Halloween

Once again, deciding on costumes for Halloween was a challenge...

Actually, the first thing Allie said she wanted to be was a pink, sparkly princess, and the first thing Ryan said he wanted to be was Spider Man, but the costumes they wanted were crazy expensive - especially considering they had changed their minds within days of deciding on those costumes!  We went through a plethora of ideas - a ladybug and a ghost, a fairy and a dragon, Mario and Princess Peach, Wild Kratts.  So many costume ideas.  I finally suggested that if they picked a costume out of our existing costume box, we could put the money I set aside toward Christmas...and more Christmas presents.  It was a pretty immediate decision to be Iron Man and Cinderella (which we already owned).

But then we went shopping for canned goods (for the aforementioned competition).  We walked into the grocery store, and immediately saw their Halloween costumes!  On sale for 40% off!  And there just happened to be a sparkly, pink princess dress and a Spider Man in their size!  $10 per costume seemed like a bargain to get the costume of their dreams!

The lesson I learned was: Always stick with their FIRST costume suggestion!

It seems to always be the one we come back to in the end.  I could save myself so much time and energy!

For a fun special treat, Nana was able to join us for Halloween this year!  We went to her house a couple years back, but this is the first time it worked for her to travel to be with grandkids (gotta love a weekend Halloween).  I don't know if the kids were more excited about getting candy, or showing off their costumes to Nana.  Halloween should totally be added to the list of holidays that should be shared with family.

Halloween day ended up being the worst weather we've had yet - freezing rain and snow showers, biting cold wind, frigid temperatures.  I told them they were going to be "Nordic" Spider Man and princess.  Instead of going house to house, or waiting in line for the trunk or treat, we decided to go to the local college campus where they were having trick or treating in the dorms!  We knew that trick or treating at the rooms of college students wouldn't be the traditional experience, but we also knew that we could minimize our time outside and spend some significant chunks of time actually trick or treating indoors - so we tried it.  It.  Was.  Awesome.  The college students dressed up (which the kids LOVED) - many of them as princesses or super heroes (which they loved even more!).  The time indoors was exactly the solace from the storm we hoped.  And it turns out that college students buy good candy - like the really good stuff - and they are very generous.  Also, Lucas and I got to take them to our old dorms - ah, the memories!

Trick or treating at  my old room!!!

All in all, we had a Halloween that fulfilled all their hopes and dreams.

Save me, Spider Man!

Now on to Thanksgiving!