Photo Session & More Halloween Fun

We started this past Saturday with a quick photo session before heading out the door. 

At this age, it's a challenge to get them both to sit still and simultaneously look at the camera.

This particular photo session involved pinching, mischievous laughter, hitting and lots of tears.

Yet it ended in hugs.

We didn't quite capture a decent photo but we all ended friends and the process is what tells the story.

Since the weather outside indicated getting warm and toasty inside, we felt it was a good day to learn about hot chocolate.

(Notice my tongue is in full concentration mode.)

The kids loves measuring the cocoa and stirring it into the milk.

Sissy kept licking her whisk to make sure it passed the taste test. I'm guessing it did since we kept going back for more.

I served it in my old childhood mugs sized just right for miniature hands.

Hot cocoa pairs very nicely with Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin.

The following night was Halloween so we had some friends over to celebrate including a guacamole Frankenstein. (Thanks for the idea Mom!)

Unlike a few days prior, Hunter was excited to put on his Buzz Lightyear costume and kept yelling, "to infinity and beyond!"

(Hunter and his friend Sammy enjoyed playing with Columbus which I'm sure

the cat defined as pure torture.)

Our friends Deena and Sherief always have the best costumes and I love their fun spirit!

(I wonder if the tutus were her idea or his??!!)

Some of our friends had magical Spider Man super powers that night--all the better for getting more candy with.

When Emerson's friend Lucy arrived she was quick to shower her with kisses....

...and high fives...

and more kisses...

and more kisses...

We heart Lucy.

We provided some healthy snacks for the kids to eat before the sugar fest began.

This also gave Lucy time to transform herself into a beautiful purple dragon.

Carly went as Rapunzel with a long, golden braid.

After snacks we scoped out candy on our street and Mother Nature couldn't have delivered better weather considering the snow storm we just had.

We ran into our favorite neighbors who were dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.

Hunter liked trying to figure out what all of the candy was. It didn't take long for him to realize that he liked it no matter what the packaging.

My girl is just so independent. She didn't want any assistance--she wanted to follow right behind all of the big kids and would go up to each house to claim her own treats.

(Look at my Little's feet--Hunter's pants drug on the ground and Sissy's shoes were two

sizes too big but neither of them seemed to care.)

(For the past few weeks Emerson has enjoyed carrying
her trick-or-treat bag around as a purse.)

Emerson did let Mr. Todd help her down the stairs when she was having a tough time. Although she is not quite ready, she prefers to go down the stairs like big brother.

(This picture makes me laugh because it looks like they're about to take a big tumble...

or maybe its Todd's Rapunzel hat?)

As she does with many other things, Emerson liked taking her time deciding which piece of candy she wanted. She would then ever so delicately pull it out with her tiny index finger and thumb and look the giver in the eye and say, "ank uuu" (a.k.a. thank you).

My oldest child, Dave, liked to challenge the kids to race to the next house for candy. I'm pretty sure he won every race.

The kids found a huge pile of fall leaves to play in which was hard to tear them away from until someone coaxed them with "for more candy come this way" (or was it, "NO more candy unless you come this way"!?!)

After visiting six houses which felt more like fifteen, we came back to home base for our favorite local pizza.

(I normally would correct Dave's scary looking eyes but they

seem very Halloween-appropriate.)

It didn't take long for Hunter to get back to his candy supply.

After pizza we headed down to the beach where the real Halloween festivities take place in our town.

Residents decorate their garages as haunted houses, they dress in elaborate costumes and their driveways are even decorated.

(Dave secured a flashing bike light to Hunter's back so we'd be sure to see him at all times.)

The kids were troopers and made it to about eleven houses then informed the adults that they were tired and ready to go home.

Dave talked our kids into two more houses and then we headed home ourselves.

It was a memorable holiday and just the beginning of two more months full of festivities, family traditions, pictures, themed outfits, happy decor and love. Lots of love.