Party!

I've mentioned before that I coordinate the local Moms' Group.  One thing we have started is a costume party for Halloween.  Basically, I like to create as many opportunities to wear their costumes as possible!  This year we scheduled it for the afternoon so that older siblings/moms with school age kids could attend.  I wasn't really thinking it would be any bigger deal than last year...until about 4 days before when I started actually counting up how many people said they were going to attend (23 kids with roughly 35 people once adults were included).  Suddenly, it seemed like a much bigger deal.  Thank goodness I used to be an Activity Director.  I literally put together the party we used to do each year for the residents - complete with "Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin" and a Scavenger Hunt!

Allie trying to give her friend L a hug.

 My favorite costume.  His eyes lit up!  Sadly, he didn't win the costume competition.  I should have voted...

 Since the day was beautiful, we actually held the scavenger hunt outside...in the cemetery.  Normally, I stay away from all things scary.  But I LOVE our cemetery.  It is so beautiful and one of my favorite solitary places.  The twins and I frequently go for walks there.  Because of that, and the gorgeous day, it honestly didn't feel scary.

Hunting.

 Taking a break from the hunt to play in the leaves.

 Unfortunately, the twins (and pretty much all of the kids their age) didn't quite get the team aspect of a scavenger hunt.  So it ended up being a lot of little kids running around with their parents to find things, and then mashing the found items together in teams after (because no one could remember who they were with before).  The ONLY team that stayed together was, not surprisingly, the only team that won.

Running to show me what they found.

 The party ended with pizza and goodie bags (made up of non-candy items brought by each mom) for each of the kids.  I think the pizza and goodie bags alone made the party a success :)  

My mischievous little Things...