Pre Halloween festivities

We went to 2 activities before Halloween.  First we went to our high school's trick or treat street.  They have done this every year but I have never gone.  I figured it would be either too hard, chaotic, lame or just not worth it.  I learned that it is actually AMAZING and totally worth it - BUT you have to get there an hour early to stand in line.  It was freezing cold so I went an hour early and Jason dropped them off 2 minutes before they opened the doors (I am such a self- sacrificing mother.... insert eye roll)

It was really amazing and am so glad we went.  We also had Lincoln with us (Lincoln is usually with us).  They decorated all the halls and every hall was a different theme.  It was SO INTENSE.  While it was cool and the kids loved it I wondered where they got the money and the time - it literally would have taken them all day to decorate.  We got a ton of candy also - but to be honest the real reason we went was to get the candy.  Since Jason still didn't have a job, we talked the kids into going to get candy and then giving that candy away to trick or treaters so we didn't have to buy candy.  They were happy to help out (they did also eat the candy)

This is Kelton.  He is in our ward and the girls' best friend.  (Madison literally says Kelton is her best friend).  They take turns sitting with him and his mom in sacrament and they always bring stuff for the girls to do.  They were excited to see him passing out candy.

Once we left (it took about an hour) we were leaving the high school and there was still about a 1/2 mile line of people waiting to get in (in the dark, cold, and now, snowy night).  Instantly my kids' hearts went out to them and they realized that 1 - they had been waiting now for an hour, 2 - some of them still had an hour wait (or more), 3 - they might not get in and 4 - if they did get in most of the candy would be gone.  So, with out any prompting from me, as we walked to the car, my kids starting handing out candy to the kids waiting in line.  In moments like this you think, maybe, just maybe, your doing something right.

The next night we went to our ward's Halloween party/trunk or treat.  We brought our friends, Finn and Zoe with us.

Here is our Harry Potter crew. This is Noah, Megan, and their friend Finn. Our family read the Harry Potter books and watched the movies this summer (well... up to book 3, after that they can read them if they are in fourth grade). Our kids loved them. Aren't they the perfect Harry, Hermione, and Ron? Love it!