Happy Halloween!

Hogwart's Halloween 2016:  Mad Eye Moody, Harry in his Quidditch robes, Professor Mcgonegal, and Fawkes the phoenix.  A month of nonstop creation by Nat (our Halloween tailor extraordinaire) led to a full-family costume theme which was well-received at every one of our many Halloween events.  Gotta get your wear out of a handmade costume, after all!

First round:  Cedar-Lee business district trick or treat...

... and our first trip to Boo at the Zoo.  I was in NYC for these events but did receive the following reports:  Cedar -Lee trick or treating was cold, but had plenty of candy.  Boo at the Zoo was too much walking, not much to see, and hardly any candy at all.  So, back to the gardens for us next year.

The kids did, apparently, have fun on this giant pretend anthill.

Pumpkin carving:

 Both kids did all their own design work and carving this year!

 Toasted Marshmallow did not help at all.

 Boo-levard movie night:  a gazillion elementary schoolers, in costume, in the dark, with pop and popcorn and candy, wandering amongst blankets and pillows.

 Terrific fun, and a terrific mess.  At least we had this little Phoenix to help with the cleanup...

Saturdy-- a non-halloween related trip to the park.  

 Tag, then baseball with friends.  They'd brought their bats and mitts, inspired by the world series after all!  We are just not a baseball family, it turns out-- our kids know nothing of the sport.  But they were game to try and Jack wasn't half bad.  When encouraged to maybe try baseball sometime, he reported that he probably won't, since he doesn't like catching or running.  Says the boy who lives for soccer, in which he runs the ENTIRE time. Silly goose.

Halloween Party with our friends...

Lots of Hogwarts going on with this crowd!

The dueling Harry's

McGonegal, Neville's grandmother, and Luna Lovegood

The four witches!

 The assembled company of (not so) little ones.  I love watching these kids grow up together.  They are magical.  They get along so well and they are just so.stinking. adorable.  And far too big.  I am so torn between loving this phase-- wherein I sit and enjoy drinks with my friends as our children run independently in the yard-- and desperately missing our tiny ones, their unbearable sweetness and the intensity of their needs and their love. It is exciting to watch our babies getting so tall and strong and smart and brave but it is terrifying, how fast this life flies by.

Time, frozen for a group photo;

Sunday:  Halloween at Severance.

Ivy entered the costume contest, brave girl.  She did not win anything, but had fun watching the other fun costumes go by.

 Jack was not enthused about this outing and read his book through most of the experience...

 ... though he could not help but get caught up in the Superman themed music played by an outrageously costumed orchestra.

Throwing confetti around outside after the show-- totally the best part for this ornery boy.

And, finally-- the real thing!!
The Jacob's family joined us for supper and a nice jaunt around our neighborhood.

 It was a perfect night for trick-or-treating-- just the tiniest chill in the air, dry and crisp.  Things were a bit quieter on Somerton than they've been in past years, which was fine with us as it was easier to keep track of little ones.  The little ones that stayed with us, that is.  These boys?  They took off on their own.

 Max and Jack were free agents for an hour, traversing the streets over to Hampshire and back.  How did they get so big?

 This girl was on a mission, charging ahead to find the next lit house.  We ran into several friends but Ivy could not be bothered to walk with them, as she was far too busy focusing on her next destination.

The kids were rewarded with a nice haul of candy, which was traded and sorted and eaten and even shared with baby sisters...

And now, suddenly , it is November!  This month-long Halloween spectacle is over, and life is back to normal but for the decorations (which may stay up through Thanksgiving), the pile of cast off costumes, and the trail of candy wrappers through the house.  What a funny, wonderful way to spend a month!