Our Halloween festivities started a bit early this year, with a party at church. The kids really enjoyed all the yummy food.
A chicken, a zombie soldier, Dorothy and a girl who needs to learn how to sit!
Next, we had our annual pumpkin carving. Rob and Zach were the ones who got their hands dirty and cleaned out all the pumpkins for everyone else. Rob also made some tasty pumpkin seeds.
Creative Pumpkin Designers!
On Halloween, our school had their annual parade. All the kids line up with their class, walk through the school yard and then walk a bit through the neighbourhood. I was able to come back home in between appointments to attend with Rob. We were a little late, so had to wait for the boys (now only Josh and Sam at this school) to come back from their walk in the neighbourhood. We saw Sam and waited and waited for Josh, but never saw him. Turned out, we just missed him! I guess his “girl” costume was pretty good! We finally found him right at the end and Josh told me that he totally saw us, and waved and everything!
Who is this pretty girl and scary zombie?
That night, we had mummy dogs for dinner. Sam was pretty bummed to miss them as he was at his Mom’s that night. He went trick or treating over at his Mom’s house as it was too complicated trying to coordinate trick or treating here with his friends. Zandra, however, is at an age where she is beginning to assert herself and simply told her Mom she was staying here and trick or treating with Zach, Josh and some friends. She ended up staying over night too. Unfortunately she had forgotten her costume at her Mom’s:(( We were able to still get her all dolled up as “Jessie” (I wore it a few years ago) and she looked super cute and was happy with her costume.
What came first? The chicken or the egg? Joshella and Jessie together forever
I expected to take them around the neighbourhood, but was informed that I was no longer needed:( Made me a bit sad, but they really enjoyed themselves (said they went to way more houses without me being there to slow them down). At least Reggie still needs me.
Super Reggie
Sounds like a great Halloween! I love that Josh dressed as a girl – fun!!
Sorry Sam wasn’t with y’all for the night.
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Totally sounded like a great Halloween overall and loved the Jessie costume and Josh as a girl was the best by far! Totally dreading though when my girls tell me they no longer need me for trick-or-treating. Totally one of the reasons, I was definitely a bit down that Lily was sick this Halloween, because I know my years are numbered and was hard losing out on this year when she is still so young and totally still needing and wanting me there for all the fun. Oh well, just hope for a better Halloween with no one sick next year now for us.
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Awww..Reggie!! Joshella cracked me up and I confess that at first I thought, “Who is that rather busty girl hanging out with Zandra?”
I really wish Scarlet had been Dorothy this year. I was Dorothy when I was her age, and she just saw the movie for the first time. I guess it wasn’t in time. She’s obsessed with Glinda now too!
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These costumes are so cute! I especially love Jessie with the freckles too 🙂 I too thought that was a rather busty young lady 🙂 Love it!
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Yes, apparently tennis balls make for a busty girl!! Thanks, Nellie!
Cute costumes! It is a little sad when they won’t let you go anymore, isn’t it?! I’m down to one trick or treater, and I think I may lose that one next year too, since he informed me he really doesn’t like candy that much anymore, at least not the chocolate. I thought I was going to score big with the candy after he told me that, but then the dog found the stash. Goodbye candy.
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Lol! Reggie was walking all over their loot as they tried to sort it! He was so curious!
My kids don’t think they need me for trick or treating anymore, either. Actually – my oldest two decided to NOT go trick or treating AT ALL! It was horrible! I mean, awesome, cause then I had them handing out candy so I didn’t have to get up every 5 seconds, but horrible to realize that another part of their lives are over. The youngest one went with Pappa O – he dressed up with her so that was fun. But now she is anxiously checking her candy every 10 minutes to make sure her siblings didn’t steal any. *smh* We didn’t do pumpkins this year – just way to much going on with the move and all – but hopefully next year we will at least get to that with the oldest two! 🙂 Your kids look adorable and look like they had a great time!
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It’s a smack of reality! Our oldest stopped too – but I can’t believe that the time is slowly coming to an end:((
Everyone looks adorable! I think next year may be the year that my oldest will refuse to trick or treat with me and the other kids. I am not looking forward to that!
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It totally snuck up on me. I was getting ready to go with them even! They were nice and said I could go if I really wanted to!!lol. I figured I better just rip the bandaid off quick…
It’s interesting that Zandra is beginning to speak up a bit about where she wants to be and when. We had something similar happen with Amarissa this weekend, and more and more she is trying to weigh in on where she wants to be at different times. If I were them, I’d want some say in it, too!
