Halloween 2014

Wow, has it really been a month since my last post? Is it really November already?? Where has this past year gone! I figured that I would recap all of our fun Halloween events in just one quick post.



While visiting Grandma and Grandpa's house one weekend with cousins, the kids were all allowed to head out to the garden and pick a pumpkin. My two were even allowed to use a drywall saw to cut the vine on their own. They all had fun searching for the perfect pumpkin.

We co-hosted/attending a Trunk or Treat with some of our oldest local friends (and some new ones as well). We have been doing this since 2009 with a handful of the same families and it is so much fun to look back over the pictures and see how they have all grown.

I finally got a madeleine pan and the first ones I needed to make were these candy corn cookies!

I taught L's class on how to draw 3-d pumpkins using chalk pastels, and discussing shadow, lines, shape, and color.

We went to Frightful Fridays at a local library. The kids had off that day due to Fall Break, so we put on our costumes and headed in for games, crafts, and trick or treating to some local businesses tables set up.

We had a fun Halloween party with Cub Scouts! Each den made a game to play, we did Frankensteins head filled with brains, eyes, and spiders in his mouth. I also made these brain cupcakes with blood filling. Most boys were too grossed out to try one, and I must say that shocked me.

I went out of town for the day and Adam took the kids to carve pumpkins at a local place downtown. They then got to head back after dark to see all the pumpkins lit up along the street and bring their own pumpkins home. We also carved the pumpkins we picked from Grandpa's garden. Those were tough little pumpkins and I thought for sure I was going to walk away with a knife in my hand. Thankfully they were finished without incident.

Halloween night brought with it high winds, a severe drop in temps to the 30's, and rain/snow during trick or treat hours. We still braved it, but only hit up about half the houses we normally visit. D was of course the first one to get cold and complain (even though I told her to wear warm items under her costume and only be told that she was fine).

And last but not least friends of ours had a Halloween/Housewarming party the day after Halloween. The kids were excited to go to a "grown up" party, and that most people understood their costumes. (L was Han Solo, and D was Black Widow) (also see: Chicago Comic Con) The kids did an amazing job of being well behaved, and carrying on conversations with a bunch of people they had just met. At one point they were in charge of getting everyone's vote for the costume contest. There were a few different categories, each one making their own, and they then asked each person for their vote. They took this as serious work.

They then had fun announcing the winners! (They won one of the prizes)

Comic Con Chicago!!!!!

Both L and D are super into comics, superheros, video games, and sci-fi these days, so Adam decided they were finally old enough to head to the Chicago Comic Con! Luckily kids 12 and under get in free, so it was only $100 for us to get in. We NEEDED to dress up as well, so Adam got to work creating his and both kids costumes. Mine was super easy, I bought it from Hot Topic. D went as the Black Widow ("because she has red hair and shoots a gun"), L went as Han Solo, Adam went as the original Flash, and I was the Doctor's Tardis (my light on top even flashed).

On the "red carpet"

 This Lady Loki saw D as we were walking in and gave her a little salute. So when we saw her walking around inside, D wanted her picture taken with her. It was adorable because the girl had HER mom take a picture as well.

 L found this fellow Han Solo, and asked if he could get a picture. Cracked me up because he was at the bar and needed to set his drink down to take it.

 I just loved this little girl! She was dressed as Hermione, and D was too nervous to ask her for a photo. So I asked her if D could take her picture with her. The little girl was shocked that someone wanted a picture with her, and got really excited.

Oh poor John Watson. Left behind again.

 Yes, yes I know, these next few are blurry, but we weren't suppose to take pictures in this area. They were selling photo ops and signatures, but I just couldn't afford those. We did notice a large group of people hanging out by a black curtain in the back. We figured someone was bound to come out, and sure enough the crowd got really loud and cameras were going crazy. We could see Matt Smith's head bouncing up above the crowd as we bounced his way to his table.

 I am still in shock that I was this close to The Doctor!!!! He even waved to me (or in my direction)

And there is John Barrowman, otherwise known as Captain Jack Harkness!!!

 The kids did get to try out the new Skylanders video game that is not even out yet. When they went to school the next day and told all their friends, they were royalty on the playground.

 This IronMan costume was amazing!!! It was all homemade, and moveable mask, made all the sounds and even had pulsing lights.

 I found Amy Pond and the Last Centurion! While we were taking a picture, tons of people ran up for a shot as well. Made me feel a bit famous.

 I also got to take a picture with a real Tardis. I was super excited because as soon as I touched the handle, it started to make the noise!! EEEEEEEKKKKK!!!!!

And this is what I brought home from our trip. As of right now, all but the dalek is on the car.