Halloween 2008

The Halloween festivities began once again with pumpkin carving. I learned the hard way two years ago to get pumpkins WAY in advance. That year I had planned on getting the pumpkins on October 30, but for whatever reason, just kept putting it off, and ended up going to six stores where NO ONE had pumpkins. Our nice neighbor at the time offered one of her "decorative" pumpkins for us to use, and another friend gave us two pie pumpkins. This did not give the true pumpkin carving experience my kids so craved, and therefore, I needed to redeem myself. This year I did just that.

Meg decided this was the first year that she was going to carve her pumpkin by herself. It was awesome--just your basic, triangle eyes, square nose, and simple mouth. Ben and Rusty worked on a Harry Potter themed pumpkin and Sam's was super scary. btw, if you look close at this picture you will notice that Molly resembles a 50 year old plumber. . .anybody got a quarter?

Molly and mom decided to use a princess Mr. Potato head kit to make "carving" her pumpkin a little quicker and easier.

Molly and her pumpkin princess.

The O'Brien Mob's finished products (No clue where Molly got the candy, but I later found the empty box in her bed).

THE COSTUMES

This year I let the kids choose their own costumes. No influence whatsoever on what they should wear. It made getting the costumes so much easier.

Sam as a Clone Trooper (not as a Storm Trooper--anyone who made that mistake was quickly corrected).

Harry Potter, I mean Ben. His favorite part about this costume was dying his hair black.

Molly chose to be a princess. She wanted a crown to go with her costume, and I waited too long so the Disney Store was sold out (do you see a pattern here with me?). I had to pay more money to get it on EBay. Of course, because I spent more money and had to make more of an effort, Molly only wore the crown these five minutes while I took her picture because "it hurt her head."

Meg saw the crown and wanted to know what she could be while wearing it. I said, "Duh, Miss America." She loved it.

Right before going to the Trunk-or-Treat party.

Because Halloween was on a Friday night we were able to have some family and friends come for chili, cornbread, hot dogs, pumpkin pie and caramel apples.

Molly decided that she had worn her Tinkerbell costume enough (church, play group and school party) she just wanted to wear her Dora jammies. We loved to trick-or-treat with friends. It makes Halloween even more fun.

I love this picture because my kids are talking to the vice principle of our school who happens to live in our neighborhood. It was like two worlds colliding, and was a little confusing for Sam.