Trick or Treating

I am only going to admit this once, so hold on to your chairs, but by the time Halloween had finally arrived I was a little over it. Only a little though. Don't panic! I, Mindy, the lover of all things Halloween am STILL devoted to the holiday. I think that with the combination of crafting so far in advance and having our party earlier in the month it felt like Halloween had already come and gone. By the time the 31st had actually arrived I had been celebrating for a month and a half. That's okay though...it's not like I had much to complain about. (Well, putting away all of the decorations is never as fun as putting them out.) "You mean I have to watch Grace walk around and collect candy for me to eat? Ooohhh maannn!"

We kicked the night off by crashing a neighborhood cookout with our dear friends (and partners in crime) the Powers. We adults hung back as our children ran wild going from door to door soliciting all sorts of goodies for us to later pillage. This year Grace made the enlightening understanding that is the crux of Halloween nirvana, "You mean all I have to do is say 'trick or treat' and people give me fistfuls of candy?" Isn't Halloween magical?

As if the night could have gotten any better...it went ahead and did! We went to Mom and Pop's for some delicious broccoli and cheese soup with breadsticks. HEAVEN!

Halloween, you've done it again you fantastically wonderful holiday! Thank you for all of your magic and delight. There could be no better holiday to usher in my favorite time of year. Until we meet again! (Considering that it is now mid March...you'll be here all the sooner!)

Ward Carnival

{Circa October 28th, 2009}

Can I just say that I love that our ward throws a neighborhood carnival? For one thing, it gives me another excuse to dress Grace in her costume. Throw in games for little ones along with food and treats and you've got the recipe for a fun evening.

That REALLY is one "COOL CHICK!"

Hunt Halloween Bash

This year's family party was a SCREAM! Thanks to the timing of Jace and Andrea's wedding it was our good fortune to have so many family members in attendance. Everyone, young and old, played along and got gussied up for a night of clever costumes, tempting treats, ghoulish games, and creatively carved pumpkins.

I'll Put a Spell on You...

The Halloween hoopla began in mid September when Jamie, Kara and I went on a crafting frenzy. We three witches stocked our cupboards with all the nasty necessities to cast many a magical spell.

Are You a Good Witch or a Bad Witch?

This year I went back to my roots. I seriously must have been a witch at Halloween for half of my childhood. I almost went in the opposite direction with this costume and really played up the gross factor, but Jeff vetoed and pushed for the "sexy" witch. This was my best attempt.

Our Fairy Princess

Dreams really come true when you have your very own fairy princess! After much debate on whether or not Grace would be a duck for Halloween, I finally decided on making her this costume...and I am so glad that I did. Isn't she darling? I can't figure out which part is my favorite. Is it the HUGE flowers, the tutu dress, the striped tights, or the Chucks? I must give a BIG shout out to OHM, the photog extraordinaire! She was so great with Gracie and even let her devour her stash of Teddy Grahams just to keep her happy. Oh, the price we pay for a good shot!

Trick or Treat

We had such a fun night on Halloween. Our new friends Seth and Mandy brought their little girl Lilly over to hit the neighborhood up for some candy. Josh, Jamie, Corbin, Mom, and Pop met up at our house and we all planned our assault. The wagon I got at a yard sale for only $5 was a hit as the girls rode around in style. Following the trick-or-treating, we went back home for some cider, pizza, and caramel apples. I am pretty sure more than one of us gorged ourselves on candy too. It's amazing how children put the magic back into holidays and really make us feel like children all over again.

Front Door Fun