Should I really be glad that Halloween is over? It is a sure sign that I am getting old and grumpy. I usually love love love Halloween. This year it just felt like a lot of work.


Selfish.


I usually really get into the kids costumes. I didn't even really enjoy it this year (not that this holiday is for me...I get it. I know its a kids' holiday). I somehow got succored into (by my own money-saving devices) making Lincoln a robot costume. I ended up killing myself -while watching six kids- and making the entire thing on Thursday. My finger tip still hurts from all the spray painting. What good mom waits until the night before the party? Result: It ended up being very mediocre. And to add insult to injury, Lincoln wore it for maybe 30 minutes between the two days of Halloween marathon-ing. He hated it. In fact, none of my kids liked wearing their costumes. Next year maybe we will just T-O-T ing in real clothes.

OUCH.

No, this is not us. I wish. I was not that creative or cool when it came to dressing up for one of the funnest parties I have EVER been too. The Forsyths (on left) had an adults only (that says fun right there) Halloween scavenger hunt party. Serious fun. My team won the scavenger hunt. We had some very worthy opponents though. This rockin couple with the Forsyths is Emily and Jake. They deservedly won the costume contest.

We were kind of lame this year. We waited until the last minute and ended up throwing something together. Jason was Richard Simmons and I was a fat heifer. Get it? I know, it's a stretch. This was our scavenger hunt group. Tons of fun. Our poor Sienna took a beating (we could smell the brakes burning) but it was well worth the victory!

Me going crazy at Party City. I was trying in to figure out one of the clues while my team members waited in the car. I could have made up the trifecta of "Kiss" with Emily and Jake with that tongue. Wowsers. Put it away.

This was our family the same night. (Yes, it was a Halloween marathon of sorts the entire weekend...except without the medal much to my chagrin. I deserve one. Every mom does.) This is at the Hampton Halloween T-O-T ing night. This is one of the locations of Allred Family Dentistry that Jason manages. Here we are: little duck (how fitting, right?), clearance witch from last year's rack, and homemade disappointment of a robot. Oh, and Richard Simmons of course.

The happiest boy ever in his daddy's arms. It's true.

Our very uncreative pumpkins.

No, this was not after a torture session at the Allreds. Unless you count a forced photo-op as torture.....which, this group just might. Nope, it's just another day in the life of children throwing fits because...blah blah blah. You fill in the blank. Good times.

Here is Allred's version of painless camping. Setting up "camp" on the back porch, having hot chocolate and watching a movie thirty minutes later then bed time. No one complained about the disingenuous experience. They all thought it was a great camping experience.

So glad Hello Kitty could make it. I am even happier that Ella remembered to capture her little buddy.

How precious is this little angelic face?

Ella could not love mommy-ing Quincy any more. Poor ( I mean lucky) kid.