Halloween

What a fun time we had this year! It was fun taking Priya to all of the Halloween festivities last year, but it was even better this year, now that she understood more of what was going on. I am sure that every year from now on is going to get better and better. Our festivities started on Friday night, when our ward through a trunk-or-treat/soup night. After eating some of the most delicious chicken noodle soup I have ever had, we had a costume parade, then went outside for the trunk-or-treat. I felt a little bad about mine and Andrew's costumes this year (we went as a boring old mom and dad) after we saw some of the amazing costumes in our ward! One family was dressed as Alice in Wonderland characters, and the mom's costume was amazing! Her body was a tree, with branches sticking out above her head, and the Chesire Cat was sitting on one of the branches. Her head was the cat's head. I wish I had gotten a picture of it. It was so cool!

Here is the picture of the sunset Friday night. I guess the sky decided to get into the Halloween mood as well. Beautiful!

Priya getting ready to trunk-or-treat. We originally had a cute little nose on her, and little skunk-freckles, but they didn't last long.

Mommy and Priya at the Trunk-or-Treat

It took a while for Priya to get the concept- here she is giving candy to people. Of course, once she discovered that it was candy, there was no way she was sharing.

On Saturday, which we celebrated as Halloween, I went to a baby shower for my dear friend, Rachel, in the morning. After the shower, we carved our pumpkins.

Our normal partners in crime usually include Joanna, Calvin, and their kids, but due to a bug that was going around, we didn't get to see them this Halloween. It was definitely a downer on our day because we love spending time with them so much!

Christian and Paul came to carve pumpkins with us, though.

Unfortunately, they procrastinated getting their pumpkins, and after going to a few different stores to find them pumpkin free, they gave up looking. Priya decided to share her pumpkin with Paul this year.

Priya loved the pumpkin guts, and she did a great job trying to resuscitate the pumpkins as we gutted them by putting the guts back in as we took them out. To be honest, it was a little counter-productive.

Our finished products. From left to right: Jessica's pumpkin (Maleficent's dragon), Paul's pumpkin (pirate skull) and Andrew's pumpkin (trick-or-treat)

Priya showing off her Vanna White skills.

Look at those pumpkins!

Oh, no! You really took out all of those guts? And now you are trying to burn it?

After carving pumpkins, we got out our candy for the trick-or-treaters and got Priya bundled up in her costume. I love the furry animal costumes because you don't have to worry about the kiddos getting cold.

Our house on Halloween

We love our ghosts that grace our windows during the Halloween season (if anyone is interested, they are at Kmart every year).

It was a little rainy. Daddy went to a few houses with Priya, then stayed to man our house for the Trick or Treaters while I took her down to my parent's neighborhood for more trick or treating.

We had some delicious pumpkin soup at my parent's house, then went out with my brothers, my sister, my dad, and my mom.

I just want to get on my soap box really quick- I love it when teenagers go trick-or-treating! As long as they dress up and are respectful, I hope they do it all through high school. Why make them grow up faster than they need to?

Paul's costume

Erik's costume (he didn't go trick-or-treating with us, he went to a party)

Christian's costume (isn't the bird on his head great?)

Priya was fascinated with this pumpkin and sat looking at it for at least 5 minutes. She loved the gummy worms crawling out of it.

After the 3 minute drive home, this is what I found in the back seat. She was so tired!

Her Halloween stash

(She has kindly offered to share with mommy and daddy)

And of course, Grandpa couldn't resist an excuse to spoil her. Her Halloween "treat" from Grandpa and Namama.

After putting Priya to bed, Andrew and I ate popcorn and home-baked pumpkin seeds and watched, "The Watcher in the Woods." Weird movie, 'nuff said.

On Sunday, which was really Halloween, I made our yearly pumpkin dinner. After dinner, we went down to my Aunt Dana's house to work on some trees we are donating to the festival of the trees.

We had such a fun holiday, and it makes me excited for all of the fun holidays coming up in the next few months!