Happy Halloween!

Halloween festivities began early this year with a morning costume parade at Luke's school.  Mia dressed up as well.

Getting high-fives from the older students

Next up:  a little Starbucks break for the pumpkin and her BFF, Doc McStuffins, before they head off to gymnastics.

Finally, we hit the neighborhood for some trick-or-treating!

We lasted only about half of our block this year before the kids decided that they would rather go home to check out their loot, have a cup of hot chocolate, and hand out candy to other trick-or-treaters.  Little did we know that both kids were starting to run fevers and would have croup by the next morning.  Glad we made it through the big night!

Halloween Preparations

Halloween is just around the corner, so we (ahem ... Michael) is busy preparing for the big day.

First up, pumpkin carving.  You can probably tell which one is Michael's, and which ones the rest of us carved.

I did take responsibility for Mia's costume.  She made a very specific request, and I happily went out and purchased it for her!

Luke, on the other hand, has presented yet another challenging request this year:  a rocketship.  This is not just something that you can buy online or at Party City (much to Michael's dismay), so it has been another all-out costume design challenge this year (as if last year wasn't enough!).

Yet again, Daddy delivered in the 11th hour after a second iteration of the original idea.  It was good for us to have the Mandala Harvest Party to test out the costume in advance of Halloween.  Some more adjustments to the nose were necessary before the rocketship's big reveal at school and on Halloween night.

Mia was on snack duty at school the day before Halloween, so we make sure to be festive and made mini pumpkins out of cuties and celery.

I think we are ready!...

...and I've informed everyone around here that next year we are opting for costumes that are easily purchased or borrowed!!