Halloween

I've got about two minutes to write something.  Piper is off to preschool, I dropped the boys off at the community center for Art and P.E., and just got the baby down for a nap and since her naps continue to be short most days, I should be showering instead of writing.  However, I made a goal to try and be better so I'll just be fast.  

Halloween was fun.  The kids chose incredibly easy costumes this year, which I was so grateful for.  Piper wanted to be a mermaid but we couldn't see a costume that was her size so when she spotted the Elena costume she quickly changed her mind.  She's never asked to be a princess so it was kind of fun to dress her up for a change.  She felt so special.  One man said to her, "And where is your costume?" and she giggled and thought that was wonderful.  She really loved the evening and Eli even said to her at one point, "Piper, we can't do this all night.  At one point we are going to have to stop."  

Will got invited to go with friends and that was weird for me.  He is already at the point where those relationships with friends are starting to become more and more important.  I was happy for him to go but sad not to have them all together and it kind of pointed towards the future when all the kids will be heading out with friends and not needing to be us so much.  It's a good thing, but weird and a little sad in some ways.  We had said no trick-or-treating once he turned 12 unless he took his siblings but all of his friends could still go and it seemed like a rule that didn't need to be so rigid so we let him go with his friends.  Because he wasn't originally planning on going, he made a decision last minute to be a "Cereal Killer."  Easiest costume ever.

Eli just wanted something simple so he chose a robber and it was easy to find black clothes and tape a dollar sign to his bag.  He also grabbed a dagger from the Dollar Store and we painted a five o'clock shadow on his face.  

Isaac didn't really want to dress up.  He feels awkward going up to stranger's doors and he wasn't sure he really wanted to trick-or-treat this year but in the end, he decided it would be worth it.  He wanted to be a stick man.  It was so easy to tape glow-in-the-dark sticks to his black clothes.  He painted a paper plate and cut holes out for the eyes and make a strap so it would stay on his face.  His costume was awesome.  Everyone he passed commented on it and Eli decided he wants to be that next year.  

I feel bad for little Filly because I kind of just didn't even think about a costume for her.  Right before the trunk-or-treat I realized I didn't have a costume for her.  I searched at the store for like two minutes and didn't find anything I liked so I decided to dig the mouse costume out of storage.  It's a size 2T so it is too big for her but she didn't care.  

Our last neighborhood was so busy and congested on Halloween night.  We were one of the only neighborhoods with sidewalks so everyone came to our neighborhood.  We always went with friends and it was loud and fun and lots of action.  This neighborhood is quite and established, with very few children.  I wasn't sure what it would be like.  It was a quiet evening.  There were not a lot of people out but plenty of houses participated and enjoyed having our kids come take their candy.  We walked for about a mile and then Filly was tired (we only sent her up to about three houses) and the other kids were complaining about their feet hurting so we went back to the house and got the van.  We put the seats down and opened the back and the kids rode between houses (we had a few houses between each one that didn't participate so they weren't jumping out at every house).  They all had a good time.  Piper still has a bowl full of candy, Eli is completely out, and Isaac and Will have just a few pieces left.  

Well, I've written too long.  I have to shower and get ready so I can head to Piper's field day, help the boys with school when they get back, and do general house chores.