Happy Halloween!

The school here has an Autumn Break (no Thanksgiving) that falls on Halloween. There are a lot of North Americans and others wishing to celebrate Halloween in our neighborhood (who doesn't want free candy? Okay, technically it's not free when you have to spend $50 to pass it out). Many of these families are out of town on Halloween due to the fall break, so traditionally, they celebrate it the week before. So, we had a primary Halloween party and went trick-or-treating/passed out candy last Saturday. And for the record, we gave out about 350 pieces of candy in about an hour and a half (one to two pieces of candy per kid).

Evelynn was Princess Peach, Owen was going to be Luigi, and Barb was going to be Toad. Then, last minute Owen decided he could not live if he could not be Toad for Halloween (maybe a slight exaggeration), so I searched for a plan B for Barb (haha, get it, plan B? Barb?). I happened upon this Toadette hat on ebay, decided it was really the only option, and paid way too much for it. Then, I was going to make some alterations to it, and have her wear all pink.

She would have none of it. She wouldn't keep it on for more than half a second. So, she hung out at home while the other kids participated in Halloween festivities. We'll see if she tries that again next year...

The kids decorated the front window with some window markers I brought. (oh, and I helped)

Then, we turned on some spooky music and had our traditional family Halloween party. The tradition that I created, so that the kids wouldn't feel bad about not going out trick-or-treating, which they ended up doing this year anyway (usually I let them go to only the houses of people we know - well, we've never lived in a neighborhood where we know more that five people, so it got a little complicated this year, and I just threw in the towel).

And we had a yummy Halloween feast!

sources:

plates- oriental trading company, glasses- mother-in-law, fruit- one of the little old ladies in sort of wooden booths outside the metro on Dave's way home from work (I was going to make fruit kebabs like last year, but I guess I didn't bring my skewers. oops.), pizza crust for "cheesy candy corn"- this recipe (all ingredients procured locally), cheese on top- locally, hot dogs- commissary (although you can find some locally, this was just most convenient this time... and I am a little afraid of unfamiliar brands of hot dogs), dough for wrapping the "mummy dogs"- locally (the dough is called tyesta. it comes frozen in one giant roll, and it's similar to pillsbury crescent roll dough, but not as buttery), apple fanta, ketchup (or kyetchoop), and nasty mustard- local stores, regular mustard- commissary, oreos for dirt cups- commissary, chocolate pudding mix- I bought it from someone who is moving, milk for the pudding mix- commissary, gummy snakes- locally.

That's it.

Happy Halloween!!!