Halloween Schmalloween

I will make no attempt to mask my feelings -- I do not like Halloween. I'm not sure why, but I really never have liked it. I don't know if it's because I think dressing up is silly or what, but I suspect it has a lot to do with going door to door asking for candy that other people have touched. Also, since we moved to Utah, the fact that it's usually snowing on Halloween doesn't help.

Anyway, notwithstanding my disdain for this holiday, we participate every year because the kids love it -- and because Mel loves it. (Like I said, the kids love it.) She really enjoys making costumes and they all get into the excitement of it together. I can't help being entertained by them, however, and every year Mel does a really wonderful job with their costumes.

The kids are allowed to dress up in costume for school, but they can't wear just any costume -- it has to fit in with some certain theme they are studying. So one of Bradley's options was to dress as a tall tale character, and he decided on Johnny Appleseed. Not too difficult, but very cute.



Lindsey's class could dress as something one would find on a farm, so she decided to go as an adorable little kitty cat. She looked great, and again, it wasn't difficult.

Nathaniel elected not to dress up, and the seventh graders were permitted to wear jeans and t-shirts instead of costumes, which he was all about.

Now, for the real deal, on Saturday, they all had different costumes. Nathaniel went as the Star Wars sith dude, Darth Maul. Mel did his makeup -- pretty darn scary.

They all looked great -- Lindsey was Sleeping Beauty, Bradley was Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi, and the star of the show was Joseph as Han Solo. He was applauded everywhere he went, and not just by us -- he looked really cute. He was so proud of his costume. He kept saying, "Look at this, Lindsey."

The ward Trunk-Or-Treat and soup dinner was a great success. We had a great time, even though the rainy weather forced us inside, and instead of trunks we set up tables. Not quite the same effect, but it was warm and the kids still had plenty of fun. Chris set out a pot of dry ice, which ordinarily he uses to create a very spooky effect with lights and music in the back of the van. Oh well, it was fun anyway.

After the Trunk-Or-Treat we took the kids up to Lindon to a friend's house -- they had constructed an extremely elaborate pirate ship in their yard, with lights, music, cannons, smoke, and singing skeletons. It was really quite unbelievable -- in the dark we couldn't get a good picture of it, but it was really just amazing. Then we took the kids to a haunted train ride, which again was super-elaborate -- I just can't believe how into Halloween some folks get! The kids really had fun, except for my sensitve Bradley, who, like me doesn't care for being scared. He didn't want to go on the train, and I was more than happy to sit out with him. We wen't back to the van where he handed me a Kit Kat and said, "This is for not making me go in there." Sweet sweet boy.

Han was all tuckered out by the end of a very long night. Another Halloween gone, thank goodness. :)