Halloween 2018

Halloween 2018

• 11.01.2018

Halloween 2018 will probably go down as the year of independence and utter chaos, but it will also be the year I have never felt more grateful to live here in this beautiful neighborhood among so many amazing friends.  I think I say that every year though.  Halloween just brings out the good in the community and I love every minute of it.

There was no family costume theme this year.  I knew it would happen one day.  Jed is eight and when he saw the creepy grim reaper costume, he just had to have it.  A similar thing happened with Levi.  He had enthusiastic plans to be Viking alongside his little red dragon, but when his eye caught hold of the Halo costume, he begged me to let him change his mind.

"But you've never even played Halo," I argued.

"Yes, I have!  All the time.  Outside with my friends!"

Hahaha.  Definitely the better version to be playing when you're six.  I relented.  Levi has an obsession with all things army and guns at the moment.  I would not be the least surprised if he grew up and joined the military one day.  In fact, it would make me a proud mama, but that's off topic.

I made this costume for Jed (Oh, the time I used to have with only one child!) and it was so painstakingly difficult to sew, that I have made sure it was worth the effort by having each child wear it on Halloween one year.  It brought back so many sweet memories this year seeing Conrad wear it yesterday.  We closed on our home a few days before Halloween in 2011 when Jed was just 18 months old.  He wore the costume to the trunk or treat at Kimberly Park and then I remember spending the rest of the evening painting trim while he slept in a pack 'n play. It's so fun to look around now and see how much has changed - in our lives and around our home - including two additional boys!

Anyway, I turned on Hocus Pocus after school for the boys and made an easy dinner, but the evening still turned out stressful trying to wrangle three wild boys into their costumes.  Conrad knew something exciting was happening and would not quit screaming!  Jed was so wound up that he refused to take the trash in from the curb for me and beat up my wreath with his sickle instead; it nearly lost him his opportunity to trick-or-treat.  We settled on no t.v. privileges for the rest of the week.

But all is well that ends well, right?  They made it outside into the front yard for some pictures and gleefully waited for their friends to arrive so they could start trick-or-treating.  The evening was dark, cold, and cloud covered.  A very appropriately eery Halloween setting.

^^Jed as the grim reaper, Levi as the Halo army guy, and Conrad as a red dragon^^

^^Those glowing red eyes looked freaky awesome in the dark!^^

^^Levi found the biggest Nerf gun he could find and carried that heavy thing around most of the night.^^

When asked, "What does a dragon say?" Conrad roars with this cute scratchy voice.  I wish I had a recording.

 ^^Our neighbor Grayson trying to give Conrad a little scare.  It didn't work.^^

 ^^Nothing to see here.  Just an army guy packing a Nerf gun and a dragon pushing his wagon down the street.^^

^^Conrad was the only one of our three boys to wear the dragon hood all night long.  He did manage to pull off one googly eye though.^^

^^The Youngs were able to keep with family tradition and kept a Halloween theme.  They were all characters from The Walking Dead this year!  They are such an awesome family.  We love them!^^

^^Four of my non-related favorite little people.  Ollie was Percy Jackson, Owyn went as a football player, Abram was Calvin and Hobbs, and Addy was a mermaid with fluorescent pink hair.^^

^^Our "new" neighbors from across the street: Halle and Kade.  They are the sweetest kids!^^

^^Matching Mom and daughter costumes!  So stinking cute.^^

^^The Ford family!  We had the best of Jurassic Park with us on Halloween night.  Brennan's costume was hilarious to see him walk, I mean, waddle in; such abnormally short arms and legs. Lol. Pictures don't do his costume justice.^^  

As per tradition, we started trick-or-treating at the house next door.  It's Darryl and LaDonna's first Halloween here in Idaho and they went all out.  Darryl grew some giant pumpkins in his garden and carefully carved them into some of the coolest shapes and faces.  LaDonna made up special treat bags for the boys.  Jed and Levi's bags had peanut m&m's while Conrad's had plain chocolate.  So thoughtful!  They're some of the best folks any one could wish for as neighbors.  

^^Ollie helping Conrad understand the meaning of trick-or-treating at his first house on his second Halloween.^^

It didn't take long for Conrad to catch on to the whole free candy thing!  In fact, he was a die hard fan.  He went longer and harder than all the other kids.  Granted, he did get a free ride from house to house in the stroller.

I didn't see much of Jed and Levi on Halloween night as I took up the rear of the group with Conrad.  But the boys had the time of their lives running from house to house with all their friends.  Sweet memories in the making.

^^Two year old Brecken as a combine.  Kill me with cuteness!^^

^^Friendly monsters bonding.^^

^^There were so many kids in our group, that they had to form a line at each house!  Cracked me up.^^

^^Woot!  Giant jaw breakers!^^

^^Rare sighting of my grim reaper.^^

Jack-o-lantern glow!  Conrad giggled with excitement when he saw the pumpkins lit up for the first time this year. Then he cried big crocodile tears when I took him inside to bed.  These first years with little kids are simply the best.  On Halloween night, we paused to take in the glow just one last time til next year.

A big thank you to our friends and community for making Halloween so fun and special this year!