Halloween 2015

This year, I was thankful that Halloween fell on a Saturday.  It is starting to become such a busy day for us -- celebrating with separate classroom parties (both Samantha and Sophia) and a parade, followed by an early dinner at our house with extended family and then trick-or-treating.  Whew!

On Friday morning, I went to help out in Sophia's classroom with her "Harvest Party."  There were snacks, games and a craft ... but the kids did not dress up in costumes.  Strangely enough, Sophia didn't seem to mind one bit -- especially because she was able to sport her sparkly Halloween shirt!

Probably my most favorite moment of the whole event was watching/hearing the excitement from the kids when I brought in my contribution to the party -- witch hat cookies and reeses bats.  Ooooh, they couldn't stop touching them and smiled brightly when I told them that they could have more than one!

Sophia and her friend, Teagan.  (Sam went to kindergarten with Teagan's older brother).

Pumpkin bowling.  Sophia got a "strike" on her first attempt and told everyone about it.

A bean-bag toss game, appropriately themed for the holiday.

Pin the stem on the pumpkin.

Making an ear of corn as a craft project -- again, keeping with the theme.

And then some wind-down time with a Fall story.  (I love how they are all just in awe of the story).

********************

Shortly thereafter, Sophia and I raced home for a quick bite of lunch and then headed up to Sam's school with her costume and more witch hat cookies and fruit.  (Steve was home with Jack during all of this).

A quick photo before the kids lined up for the parade that takes them downtown and then back around to the school.  (Last year, the weather was so cold and rainy that the parade just had to take place inside the school gym).

I noticed that Sam is looking a bit tired already, and I am not even sure what she was doing with her seaweed boa in this picture!  Ha!

Sophia met up with one of her good friends, Gabby, in the classroom.  They are only a month apart in age and Gabby's older sister is one of Sam's good friends.

Lined up and waiting for the parade to start:

Watching all of the costumes come by ... Jack was in awe.

We then decided, after meeting up with friends, to walk the opposite direction and catch up with the parade on the last leg back to the school.

Just killing some time before the parade rounded the corner again:

Isabella, Sophia and Jack:

Sam caught sight of us and was surprised to see us again:

While the parents were prepping the classroom for games and food, the kids got to have outdoor recess for about 20 minutes.  Jack and Sophia joined right in before heading home with Steve for an afternoon rest.  I stayed at the school to help with the party.

********************

After I brought Samantha home from school, I quickly packed up and drove to Flushing to meet up with my friend, Jennifer.  We had tickets to an awesome country concert down in Detroit that night.  We stayed in a hotel and then headed home on Halloween in enough time to prep for company coming over.

Grammy and Papa brought Halloween gifts for the kids and they had a blast opening all of them.

I had suggested some more crafting supplies for the girls, and it was a definite hit.

Ready in make-up for the trick-or-treating (in the rain!) that would take place in a couple of hours:

Part of their Halloween gift was a "Halloween costume" for each of their dolls. 

Such a great idea!

After feasting on spaghetti and meatballs (along with bread, salad and dessert, of course), the kids put on their costumes and prepared to brave the not-so-nice weather elements -- I am sure that this is at least the 3rd year in a row that it has rained.

A chef, a mermaid, a lady bug and a pirate:

And as for me?  Well, this year ... I wasn't planning to "dress up."  But Steve bought this shirt for me and insisted that I wear it.  It was good for several laughs from the neighbors. 

(And, I feel the need to explain that my warm weather ensemble makes me look a lot "fuller/heavier" than I really am right now.  I had several layers on under my shirt and jeans, knowing that we would be walking in the cold rain and wind)!

 

 

We made it to at least a dozen houses on foot (and back again) before jumping in the van to travel down the opposite direction of the subdivision.  A few houses later, we called it a night and drove home for warm baths -- and a single piece of candy each -- and a movie before bedtime.  An extra bonus this year?  The time change that gave most of us an extra hour of rest ...