I will post costume pictures later, but I just had to tell you about the week leading up to Halloween.
When I was growing up my parents would take us out the week or two before Halloween to go Reverse Trick-or-Treating. What is Reverse Trick-or-Treating you ask? Well, we got to get in our Halloween costumes and take treats around to our neighbors instead of asking them for treats. It was usually a Family Home Evening activity and any time we got to dress up was an awesome time!
Well, my kids are now old enough to start this awesome tradition. It's actually something that I had forgotten about and when I was thinking about what to do for FHE last weekend I suddenly remembered that great activity. So, I got some treats together and didn't tell the kids what we were doing until the last minute when I told them to go and get their costumes on.
What a great service activity for young kids! The kids learned an important lesson about giving instead of receiving and it was a hoot to see the faces of people that came to the door. Some had a look of sheer panic thinking we were asking for treats and others just wondered what in the heck we were doing in costumes on their front porch. We visited some elderly people and widows, the bishopric and neighbors. We made sure that we didn't stay and interrupt their Family Home Evenings. It usually took a little bit of explaining that we were giving them treats not asking for them and it was nice to let them know how much we love and appreciate them.
I am so grateful for parents that taught me the value of service at a young age. I hope this is a tradition that our kids will look forward to every year at Halloween. It was a really special experience for me this year.
So, that was what we did on Monday night. Tuesday Corban had his preschool Halloween party and parade down Main Street. Lucky for us the preschool is right across the street so we didn't have to go far to watch their little parade.
Corb's teacher sent home a note saying that if it was raining that they wouldn't do the parade. Well, I was just sure they wouldn't do it because that was the day that the temperature totally dropped and it didn't rain - it SNOWED!! And it was really, really cold outside. Well, great lady that she is, when the time came it was not raining or snowing and she braved the cold along with a ton of kids (all 4 of her classes were combined for the actual parade) all bundled up and excited about their costumes. Corban had a great time and loved having yet another excuse to put on his skeleton costume. He LOVES being a skeleton!
On Wednesday I dropped off the two youngest kids at a neighbor's house and went with Gabby to kindergarten to help with her Halloween party. It's kind of a bummer that they don't have the kids dress up at school out here and have a parade through the school or anything like that. I think the PTA does one separately outside of school time. I think this year they are having a children's parade on Saturday afternoon.
Anyway, it was short day, so school was only about 2 hours and they just did some fun Halloween centers and fun activities. I was in charge of making necklaces. The kids strung beads on glow-in-the-dark plastic "thread." They also decorated sugar cookies and ate them with a glass of milk, played Halloween Bingo with M&M's and played some matching games. It was short and fun and I was glad to get to help out. Now the kids are out of school for 2 days because of the end of the term.
Nothing else too exciting happened this week. Bump is dressing up tomorrow at work (along with a co-worker) as a Bio-hazard type of guy with a H1N1 eradication/office sterilization sign on his bio-suit. I will be dressed similarly tomorrow as I scrub my house to get ready for my parents visit this weekend from Washington. What an awesome Halloween! Can't wait for Saturday.
I haven't been anywhere like this before, but right now. . . I want to be there.
Or there. . .
Or there. . . 
This past Monday night for Family Home Evening we talked to our kids about family history and our ancestors. I got out my scrapbook and showed our kids pictures of their grandparents (who they know and love), great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents (on my side).
And there is our scary skeleton, Corb. He had a perma-grin on his face the whole time! So cute.
Halloween was fun because my parents came into town and got to spend the evening with us. Well, my mom did - my dad went to the UofU football game with my brother instead (that is just so wrong in so many ways!!!) My mom came out trick-or-treating with me and the kids while Bump stayed home to give out treats. The kids had such a fun time and were so excited to have Grandma with them. Sorry I didn't get any pictures with them! Dang it.
Corb the skeleton. He has asked since last Halloween if he could be a skeleton and loved putting on his costume any time he had a chance.
Gabby asked if she could be a butterfly. We created this costume for her and she loved it. She didn't want people to think she was a fairy and let everyone know that she was a "beautiful butterfly."
On Friday at work Bump and his friend, Jay, dressed up like H1N1 detectors and destroyers. (???) They had a friend crochet those pig surgical masks for them and went from there. Bump used equipment (a stud finder and flashlight) to "detect" H1N1 particles and then Jay would spray them away (with pressurized air). Bump said that not only did they go all around the office, but also went into some of the surrounding businesses and eradicated H1N1 from the whole area. They had a great time with it, like they always do!
The legs sticking out the dirt is the kids favorite decoration. This year we threw a few extra bones out around the legs also.
Inside we have a few cute things scattered around the house. At the front door I have a cute witch that my sister gave me before she moved and I bought the cute stuffed witches boot from her mother-in-law. It's so much cuter in person!
In the parlor I have hung some creepy cloth over the lamps and added some fall decor to the mantle and put out my cute witches hat that I made at a Relief Society activity.
My neighbor was getting rid of these cute ghosts so I took them and hung them in the dining room for the kids.
The grocery store, across the street, had this fun 2-in-1 Halloween picture. When you look at it one way it is Whistler's Mother.
Then you look at it from another direction it is a spooky Whistler's Mother's Skeleton. I love little surprises like this around the house.
I haven't taken pictures at night, but it looks really cool. Not only are the tombstones and spider webs lit from the small spotlights, but I replaced the front porch light with an orange light bulb. I also put up candles in each window like we do for Christmas, but we used the orange flicker bulbs that make them look old and haunted. Also lining the front walk I have 8 little black iron jack-o-lanterns hanging that hold tea lights, they are in the picture at the top of the post, but they are small and you can't see them very well.