Halloween 2010

 

My parents are in Spain. That made for a difficult Halloween for me. No parents over to enjoy pizza and snacks. No parents over the entertain me while I hand out candy. No parents to keep me company while Mike goes out and trick-or-treats with the kids. No parents…..it’s a sad, sad time. They don’t come back for another week. I am not sure I can make it. Might need some Prozac.

I did, however, ask Mike’s sister, mom, and Dave to come over. Little Jake wanted to go out collecting candy with his buddy Connor (which is what he calls him) and Noah. So, pizzas and snacks could still happen! Fabulous.

First, I must be a slight Debbie Downer. Pumpkin carving is quickly finding itself in the same company as gingerbread houses in the Budach home. I want to know how people get their kids to create these masterpieces? Am I just too much of a wimp? Am I not doing something correctly? Do I not have the right equipment? It is nearly impossible for my kids to help us carve pumpkins. The knives we have to use to create these carvings are so sharp. I can’t even stand to watch the kids use them, and yet I don’t want to take my eyes off them in case something happens.

Noah and Connor both picked out cool stencils that I thought would be easy to create, without too many little cut-outs. Neither one of them could work the knife. So, Mike and I end up carving and the kids sit there and watch. What fun is that? Super annoying. Finally, Noah took a smaller pumpkin, free-handed a face and was able to complete the whole thing himself….minus a tooth that got cut off but nothing a little toothpick couldn’t take care of.  He thought it was fun, so maybe the trick is doing super simple designs? I don’t know, I see pictures of kids holding up very nice pumpkins that they have carved themselves, and they are much younger than our kids. Help me! Why is everything such a challenge?!? Ha!

Noah’s Pumpkin

Connor’s Pumpkin

Noah went back and forth about going out this year. I think the fact that his cousin Jake went was the main reason he went…..I was secretly hoping he would stay back and hand out candy (this is my favorite part of Halloween, when the kids come back and can take over door duty while I go through their stash of candy. What? They don’t like Bit-O-Honeys or Almond Joys anyway.).

Connor easily picked out some horrid costume at Wal-mart, grabbed a sword from the toy room, and off they went.

Easiest picture I have ever taken.

Cousin Jake!

All-in-all, a good time was had by all. Two-hour late start tomorrow helps the wee ones be able to sleep off their sugar highs before attempting school. Good planning on someone’s part.

Did I mention my parents are in Spain. Did I mention that aren’t coming home for another week? Did I mention I don’t like it?

Okay, just checking.

 

Peace out, Ghouls.

LB