A Happy Haunted End

I LOVE holidays and all of their festivities. But I am also glad to move on to the next. This is how we wrapped up Halloween this busy and fun weekend.

Stella had her costume parade at school Friday afternoon. She is marching around with her friend Aubrie.

Then Friday Evening we were off to the big Snyder barn party. Nate and Anya didn't get the memo and were the only ones dressed up! But they were looking quite festive.

Who knew bobbing for apples was really swimming for apples. Good thing I brought their PJs.

I got one....by the stem!

A little Halloween Twister in the office of the barn. The warmest place.

Saturday morning the carving began. Spencer takes this very seriously and they turn into vegetable works of art. Stella punched the tiny holes to outline the picture and they all helped clean them out. But we left the big knife procedures to Dad.

The artist.

The finished work.

I would rather not run into a tree such as this in the forest.

Saturday afternoon we spent at the Cornbelly Pumpkin Fest at Thanksgiving Point. Where the kids jumped, rode in trains, played in sandboxes full of corn, dressed up, found their way through a corn maze, went through a giant dinosaur, tunneled through hay bales, and ate a great big mass of curly fries.

After the pumpkin fest we decorated cookies and had an early chili dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Carters. And finally the big grand finale that all the kids have been waiting for....to go Trick or Treating. So we headed home and got into character.

Our enchanting Mermaid.

"Hotwheels Guy"

Sweet little Sharky.

I seem to be able to coordinate at least two kids costumes, but I am a firm believer in letting them choose their costumes. If you want them to wear them of course.

And the candy collecting begins. I chased them around for a minute to get some photos but then I was the candy distributor. I did sneak some pretzels and glow sticks in with the candy to hand out.

The neighborhood was alive with all sorts of fun characters.

The loot. Maybe I will buy their candy so they can buy something really great, make it magically disappear, or let them eat to their hearts content.

And this is what our house looked like the next Halloween hangover day. We laughed when we opened the paper Sunday morning.

And that is the end of our Happy Halloween holiday!