-HALLOWEEN-

We had SO much fun this year!!! We did a little Trunk-er-Treating... a little Trick-or-Treating... then spent the remainder of the evening at Vanderhoof's annual Great Pumpkin Walk!

For our costumes this year I really wanted to do an entire family theme and for a group of five the theme ideas are somewhat limited, at least where my costume skills are involved. I talked to the boys and Mike and we finally all decided on the Wizard of Oz.


The costumes turned out great and for the most part all homemade, (I did buy a few of the accessories). I was so happy with my Dorothy dress. I've never sewed with a pattern before so this was a big first and I am so pleased with the results! Of course, I must give a giant shout out to Paula (Mike's mom) for helping me understand the pattern, but the rest was ALL ME!!!! (Can you tell I am proud of myself?) Mike was a great sport and went as the Scarecrow, Porter is a very shiny Tin Man, Walker is a VERY blue Flying Monkey and Luke just might be the cutest Munchkin ever!

He was so, so, so BLUE!

An Luke has the BEST hair for a Munchkin!

Look at that grin!

This was probably my favorite costume of the night. Coleson is Jana's little boy (my nephew) and he wanted to be a Headless Man. I wished Jana good luck with that (I couldn't imagine how to make that work!) Apparently Russell is a lot smarter than I am because this is what he helped Jana come up with...

This is the first year that we have ever been to the Pumpkin Walk and it was so great! This tradition was started in our small town a few years after I left to go to college and while I had heard of it before this year, I had never participated. It was so much fun! All of the kids in the community carved pumpkins in their classrooms, from Kindergarteners to Seniors in High School, and then lined them along the entire park! Businesses from around town set up in camping spots along the way and passed out candy and the kids had a ball looking for their pumpkins.


These guys were another favorite for the night. I have no idea who they were but I had to get a picture. I told Mike that this might be our family costume next year. What do you think?


After all the candy was passed out there was a HUGE fireworkds show. I was super impressed. I think it may have even rivaled the Art City Days fireworks show! It was a lot longer than I thought it would be and they did such a wonderful job. I swear just about the entire town was at the park for the fireworks and Pumpkin Walk. It was so much fun to see friends that I haven't seen since high school! This is such a great community event and I am so excited to make it a family tradition!

I know the picture stinke! I am still working on my fireworks photography skills.

Of course, for the boys, the best part of the night is when they get home and pour all of their goodies out on the floor and take in the sight of all that candy. I didn't get a picture of it but Walker was literally diving into it and pretending to swim while laughing like a maniac!

And all Luke wanted was a drink from that dang juice box!

And I thought I should add that if you come over to my house within the next week and see candy EVERYWHERE, don't judge me! I had every intention of hiding the candy and doling it out sparingly over the next little while but when Walker said his prayers that night, this is what came out, "Dear Heavenly Father, please bless us to be able to eat all our candy when we wake up and please bless it to be out where we can find it!" I think the kid is on to me!