Halloween Recap (the last Halloween post, I promise)

This is a crazy long post with a lot of pictures. You have been warned.

So, since Norah is a great big 2 year old, I decided this year that she could pick her own costume. We went over many ideas and she rejected them all until she saw a picture of a Nemo costume online and went bananas. I ordered it and when it came about a week later she was stoked. And then the next day she refused to put it on. She liked to hug and pet it but would not even entertain the idea of wearing it. I didn't panic and didn't push it but then on Sunday afternoon when she refused again to put it on, I pulled out the big guns.... I told her that she couldn't go trick or treating if she didn't wear it. And then? I felt like a complete and total asshole. Thankfully, Aileen told me she did the exact same thing, so I didn't feel quite so bad.

Once she had it on she liked it again.

Bubby asked her last week what she should be and of course Norah said, 'Woody.' Bubby-Woody was a really good sport and came with a cowboy hat, boots, and even a sheriff's badge.

Norah told me to be a diver and BVZ to be a chicken. I took it seriously and borrowed a mask and snorkel. I could only put it on for about 15 seconds before I felt as though I would die a claustrophobia induced death. BVZ did not take it seriously and failed to get a chicken costume (although to his credit he tried to buy a $70 chicken costume from Target and I wouldn't let him). So, instead he was Barry Bonds/Viking.


Norah loved the snorkel and mask and spent about 20 minutes walking around with it on.



She then took her costume off and we practiced trick or treating.



The costume went back on as soon as Ruby and her parents got there. They brought a Giants balloon for BVZ and Norah and Ruby proceeded to pretend that it was a fish hook.


True love.


Nemo's tail.

The S Family came dressed as Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona.

The L-J family got there next and were dressed as a farmer, cow, pig, and chicken-with costumes made by matriarch extraordinare S. I don't think Baby Kevin/chicken could possibly be any cuter.

The kids' party favors were spider plates and goblin cups. Ruby and Norah got to eat pumpkin cupcakes before dinner. Hey, it was a holiday.

The pumpkin cupcakes were a huge hit (I didn't make them).


It's hard to see, but Baby Kevin is hanging out with the big kids. Norah kept hugging him but I couldn't get a picture at the right time.

The B's showed up with Thomas the Train and a Baby Lucas Monkey.

The L-J Family pic.

I think at this point they may have been eating mac and cheese with turkey sausage.

Norah schmoozed it up with Bubby and demanded that she turn over her Woody costume. Norah then proceeded to wear the boots, hat, and even sheriff's badge (which she called a 'patch') for the next hour.


Baby Lucas was a serious trooper.

Caroline swiped BVZ's hat.

Baby Kevin came awfully close to walking.

Finally it was almost dusk and time for trick or treating! Now, I am an old school Halloween celebrator. I like to do it in my neighborhood, on Halloween, at dusk. None of this 'mall' trick or treating, thank you very much. Thankfully we live in a place that makes that very possible.


We attempted to corral all the kids in the front yard for a group shot, but as soon as they saw the jack o lanterns all bets were off.



We convinced them to sit down and took a few quick pictures.






Then it was time.


First house.

Pretty quickly they developed a good routine. Either Caroline or Ruby would ring the doorbell and then Ruby would scream 'TRICK OR TREAT' as soon as the door was open. They were all pretty good about saying 'thank you' (my biggest pet peeve is kids who don't say thank you) and then Norah would often add a 'Happy Halloween!'

Spiderman wasn't with us, but he was cute.





The house across the street that usually does the hard core haunted house was out of commission this year, so the crowds were down a bit (although it was still pretty packed).



This is my favorite decorated house.


The guys were good sports because the game was on. BVZ was smart to wear his jersey because when people opened the door and saw him they would tell him the score and the last few plays.



All the grown ups in our group took turns going up to the door with the kids.




Now, I hate Christmas decorations that mix the religious and the secular (ie, a nativity scene next to a giant inflatable Santa-just pick one). I feel the same way about the cute and the scary. This was the biggest violator-cute ghosts and scary wolves.

The kids quickly became TOT pros. They LOVED it.



Norah is obsessed with this ghost (and really, all of the ghosts). She hugged them all.












I did a terrible job of taking pictures of our house. Since it rained all week we had to improvise a bit, but Scary Lady was for sure out. Norah calls her Lucille.


We got back to our house and all the kids got to pick one piece of candy to eat (we then swapped their candy out for crackers and fruit snacks). They all chose suckers.

They then all took a turn handing out candy to the trick or treaters. I think they might have liked that even more than getting their own candy. Ruby and Caleb especially were so into it.


This is BVZ's pumpkin (that's an SF).

And my traditional face with Norah's "witchy poo" (which clearly didn't show up in the picture).

This was our family picture, post party, post trick or treating, post game. All things considered it turned out pretty good.

It was an amazingly exhausting day. SO much fun and so much love-I can't wait for next year.

(The R's were supposed to be there, but were feeling a little under the weather so stayed home. It wasn't the same without them. We needed Supergirl Ava to be complete).