Halloween 2010

With much anticipation, Halloween was big this year for our kids. With last year a bust from the H1N1 sickness that struck our household, the kids were ramped up for tons of fun! Halloween fell on a Sunday this year so our festivities were changed around a bit. We attended a super fun Halloween party where our friend Tina took this fabulous picture of our family. John is a peace loving hippie, I'm a witch, Jonah is a vampire, Katie John is also a witch, Sariah is a fairy and Keira is butterfly princess. After the pizza and candy house decorating we took off to the trunk-or-treat at the stake center. We spent more time than normal at the trunk-or-treat as it would be the kids' only candy gathering Halloween event. There was a giant slide, nut house, games and hot dogs for everyone! The kids really had a fun time.

Cookies!

For a fun Halloween project we decided to decorate cookies for our neighbors. Each child decorated several cookies and then ran them down to our neighbor friends down the street, who hopefully needed a boost of sugar! Several of the cookies had more weight from the candy corn than from the actual cookie!

Happy Halloween

Pumpkin carving time! Try as we might, our efforts to grow our own pumpkins were thwarted by the elements. Our pumpkins came from Aunt Christina's house and a pumpkin farm. Halloween really snuck up on us this year. All the kids and I were struck down with the swine flu in the weeks before Halloween. Jonah had it the worst and missed 7 days of school, whereas Sariah and Keira were sick for only about 4 days. Katie John was barely sick and was home only two days. Sadly some of those days corresponded with the week of halloween. Sariah missed her pumpkin patch field trip and the kindergarten costume parade. Her teacher brought her back a pumpkin from the patch so she could have one.
Luckily we were recuperated enough to do a little pumpkin carving and trick or treating. John spear headed the carving this year and helped each kid design and then cut their pumpkins.
We had last minute costume ideas because we didn't know until the day before if everyone would be well enough for Halloween activities. Jonah went as a soccer player, Katie John as a princess, Sariah as a fairy and Keira went as a 50's girl.
Keira and I stayed home to pass out candy while John took the kids around the neighborhood and to the stake Trunk or Treat. All in all I think Halloween went well. We will have lots of candy to eat for sure!

Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin carving is getting better each year! John helped the kids cut out the faces they wanted. If you notice, each pumpkin resembles the personality of the kids. Sariah- cute and happy. Katie John- smiley and missing some teeth. Jonah- Now that he's in 3rd grade, he's playing around with different attitudes and really, really into jokes. What a fun evening of carving, even though the rain drove the carvers inside.
The Jack o'lanterns in action!

Wilton Ward Trunk-or-Treat

Halloween here we come!! The kids pose for a quick picture before we enter the main area of fun! My mom's ward puts on a trunk-or-treat every year, and it seems we go every year. This year was no exception as we participated in all the fun activities.

There is so much do do: Games, bouncy house, haunted house, food and DESSERTS!
Jonah = Superman (minus a cape he forgot at home)

Katie John = Fauna (the green good fairy in Sleeping Beauty)

Sariah = Cinderella

Keira = Purple and green dinosaur w/pink bow