Trick or Treat

I was able to get the kids up early this morning by calling out "Whoever wants to watch The Mandalorian, get out of bed now! I'm turning it on!" And just like that, the kids all came running downstairs. The kids wanted to watch it last night, but it was late when we got home from our date night, too late to spend an hour watching it, so I vetoed it even though they had been looking forward to it and had waited for us cause I wanted to see it too. Anyway, we got up "early" (at 10) and watched it, pretty fun stuff. A little scary for Daniel. He told us that he doesn't want to go there (where the krayt dragon lives) and we told him ok. 

Most of them ate their oatmeal during that hour of tv, then we headed over to Corey's parents house to rake leaves. 

They worked quickly and they got it all bagged up. I played the roll of water girl by passing out graham crackers to the servants. 

While the big kids were helpful, the little kids played with toys. 

They worked quickly and then we watched this neat Hope Works message with his parents. Then I headed home with the little kids in my car, and Corey took the big kids to Menchies for some ice cream. Menchies was sponsored by Lily, who had a gift certificate from school for winning the Reflections contest, way to go Lily! That was ok that the little kids didn't get to go, cause they didn't help rake. 

Back at home, the kids practiced their music to earn their right to trick or treat. Corey supervised that while I took his car into Burt Bros to get a slow leak checked out. They put on the spare for me, we have to get the tire replaced, so that's scheduled for Monday for Corey. He appreciated me taking care of it - he had to fill up the tire last night before our date, and again this morning. I was glad to help, and I like knowing how to handle car problems. After that, we had to hurry and do Natalie's pumpkin to represent us tonight. All the other pumpkins looked very old, wrinkly, and scary. Natalie and I cleaned out her pumpkin and I carved it. My kids were a little sad that there wasn't going to be a neighborhood pizza party, but I'm happy for out neighbors who host that every year that they're taking a break. I'm sure it's a lot of work. My favorite memory of that is when snowman Daniel was staring down Bishop Powley the gorilla. So funny. Trick or treaters started knocking and so hurried and put out her pumpkin. It was her friend Berkley that was in the first group to come by, and Natalie wanted to go with them, even though she wasn't ready. She quickly changed into her costume and ran out to catch up with her friends. She didn't mind not having make up. I helped Sophi with a little bit of her eye liner and making her face white, Owen was dressed and anxious to get going, so Corey took him out. I woke up Peter and put his costume on him and gave him a slice of bread for his pre-junk dinner. I didn't see Sophi leave but she slipped out sometime. I started to walk with D and P, then I paused to take a photo. I tried to put Peter's Sulley horns on and he didn't like that. He threw his headpiece and his bag on the street in protest. 

Ok, that will have to count. The kids all scattered so quickly, I guess we won't have a photo of them together this year. But Sophi and Natalie were represented well in their photos before their school parties on Thursday. I should have grabbed Daniel a coat, but decided nah, let's just go before it gets too dark! I grabbed some skittles from our pot of goodies and put them on Peter's stroller tray to keep him happy.

We found Natalie as we left, her friends just went around the block, so then she joined us and did a repeat of a few houses. We met up with Corey and Owen, they were on their way back from a neighbor's house where they had a fire pit set out and were roasting hot dogs, that is a fun idea. O eating his hotdog. Daniel posing for the camera. Natalie was tired of holding her coat and gave it to Peter.

I took D by a few houses in a cul-de-sac that Owen had already visited with Corey. Corey took Natalie to go get a hot dog, and then Natalie joined us and we visited the cul-de-sac houses for a third time, which was funny. They were nice, one of them is our ministering family and it also looked like they hadn't had a lot of trick or treaters, so hopefully it was ok for us to visit three times. (Daniel only double dipped on the third knock)

Then Daniel went to roast a hot dog. 

They warmed by the fire, then we picked up Natalie and finished going around the block. Daniel was cold now, so I gave him my coat, and Corey gave me his coat and headed home to be with the teenagers there who were watching Twilight. Abi earned the right since she finished all 4 books, and Halloween seemed an appropriate enough night for it. Peter finished his skittles and then worked on a sucker for the rest of the evening.

We were a slow moving group and were gone for about 90 minutes. The kids gorged on candy while I blogged here, and then I went and cleaned up the kitchen, with it's spilled nerds, pixie stick powder, and other gross messes. I slowly collected all the candy into the family treat pile, cause I'm the candy cop, and it is now safely locked up in the pantry, yay. Peter was upstairs working on his cars while I blogged - look at what a smart little boy - he lined them all up!!! Peter, you are SO smart! 

It was a Happy Candy Day for everyone!