Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat night usually means packing up from our country setting and heading in to the big city to collect candy and goodies from our good friends' neighborhood in A2.  We've made it a little tradition to order up some pizzas, indulge in some adult beverages, let the kids run amok and stuff themselves silly with candy.  My latest parenting strategy regarding Halloween is to let the kids eat as much candy as they want.  The sooner we are rid of it, the sooner we can all stop worrying/arguing about it and the cavities that will follow.  I have found that too-much-sugar-tummy-aches are a relatively good natural consequence.  I'm sure pediatricians and dentists and psychologists are out there rolling their eyes and tsk-tsking fingers at me.

 I'm also going to get some looks of shock and horror for letting my daughter dress up like a ZOMBIE CHEERLEADER.  I know. I didn't even know what a zombie cheerleader was until Tessa explained this to me.  Then, we go to the store and lo and behold they actually sell a premade costume called zombie cheerleader. I blame this all on kindergarten.  There must be some rotten influences there.  This is what happens when you're working full time, breastfeeding an infant, relying on your crock pot for dinners and trying to stay afloat mentally and physically.  I was at work and had to bust out early to get to join up with everyone for TOT so Dad got to do her make-up.  I explained "make her eyes look smokey and sunken."  Troy apparently interpreted that as make her look like a raccoon.  So, above is Miss Tessa.  My delicate flower 5 year old dressed up like a zombie cheerleader.  And, Nate.  Indiana Jones, with a real whip "that has blood on the end of it." Weapons and dead people.  Seriously. What is wrong with us?

 But then there is Miss Mia.  Who, of course, wore a sloppy seconds or thirds Halloween costume.  Very adorable little Strawberry.  Now that is sweet AND appropriate.  And, we've totally redeemed ourselves as parents.

Happy Halloween!

 

All the hooligans we took TOTing.  The dads stayed back with the babes and manned the candy bowl and cooler while the moms chased the kids around the neighborhood.

You'll see Nate as Indiana Jones, Johnny the Dinosaur, Tessa Zombie/Raccoon-eyes cheerleader in the wagon with Joey the real Raccoon of the night, Keira the kitty, Allie (who rebelled from wearing her intended Dora costume) also a kitty, Kayleigh as Dorothy, Kelsey as Boots and Mariah as Princess Merida.

 

Aarika and Joey Stovrigg