Halloween

The day before Halloween, we took the kids the city's Hometown Halloween. The kids played the little games, won trinket prizes, met Elmo & Big Bird and did a little trick or treating. Jack's favorite game was miniature golf and Brooke just loved to dance to the music playing. Elmo & Big Bird were up on a stage and each kid walked onto the stage where Elmo & Big Bird had a microphone to talk to the kids. When my kids went up and Elmo asked their name, Jack literally took the microphone and said, "my name is Jack and this is my sister Brooke. She is 2 and I'm 4. I'm Scooby Doo and she is Minnie Mouse and I'm wearing brown shoes!"

The day of Halloween, it seemed the second Jack woke up - and all day long - he kept asking when he could go trick or treating. We carved the pumpkins in the morning and had Jack's t-ball game in the early afternoon to help pass the day. And when it was finally time, they were so excited to get dressed up in their costumes.

We have amazing neighbors.... John & Judy literally had a cereal size bowl - for each child - full of big sized candy bars. And another neighbor purchased a candy apple for each child (and that was the only candy she had!). After hitting just those two homes, we had to go home to empty out their almost full and heavy bags. But then we went back out again. Jack would run up to each house and Brooke did her best to keep up. At first she got the "trick or treat" and "thank yous" mixed up but she eventually figured out the right order. Brooke kept telling me she got candy after each door.... As if she didn't expect it and was so happy to get it each and every time. And considering all month she was saying that Halloween was scary, she wasn't scared at any of the decorations or pumpkins.

We were out for about 45 minutes before we decided to call it quits. We went home and examined their loot. Jack changed out of his Scooby Doo costume and put on his fireman costume to hand out the candy. I think he had just as much fun handing out fist-full of candy. He chatted up the kids that stopped by. I think he loved seeing the Mario and Luigi costumes, and a yellow and red crayon the best.

Hometown Halloween

Playing games - Jack throwing a ball into the pumpkin mouth.

Playing games - Brooke about to drop a ball.

Elmo, Big Bird, Minnie Mouse and Scooby-Doo.

Carving pumpkins.

Smelling pumpkins.

Scooby, Minnie and pumpkins.

Their big loot from 1 neighbor!

Holding hands while trick or treating

Costume change into a Fireman to hand out candy.

He loved handing the candy out.