Y3W23 - Christensen Spooktacular

The week leading up to Halloween is always a busy one. This year was no exception. However, I told the girls they just had to find costumes in the costume box. I was not going to make costumes or purchase costumes for such a non-event that Halloween is here. They found another option when the Conleys (some friends from school) allowed the girls to come over and look at their costume box. Of course, they all picked something from the Conleys. Bailey chose the devil/angel combination. Avery chose Pocahontas. Bryn of course chose a princess. Lleyton liked to hold the pirate sword so he was a pirate.

Saturday was Halloween and first thing in the morning we had a baptism to go to at Church. Immediately following, we ran downtown to get food for the weekend. It was very, very cold walking around town. The girls came up with a plan - how they could still trick-or-treat and get candy but at the same time stay out of the cold. We would agree to buy large sums of candy for them and Greg and I would facilitate trick-or-treating inside our house. Of course we agreed to this plan. Lleyton had a bit of a fever and I wasn't crazy about the idea of him being out in the cold for a couple hours anyway.

We then carved our pumpkins and made plans for our first annual Christensen Spooktacular. Avery had a birthday party to go to in the afternoon and as soon as she got home, we went to work. We put a jack-o-lantern in each bedroom. Greg and I alternated bedrooms, wearing a different costume each time the girls would knock at the door. We were such things as a butterfly, bat, cat, witch, pirate, painter, etc. This pretty much went on until we either ran out of candy in that room or ran out of costumes. We then bobbed for apples and had a pumpkin seed eating contest. Bailey stopped at one. I think Bryn ate half of a seed. Avery was the big winner with a whopping 20 or so. I lost count after 15. We put Lleyton down and settled in to watch, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

It really was fun. I would love it if they would go for it every year but somehow I think we are not going to get off so easy in the future. Still, it was a great evening to spend together doing fun things. We get so few of those kind of evenings.

Sunday was also fun as we invited the Millers and a friend of Greg's from work to come over for BBQ Beef sandwiches and homemade donuts and cider. A really nice way to end October. Unfortunately as soon as October ends, the stress of the upcoming holidays starts to creep into my mind. This year instead of creeping, it has hit me like a Mack Truck. Any present ideas for nine, six, four, and one year olds are welcome. I know it seems too early but we have to be proactive in case ordering in necessary from the US or from the UK.

Happy, Happy Halloween!