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Yes, I was happy she spoke up. She tends to be silent in fear of hurting feelings. That is the hardest part as a parent – to really listen and understand what they are asking. Often that means setting aside our own desires and not taking things personally.it is a slippery slope though because sometimes they like to be “in the easiest place” where there are less rules, less demands and that is not always in their best interest.
Love the pictures! Love that dog! Looks like your kids had a great Halloween. Sorry to hear that one of them was left out–I’m sure some parents would disagree, but I wouldn’t see a problem allowing Sam to hang out with his siblings. I think parents need to check their underlying motives before they make decisions that hurt their kids–as a way to use them to get back at an ex. Or, they’re lonely and are using the kids as a kind of spousal/best friend substitute instead of allowing them to hang out with pals or in this case, family members. Hope Sam had a nice time, though. Who knows–maybe he needed bonding time with his mom (or vice versa)? I don’t mean to come across as judgmental, but I’ve had to deal with this as well, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the kid, but everything to do with getting even with the other parent. And who pays the price? The kids.
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I just wanted to add something that my husband brought to my attention. As a stepmom to a wonderful stepson, we have had him refuse visits with us, until it cascaded into barely any visits at all (in fact, it’s full blown classic Parental Alienation). I get it–adolescents naturally want to assert their independence. I think Halloween is a time where it would be fine to allow a child to be with the other parent–really it was with their other siblings. There’s a slippery slope however, when it becomes the norm, not the exception. It takes both exes to live by the rule that the children need both parents in their lives. I don’t think your intentions were to get back at the ex, but I did want to make your readers aware of the dynamics that can come into play if one or both exes aren’t grounded and use the children as pawns to get back at the other.
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I completely agree. We actually have had this conversation multiple times with all our kids. Their relationships with their other parent is SO important.While we may disagree on many things and may not be pleased when actions are taken which we feel are not aligned with the best interest of the children (or specifically aimed at getting back at us), we will always support and push them to spend equal time with their other parent. They need this time! I also don’t want them ever to think that they can “pick and choose” if one parent is more of a pushover, or one parent is more fun, or has more money, or has fewer rules etc. They need both in their lives. They will have many regrets if they don’t have both parents in their lives. Both parents love them, and they love both parents – and benefit from each family. But, they can also use their logic and question motives, and they can assert themselves when it has to do with activities, or siblings, or friends. Not everything has to do with “the other parent”. Sometimes it has to do with logistics, or proximity to friends or school, or other circumstances. Thanks for pointing it out, Nicole. I think sometimes people feel justified from keeping their kids away from their other parent simply because they don’t like the other parent…only person you are harming really is your own child.
I totally agree – it all comes down to the underlying motives. I often think many decisions stem from getting back at the ex or that they are lonely and use their child as a substitute as you said. The kids are then caught. Sad. Sam had a good time trick or treating anyway. He is a trooper. His Mom let him choose between trick or treating here for an hour and then going back to her home, or just going to her home and trick or treating the whole night there. He logically thought staying here for 1 hour would make Halloween disjointed and stressful, and knew we didn’t mind if he spent the whole time with his Mom (Halloween is not about us after all!!) so we completely supported his decision.
Great photos. The girl costume is hilarious, as is Reggie’s of course. So sad you weren’t needed for the actual trick or treating. Sounds like everyone had fun though!
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Everyone had fun – even Reggie!
Looks like so much fun! Love all the pictures! 🙂 You guys have a fantastic family!-Ashley
Thanks, Ashley!
Love the pictures, Leah! My girls haven’t quite hit the age where they can go out by themselves, but they are getting closer. It makes me a bit sad too. It seems like yesterday they were babies!
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I know! I remember taking Zach trick or treating and going up to the door step with him! He wanted to go in every house to visit each person! It was so cute! Now, he’s a grown “chicken” (that’s what he dressed up as) trick or treating on his own!Lol
My son went out by himself this year too – I was a little sad until it started raining, and then I was perfectly content to be inside. Your kids all looked adorable – regardless of their gender! 🙂
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So true! It was raining here too so I wasn’t sad about that!!
Great costumes. I love how you share family assimilation lessons, growing pains, etc with all occasions here on your blog.
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