Trick or Treat 2011

We did so much trick or treating this year. Remember how I have that problem where I can't say no, because I want to be involved in all the fun stuff. Well, we ended up trick or treating just about the entire day. The kids loved it though.

First we started out at Provo Macey's. They do a thing every year where the kids can go around to all the different departments and trick or treat. It's really fun. We met up with some of our Provo friends and some of our Springville friends, so we had large group and they had a great time together.

Nathan, Carson, Kaitlyn, Adelia, Lincoln, Ivan, Sam, and Tyler

Suzy even had mercy on me and let me call this trick or treating adventure "H is for Halloween" and check Letter Day off the list of things I have to do this week. (I was very appreciative, because it's going to be a very hectic week, and now Tuesday is more free than it was going to be originally.)

After Macey's, we headed to Aaron's work. The kids got to go around to and trick or treat at all the desks. Then one of Aaron's co-workers had set up a little Halloween fun in one of the back rooms. The kids got to decorate a paper bag with Halloween stickers, color a picture, play toss the bean bag into the ghosts mouth, and decorate a cupcake.

We went home for a quick 2 hour lunch and nap break (Adelia ended up being the only one who slept). Then we were right back at it. We met up with our friends the Shaws.Both Lincoln and Ivan adore their little boy Sam, who is Lincoln's age. Springville does a Main Street trick or treat, where all the shops on Main Street close down and set up tables in front of their stores to hand out candy. So we walked up and down Main Street. It was a gorgeous day, and our astronaut costumes were a little on the warm side. But the kids had a great time.

Lincoln, Ivan, and Sam

We got lots of compliments on the kids' astronaut costumes. I thought they turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself. The helmets are made out of trick or treat pumpkins. And for the shirts, I just bought plain white shirts, then Aaron found the NASA logo, Orion Mission, American flag, space shuttle, and name badge patches online, and we printed them onto iron on paper, and then just ironed them onto the shirts. Lincoln was thrilled that his had his name on it (the other kids' do too).

Funniest moment of the whole experience...an older kid who was walking behind Lincoln and Ivan, said to Lincoln, "Hey, are you guys twins?" To which Lincoln replied, "No. We're astronauts." I laughed so hard, I couldn't even answer the kid when he turned to ask me if they were twins. 

After Main Street, we went and picked up Aaron from work and started working on dinner. I made Green Spaghetti, which I called Monster Moss Spaghetti and Lincoln called Slimy Noodles. :) Ryan and Melissa came over and brought a spooky salad. Aaron made french bread to go with. It was yummy.

Aaron, Adelia, Lincoln, Ryan, Melissa, and Ivan

Once everyone had eaten, we got the kids back into their costumes. We had Melissa take a picture, and Ryan got in with us, wearing his awesome yellow spandex costume. The diaper that went with was so awkward and so hilarious.

Ryan, Krystal, Ivan, Lincoln, Aaron, Adelia

Ryan and Melissa generously stayed at our house and manned the candy bowl, while Aaron and I took the kids trick or treating around the neighborhood. I was so excited to go trick or treating for real. We've never lived in a neighborhood before where people went door to door. And we live in such a wonderful neighborhood for it. It was fun being out and recognizing so many of our friends and neighbors, and to have my primary kids come up and say hi to me and show me their costumes. Again, I felt this awesome sense of community that I haven't felt apart of since we lived in Texas. I love our neighborhood, how many times can I say that lately? :)

My astronaut children with their moon buggy, and Mission Control Dad. 

We didn't have time to dress the wagon up this year, but we still took it with us. The kids had so much fun going up to people's doors, and I loved going around to all the different houses that we knew and chatting with people and listening to the boys tell about their costumes. Originally we weren't going to have Adelia trick or treat, she was just going to go along for the ride in the wagon, but people kept coming out of their house and down the sidewalk to her to bring her candy, so Aaron just started taking her up to the door too. She LOVED it. She knew exactly what was going on, and was very pleased not to have to miss out.

She wouldn't keep her helmet on either, so for the most part she went around in a beanie. Some people mistook her for a boy this year, but I didn't care. I'd much rather have a few people mistake her than to have to put up with awful fairy wings or princess dress. We'll see how many more years she lets me dress her up like her brothers. :) I love dressing up together as a family. I hope that's a tradition we can keep up over the years. (In case you missed it, Aaron and I were Mission Control this year. We had awesome jackets with a Mission Control logo, authentic looking name badges, and even a headset with and ear piece and a microphone. At one of the parties we went to, Aaron even had someone ask him if he really worked for NASA.)