"Trick or Treat Me!"

That is what Alex said this year!  Because he was the treat...ha ha...

I'm pleased to say that his costume made it around the neighborhood longer than he did!  The duct tape, hot glue and velcro all stayed together...whew!  And...yes...I even wrote the ingredients out on the back...just like the real candy bar...and I don't think I've ever really read what a candy bar is made of...interesting! 

And Emily...the Pink Poodle...

{Alex and his favorite candy bar!  He even got a couple little ones in his bag trick-or-treating!}

I wish that I had planned ahead for a costume for myself...it would have been the perfect year to dress up as Santa...or Humpty Dumpty...or a big orange pumpkin...oh well...

It's so fun watching the kids run from house to house...I couldn't keep up with them!

...and once Emily caught up with a few of her friends...she ran even faster!

It always seems like I get so much candy every year to hand out...but we always get rid of every single piece...and still have a few people who come to the door when the lights are turned off!

...and the kids get plenty...we don't even hit every single house!  We go once around the block, and they enjoy coming back home to pass out the candy that is left...

We saw a few kids who looked a little old for trick-or-treating...but I must admit...it is one of my favorite times of the year...and I hope Alex and Emily {and Elizabeth} are able to enjoy it for a long time too!

I hope you all had a Happy Halloween too!

{Oh...and I love that a lot of the pets in the neighborhood dress up too...this was my favorite...the Mail Man!}

Carving Out Some Time...

We finally got around to carving our pumpkins this weekend...on Friday night.  By we...I mean Dan!  Ha!  I don't like the goop and slime...and of course, I need to take the pictures!

{Emily was ready to start carving as soon as she got home from school...and after she changed into her Ice Show skating outfit, of course!}

{...and Alex had to sort through his treats from his school party before anything else took priority!}

Finally it was time...

Emily actually loves all the goop and slime and wanted to do it all herself...ick!

Alex is alot like me...he would scoop some out using the spoon...but it was just fine if Dan did all the work!

Alex requested a skull and cross bones this year for his pumpkin {lovely} while Emily drew her own face...and Alex also designed the face for Elizabeth's baby pumpkin!

Emily's pumpkin accidentally lost a tooth during the carving...and she was a little upset...but I told her it was actually perfect, because it looked just like her! 

We also got Boo-ed Friday night!  We just got the kids in bed...it was about 9pm and the doorbell rang...Dan opened the door to find a basket of goodies and treats and a note saying We've Been Boo-ed!  We have some fun and sweet neighbors...and sneaky!  I hope to find out who it was!  Have you ever been Boo-ed?  Ha!  We're supposed to keep the game going and Boo two more neighbors...but I just ran out of time...and I'd be too afraid I'd get caught and have someone call the police for trespassing or something!  But, thank you...Ghost...for the fun treats!

Saturday Alex went to a birthday party...and Emily kept busy with more pumpkins and some paint...

{you can't see that she's still wearing her pajamas in the afternoon...but her hair sure gives it away!}

...and I finally finished Alex's Halloween costume.  I hope the hot glue and duct tape can make it around the block for trick-or-treating!

Hope you all have a fun time on Halloween!

Quite the Characters

...remember when I mentioned I was occupied with hot glue, felt and empty milk jugs?  Well...here is half of what I've been working on...

Today both the kids have Book Character Day at school.  They don't technically celebrate Halloween at their school...but so that they are able to dress up and have a party...they have the students pick a book and dress up as a character and then do a book report.  This also means that I have to try and find some creative ways to make a costume!

Alex chose to talk about the moon and dress up as an astronaut...so using an empty box, spray-painted milk jugs, a dryer vent, reflectors and lots of duct tape and hot glue...ta da!  Ha!

Thank goodness I decided not to throw out this helmet that's been in the basement for years...for some reason I thought I should hang on to it...so glad!  It worked perfect for this costume! 

Emily's costume was much easier...something I was able to just pick up at the store!  Whew!

She had to make a poster too...and this is where we had to spend some time...and I'm extremely thankful for the Cricut here...the poster was made entirely using that gem!

I don't think there's a book out there with a cat or dog in it that she hasn't read!  Okay...I'm sure there is...and I'm sure she will find them all!  She loves animals!

{notice the two nosey cats on the steps in the background...they don't miss much either!}

They will get to parade around the school in their costumes and share treats...Halloween or not...they always look forward to this!  I just hope Alex's costume doesn't fall apart before then...we were lucky to get it to school all in one piece!

I always stress about how to put a homemade costume together...but Alex was so proud of his and told me yesterday, "You did good!"  It does make me feel so good that he is proud of me and loves these silly costumes I try to create!  He's already wondering what he can be next year...yikes!

Now...to finish the next one for trick-or-treating...

...wish me luck!

{another not so} Wordless Wednesday {Witch Way to the Train Station?}

{While Emily, the social butterfly was flitting from party to party...}

{she went to a Halloween party after school on Friday...played games and made caramel apples...}

{...and Sunday she went to a friend's house to celebrate her birthday...}

{...meanwhile...}

{Alex dug out his old GeoTrax and got to work...}

{...he constructed the whole thing by himself...}

{...and he and Emily have been enjoying it all week...I love hearing them laugh and getting along...}

{...it's a good thing...because I have been occupied with felt, foam, hot glue, spray paint and empty milk jugs...

...to be continued...}