesn't keep his costumes on for very long. I was feeling really guilty about not buying him a hulk costume or something that I thought he would love. However, I don't think he would have kept it on and then I would have regretted spending the money. So we have several dress ups that he has been choosing from. At the other parties he was a pirate but when he woke up today he decided he didn't want to be the pirate. He chose out his train shirt and so the train conductor costume was born. Luckily my dad just brought him this hat earlier in the month. I drew kitty whiskers on Ali's face and he wanted something on his face so I drew a mustache. I called it his old man whiskers and then Ali called it that and it was hilarious! I love these kids!
With his hat up high on his head like in the picture below he reminds me of Papo. I miss him so much and I'm sure he was smiling at how much James loved this tractor.
This scale that they had to weigh the pumpkins on was to die for! I will have to get one of these when we have a pumpkin patch.
When we got home the kids painted the two tiny pumpkins and carved the two bigger pumpkins.
Ali is such a little artist. I love watching her paint and do arts and crafts.
Niether of the kids were thrilled with the idea of scooping out the pumpkin. Ha!! So cute!
After naps we went to Jimmy's work. Even though he was on a business trip, we met up with some of the other families to trick or treat throughout the building.
After the work party we went trick or treating in our neighborhood. Our neighbor Tamara went with us. She is so sweet and my kids love her.
This little man lives down the street and I have never seen him but I want him to adopt me as his granddaughter.
Cutest old man ever!
This is my kids' first year trick or treating and it was so fun going in our neighborhood and seeing all our friends!
It was a wonderful, successful Halloween! The kids are upstairs asleep and I'm on the couch eating their chocolate!
Happy Halloween!!!
This is the first year that Ali has been very aware of Halloween. She was just amazed at all the kids' costumes. She kept saying, "Look at that lady bug!" and, "Look at that Superman!" It was like it clicked in her head. She realized this wasn't just something her mom made up, Halloween is something we're all celebrating.
