Halloween 2011

Another successful Halloween has come and gone.  My friend Heather and her family came to spend the day with us.  Bryan even took the day off work.  But because of our "accident" yesterday, much time was spent talking to our insurance agent and also the claims adjuster he sent over.  We filled out lists of what was destroyed and/or damaged.  Bryan's brother, Kevin came over to help sift through the rubble and haul some debris and junk off to the dump.  And last but not least, Bryan picked up a rental car.

Carving pumpkins?  Nope.  Didn't happen.  But the kids were so excited to be hanging out with their friends that they didn't even notice.

*Brandon dressed up as a "Reaper."  Which (if you are scratching your head like I was) is the bad guy from one of the Playstation 3 games he plays.  In my opinion, he kind of just looks like a kid who didn't really bother to dress up but still wants the privilege of trick-or-treating.  But I swear, he thought long and hard about what he wanted to be...we even bought the red hoodie special for his "costume."

*Lilian, if you remember, has been obsessed with any and all things Minnie since we went to Disneyland last August.  Those sparkly Minnie ears were picked up while we were there.  So it seemed a no-brainer to dress her up as Minnie for Halloween this year.  (I couldn't get her to put the caramel apple down for the picture.  Stubborn much??)

*My Mad Hatters hat I also picked up at Disneyland.  I justified the purchase by promising to wear it on Halloween.  Heather is wearing the witch hat that I normally wear.  Hats tend to be my only nod to dressing up for the holiday.

We started out the evening by having dinner with our little corner of the neighborhood.  And not that pizza and pop is the most nutritious meal...but it at least fills up children bellies enough, hopefully, that they aren't as likely to gorge on candy all evening.  HA!  Who am I kidding...

*Julianne dressed up as an Egyptian Goddess.  Doesn't she look pretty??  Quite different from the nerd she dressed up as for a costume party last weekend.

*And Rebekah dressed up as a self-described "party person."  This is her 3rd costume this weekend.  At a party on Friday she went as a pirate.  At a dance at the school on Saturday she dressed up as Alice in Wonderland.  For actual Halloween night, she apparently toned it down a bit.  Although in high school now, she and her friends still did a bit of trick-or-treating before retreating to a friend's house for games.

Besides being a neighborhood chock-full of young kids prone to do A LOT of trick-or-treating...the adults really get into the holiday as well.  I'm talking beyond just a cleverly carved pumpkin.  In our neighborhood, it is extremely common to have orange lights, cobwebs, full size cemetaries and life-size skeletons, witches or other such creepy dudes hanging around at the majority of houses.  Beyond even that, though, we have quite a few houses that go ALL out.  And by all out, I mean "HOLY WOW!"

One house (the hit of the neighborhood each year...seriously, there was a LINE just to get in) does an actual production.  Literally.  This year it was Alice and Wonderland (Tim Burton style).  Past years themes have included Wizard of Oz, Superheros, and Dracula's Castle.  And every year it blows my mind.  (I fit right in this year with my own Mad Hatters hat.  Rob aka The White Rabbit...told me I should stay and join in the "cast."  haha.)