Halloween 2012

I'm beginning this post on Halloween evening as I sit in the living room awaiting knocks at the door from little trick-or-treaters.  I like little trick-or-treaters.  They are cute and I enjoy them.

I don't like the big trick-or-treaters.  I don't think they are cute and I don't enjoy them.  And I'm stingy to them.  I think giving a single pixie stick is more than generous of me.  I have been particularly onery to the big kids tonight.  And no, I don't really expect my jack-o-lanterns to make it through the night.  I know the routine:  I'm a stinker to them and then they smash my pumpkins.  It's worth it.   Meanwhile, my big kid (Clark) is home having pizza with a few friends and I am giving them unlimited access to the Halloween candy. 

 Here is the Fox Family of The Un-Dead this Halloween.  This picture was taken Saturday afternoon rather than the actual evening of Halloween.  The fact is, Abe and I couldn't bear the thought of tying me into my mummy costume for the third time.  I thought it would be much simpler and quicker than it turned out to be.

The original plan was for Abe and I to both be mummies, but we both got half way done wrapping ourselves and ran out of wrappings.  So Abe unwound and lovingly let me be a fully wrapped mummy.

We went to a fun Halloween party Friday night.  For as tight as Abe tied me up I still came unraveled. 

Here are scary vampires!

And here are scary vampires meet Donny and Marie Osmond.

Is this a celebration of evil?
Perhaps, but I do think they are cute and George in particular is appropriately attired.  He is two after all.
Years ago when Clark was this age I bought him a little hooded t-shirt that read, "Little Devil" and had horns.  Abe was appalled and did not want Clark to wear it.  Fast forward 12 years and he thinks our devil and she-devil are adorable.  What happened?  I think it has something to do with "parental principle erosion".  It's a very real phenomena that happens in big families.  Why should we be any different?

Bethany, the zombie-bride testing out the mystery boxes at a neighborhood Halloween party we went to.  She loved the idea of being a zombie-bride, but the reality of getting "ugly" and going out in public was uncomfortable for her.  Ugly isn't really her mode of operation.  She regularly and neatly grooms herself and tries to be lovely.  Zombie-bride wasn't lovely.  But I was proud of her for persevering in her ugliness and I'm sure she'll have a pillowcase full of candy to show for her efforts.

Here is my Halloween hero.  Between Friday night and Saturday afternoon he probably spent more than 2 hours getting me into and out of my wrappings.  It's not so often that such skill in knot tying has such practical application.  It was quite a work of art.  Three cheers for scouting!
He was trying to channel Donald Trump but ended up more of an Alec Baldwin vampire.

Monday night was pumpkin carving.  Abe did not feel it was his most artistic year, but that was a lot of pumpkins to carve in one night.   Clark and Elinor were very helpful.

But even still, he worked up quite a sweat.

Earlier today my sister and I took our kiddos to Aunt Allison's and Grandma Barbara's work downtown for office trick-or-treating.  I'll just say that between afternoon trick-or-treating and evening trick-or-treating we are HOOKED UP!  And I'll bet a significant sum of money that somebody in this house will throw up between now and the morning. 

Check out the most awesome pumpkin in the neighborhood!

 Abe headed out with the three little ones.  They were so excited and the perfect age for trick-or-treating.  But I've already been on my soap box about that so I'll move on.

Bethany was off with her friends.  For many years now I have insisted that trick-or-treating be a family affair.  I said if you're too old to trick-or-treat with your family then you're too old to trick-or-treat.  I guess I gave in.  "Parental principle erosion" is a very real thing.

And Elinor headed out with Ben and his dad.

Clark and his friends geeking out on Heroscape and Minecraft at home on Halloween night.  The young man in the green dress and blonde curls was by far the scariest costume of the night:)