Halloween 2010

We have been enjoying a fantastic October. Between the rain storms and cooler weather, we are almost forgetting our desert existence. And, it has been Halloween/Fall festivities all month long.

Of course, the yearly trek to the pumpkin patch is a must. But, whenever I see other cities' pumpkin patch pictures I always wonder if maybe we are insulting them by calling ours a pumpkin patch. Most people go to a place where, you know, pumpkins grow. Well... we go to an abandoned parking lot where hay bales and pumpkins appear from very large trucks.

I will admit it loses a bit of the magic when your pumpkin pictures include a 7-11 in the background.

But, you take what you can get!

Bennett, Blaze, and Charlie and Ashley Stout picked us up in their fantastically large car (aka. Fancy Beast) and we headed to the "country".

P.S. Totally coincidental that all of our kids match. We can be crazy at times... but not that crazy.

After the photo shoot, I asked the kids to go pick out their favorite pumpkin. Scarlet found a winner.

Rhode found two.

It was right around this time that I informed my children that dad had driven off that morning with mom's purse in the backseat. I had not a dime to my name. No pumpkins, no rides, nothin.

They took it well.

Plus, come on, who needs money to have fun where they are free picture boards

and petting zoos where they animals come to you!

Nobody!

And now, for the big costume reveal. I must say, I am very proud of my efforts this year. They were all homemade or pieced together from things I had around the house. Very little money and, thankfully, not that much time, and I think they turned out pretty darn fantastic.

So without further ado....

The Matador

The Senorita

The Abuela

The Caballero

Lets see that one again.
After the picture was taken we added boots to the "legs". As the sky got darker, it became more difficult to see his real legs and well the costume just got funnier and funnier.
My two little Spaniards won "most original costume" at the Heritage Museum carnival. Not to over exaggerate the honor but it was the proudest moment of my life thus far.

The entire theme was built from Rhode's vest, which my sister in law picked up from the DI in Utah. After finding a free mu mu at a clothing swap and deciding to get rid of our enormous stuffed horse, well the rest just threw itself together.

When I told Scarlet I was going to be a grandma for Halloween, she always had a very confused face as she considered her grandmas. Was mom going to dress more trendy than usual and buy her a lot of stuff? Strange costume... but after the makeup and baby powder was applied, she unintentionally referred to me as grandma for the rest of the evening. I kept having to remind her to call me mom.

We rocked the Trunk or Treat, loaded ourselves down with massive amounts of candy, and called our evening a success.

*** Random funny story - We had a little potluck before the trunk or treat at the church and after things were winding down, I headed over to go pick up my potato salad. The Elders were sitting on the grass nearby enjoying a meal and asked me what I was doing.

I said - "Oh just going to pick up my dish from the potluck:

The elder responded with real concern - "Can we help you with that?"

Help me grab my bowl? I was very confused until I remembered what I was wearing. I just laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm younger than I look!"

****

We also held our second annual Sewing Club Halloween Party. And, if I may say so, we kicked 2009's trash.

The fantastic festivities included a costume parade

adorably dressed toddlers

crafts

(they're spiders, come on they kind of look like spiders right?)

seed spitting contests & doughnut on a string contests

If you have never made your child try to eat a doughnut from a string hands-free, well then you have missed out on one of the best laughs of your life. I freely admit the entire purpose of this event was so all of us moms could sit around and open laugh at our children. It was fantastic.

Like the true Earl he is, Rhode cheated.

Scarlet was the only child not into getting laughed at. She gave one paltry attempt at biting the doughnut and then told me, "mom, it just keeps moving. It doesn't work."

And after watching them wrestle with their doughnut, you are left with adorably white powdered faces

Of course its all fun and games until you get white powder in the eye.

Sorry dude!

Happy Halloween!