Candy Haul 2012

"We do what?"

Preschool Costume Parade

I'm not sure why the girls preschool wanted to do a Costume Parade the week before Halloween, rather than on the actual day but the girls, always ready to dress up, didn't mind. Any excuse to wear their fairy princess outfits that are usually off limits for school.

Trick or Treat 2011

After a week home sick, our Ladybug and Dancing Monkey were able to go to preschool just in time for their Halloween festivities.

The Ladybug's class toured around her school and our apartment complex, chanting "Halloween" and "Trick or Treat" as they marched two by two. She got five pieces of candy. After eating one at school, she decided that she had the perfect amount of candy for our family of four. She proudly presented each of us with our piece of candy from her loot when we all got home.

Our Dancing Monkey's class had a special field trip to a restaurant owned by a classmate's parents for their Halloween party. She came home pretty worn out with three fake tattoos and a blinking LED pumpkin pin.

Our Ladybug "flying" home

It has been a rough few weeks with lots of "tricks" but we're hopeful we are on an up swing and there might even be some "treats" in the near future.

Halloween 2010

This year's costumes were in honor of a favorite book at our house these days: "Frog and Dog have a Party."
The awesome pictures in this blog are courtesy of  Evantide Photography. You should check them out!

Maggie's First Pumpkin

We managed one block of Trick-or-Treating with our friend Lucy the Dragon

The knocking part was easy. Saying "trick or treat" when the stranger opened the door was not. A few of the less scary strangers did get a thank you.

This little frog loved everything about trick-or-treating--except when the door closed.  She threw herself at it at almost every house and then would take off running for the next house.

The sweet rewards!

Two Little Monkeys Strolling through the Night

When we ask her what she is going to say when she knocks on the door, Magnolia says, "Cold milk." Well, actually, she says "Coe-Meh" but we know what she means. And for someone who doesn't know what candy is you might think this is a reasonable request but what it signals to us, the proud parents of this little monkey, is trick-or-treating is not going to last very long. "Coe-meh," besides being Magnolese for cold milk is, at this time of night, code for "nigh-night time."

Maggie starts strong. Despite being tired, the joy of putting small colored objects in a bag sustains her. Putting small objects in containers is pretty much the coolest and she can do it with the best of them. Doing it at night, at strangers doors, in a monkey suit? Even better!!

She never quite figures out "trick-or-treat" but her knocking definitely improves from almost non-existant to kinda audible as the night progresses. She is never scared and not even all that shy. She musters a few thank-yous and gives one enthusiastic "Bye Man!" After which she just stands staring at the door. She does this at every house as if to say, "Aren't you gonna invite me in?"

We only go to about ten houses--half the time with only her entourage of family and friends, and half with a bumblebee, an astronaut, piglet, eeyore and cinderella--before the other monkey--the sleeping one--needs a better bed than a walking banana, and Magnolia needs her coe-meh.

Our cute monkeys were part of a Halloween photoshoot with Evantide Photography...Check it out!

What do you get when you cross a Ladybug, a Bat, and Princess Leia? Halloween '08!

In spite of still being pa-sickie, we decided to join some of our friends with young families for Halloween festivities. The evening began with Princess Leia and a Bear dancing to ghostbusters, which is always awesome.

We warmed up with some yummy soup and made sure everyone had all their appropriate costume parts and candy receptacles.

There were two wagons; one for the little ones and one for the bigger kids. Unfortunately, Magnolia decided she was not a fan of the wagon. She preferred Mama Bear's arms.

The Three Bears

It is amazing how quickly kids learn and how long lasting their memory can be when candy is involved. The three-year-old's were leading the charge, but it wasn't long before the younger ones had caught on.
Already these savvy "big kids" had learned the art of trading and the bonus of the unattended candy jar by the front door. I was impressed by one little boy/bear that very responsibly and nicely informed potential treaters that he couldn't have their chocolate treat because he is allergic to dairy.

It was fun to be with other families on a nice night and laugh at our kids. But with it came a realization that Halloween is forever changed.  We'll miss the grown-up costume parties but look forward to many more Halloweens like this one, filled with squeals of anticipation and candy-induced ecstasy.