Um, BOO!

(Abe's friend Andrew (Mutt Williams), Abe (Indy), Trey (Nerd), Sophia (Sharpei), Taft (Vampire))

Well, Halloween 2008 is over. We are 10 days out and the candy is almost gone. I haven't thrown it away this year because quite frankly, I have been snacking on it for the past 10 days. For the first time ever, Mark was out of town the week of Halloween. When we first realized Mark's C.E. course would render him gone for halloween, I thought - no big deal. As per usual, I forget how RIDICULES the week of Halloween gets with all of the school activities and commitments. I think I spent 48 straight hours minus 6 for sleep "doing Halloween." Including making cupcakes the night before until 1 am for Abe's class. Melting a pot of carmel for carmel apples for Elsa's class and attending Kate's class party. Elsa did not want to dress up for school this year - I thought the third grade is a little young to be over it, but I guess she didn't like her witch costume enough to wear to school! As always, I stopped short of dressing up because, uh, I just don't.

Kate was nervous about her class party and all of the rules about masks etc. She was very concerned that her cheetah ears would be against the rules. I assured her that ears were A-OK. Luckily, no Halloween detention for Kate! Look, a cheetah with cheetos!

Abe's class was partying with the rest of the fifth grade. No costumes. And lots of karyoke. I peeked in on him and he was belting out some highschool musical tunes with a crowd of kids. Very funny. No pics.

After the school parties. We readied the house for another party. My friend Lindsay and her family are temporarily between houses and apartment dwelling. She came with her four kids. My friend Stacy and her family came. My friend Nancy and then at last minute Liza came with her family. We were so glad they came and that Liza was feeling well enough to come.

This was by far the most pleasant weather we have had for Halloween in recent years. The kids almost didn't need jackets. Lindsay and her husband Brett and Chris (Liza's husband) took the kids out for the first round of trick-or-treating. Sophia (or Sharpai) got tired first, so Brett walked her back home. He said they had been walking about 5 minutes when she looked up to see that she was walking home with a man she hardly knew! She burst into tears and bawled that she wanted her mommy the rest of the way home! This was actually somewhat reassuring to me that she actually got upset being with a strange man. I have always thought she would just go with whomever - especially a man! However, it is a bit unsettling that it took her 5 minutes to realize she could be in peril.

It was a funny coincidence that the Kate's were both cats! They seriously had so much fun - united in their costumes - they have never gotten along better.

Have I mentioned how much I love our new house? It is such a great place for entertaining. Everyone has a place and there is plenty of space! Our new location (around the block from our old house) is much busier for the trick or treating than our other house. I think we got twice as many this year as years past.

Our friend Emma, cousin Jessica and Elsa.

Elsa was a witch, Sophia was Sharpei from Highschool musical and Ben was too big for the chicken costume my friend Jessica bought on a clearance sale last year. So he was Ben. The funniest thing was Ben's reaction to the pumpkins lit on the front porch. He totally thought they were alive and he got so excited talking to them!

Stacy's cute little lion baby Addie! Oh she's cute!

Another treat was when my cousin Jane's kids came by. Jane and Rob then took the older kids back out for round 2 of trick or treating. I think the kids went for about 2 hours. They got so much candy! The Frasers were dressed up as the 60s (3 of these people are a little old for trick-or-treating- don't ya think? But I gave them candy anyway!)