Halloweenie 2014

 I love me some Halloween! Dressing up, carving pumpkins (they smell sooooo good), scaring yourself to death, and candy! It's all just so much fun.

My mom has a Halloween party every year and it is a blast. Yummy dinner, fun games, and a Halloween movie to top off the night. The kids were excited to wear their costumes for the first time a few days before Halloween.

 Mario, a biker chick, Luke Skywalker, Ash Ketchum (from Pokemon), and an indian

Traditional witches brew

Baron and his cousin Ethan were both Ash. They are about the same size, so from behind, you couldn't tell who was who

All of the Jerman cousins

My cute mom and dad with their favorite grandkids ;)

I absolutely love Halloween. Andy... not so much. He thinks it's about the lamest thing ever. BUT, he loves me, so he humors me. We went on a SpOoKy date to This is the Place's Haunted Village. We have done this several times and it is always really fun and spooky. I think past years have been better than this one, but it was still fun and I almost wet my pants from getting scared so many times.

This is Halloween! This is Halloween!

Yes, the day arrived. We got up nice and early to get everyone prepped and ready for the Halloween parade at school. I was glad we didn't have anything that was too involved hair and make-up wise. Andy's parents had generously offered to take Magnus to his radiation treatment that morning (more on that in another post) so Andy and I set off to the school parade with our other four hoodlums.

I cannot tell you how happy this silly parade makes me. I think it is about the cutest thing ever and I love searching for my children in the crowds. We found them all! Although Laylah, just barely.

Andy's parents dropped M off right before the parade started, so I was very happy he could join us.

 I had volunteered to help with Daphne's class party. Her teacher always does these super fun Halloween houses every year. Jonah was able to do one too. They are amazing.

Daphne has a tight knit little group of girlfriends. They are so funny together.

 The party was great, adn then it was time to take kids home and carve pumpkins. We were super fast so we could get ready to go over to the circle for our traditional neighborhood soup feast.

Our little Satan... er... Sadie

Just some more cute pictures :)

Andy was Paul Bunyon. I was supposed to be Babe, his big blue ox. But someone dropped the ball on getting a costume together...

Our cute Jack-O-Lanterns

 I've said it before, but here it is again: I LOVE our neighborhood. We live right behind a cul-de-sac and every Halloween everyone brings a big pot of soup and rolls and we all eat dinner together before we divide up the groups of kids to take them trick-or-treating. All of the moms hangout with our bowls of candy in the cul-de-sac and the dads take the kids trick-or-treating. It is fabulous.

This year our kids didn't go very long. I guess they were all worn out from everything we had had going on. But around 8 they all came back to the circle and all of the kids played while the moms talked well into the night. I think I finally went home around 11 towing some sleepy girls. Andy had taken the boys home earlier.

It was a fun, crazy, busy, wonderful day.

Happy Halloween!