Candyfest 2008

Is it over yet? It feels like we've been partying for weeks. Or maybe it's just been on my mind for that long. Let me give you the rundown on the costume drama at our house:

(one month ago)
Me: What do you guys want to be for Halloween?

Parker: The Dark Knight (from the new Batman movie)

Riley: Hannah Montana!

Emma: Hannah Tana too!

In the weeks following:
Parker's costume:

• Found mask and cape at Smith's Marketplace
• 2 days later find mask, cape and entire one-piece outfit at Wal-Mart for same price
• That night we confirm that one-piece costumes are made for extra thin, but tall kids -- costume fits a little snug, but is nearly too long (next size won't fit)
• Return to both stores -- rethink costume
• Next week get out Halloween boxes and Parker finds new obsession with ninja costume that is at least 3 sizes too small
• I think, "Maybe I could make one out of a flat bed sheet -- that would be cheap."
• 4 days until school parade/party and I'm searching at K-Mart and discover this at 50% off.

Riley's costume:

• I veto Hannah Montana idea (too expensive) and find adorable BYU cheerleader outfit on Ebay.
• Size mishap again -- Riley wants to be a butterfly princess
• Go to DI and stumble upon a homemade Daphne (from Scooby Doo) costume - perfect for my Scooby Doo fanatic
• And voila!

Emma's costume:

• Me: "Do you want to be Jessie?" (Since she was about to have a Jessie birthday party)
• I think, "That would be easy. Just a little cow-print and yellow material, white shirt, and jeans."
• 5 days until Halloween and I'm searching at DI and stumble upon a Disney Store original Jessie costume in fairly decent condition for $4!
  
• Hurry home and throw it in the wash.
• While washing, neighbor calls and tells me that her sister-in-law made a Jessie costume and wanted to give it to someone who would use it.
• Now I have two Jessie costumes and materials for a third

KJ's costume:

• 3 weeks ago my mom calls and asks what KJ is going to be. I have no idea. She says she found this adorable costume and will get it for him. OKAY!

Mine & Kempe's costumes:

1 month ago:
Me: What do you want to dress up as for Halloween?
Kempe: I don't know.

1 week ago:
Me: I made a list of couple costumes we can be. What do you think?
Kempe: How would you do this one? What about this one?

Long story short:
Day before Halloween Kempe goes to K-Mart to pick out a mask. I run to the DI and miraculously find a decent dress suit that actually fits for $8! And then I hurry over to the dollar store for some reading glasses and remove the lenses. This is what we finally came up with:Is there this much drama at your house?

Candyfest festivities:

Thursday:
Kids' Halloween parade and class parties because on Halloween the teachers were having 'Quality Teaching Day' and the kids got the day off.

Friday:
Enjoy sleeping in until 8:15 am!
2:30 Trick-or-treat my Grandma and Grandpa Norton's house. My awesome Grandparents made one of these little goodie bags for each of their great-grandkids:3:25 to Kempe's office to trick-or-treat 3 floors of cubicles (Emma's bucket was overflowing by the time we were done -- 1:Because she had the smallest bucket and 2:I think she was taking 2 or 3 pieces of candy when we weren't paying attention)

5:00 Trick-or-treat Kempe's parents' house

5:35 Heading to friend's Halloween party

6:05 Thinking that we're lost

6:12 Calling friend to confirm we're lost

6:35 Finally arriving at the party.
Party highlights:

• Seeing my friend's cute house

• The YUMMY white chili chicken soup, rolls, salad, cookies...FOOD!

• Painting mini pumpkins -- and cleaning the paint off my kids...and the chair...and table...and their costumes

• Pumpkin bowling

then it turned into this...
and this...
and this!8:25 Headed home.

8:30 Realized there's no freeway signs and think we might be going the wrong direction again

8:32 Look for the mountains (they should always be to the east)

8:33 Turn around and head home

9:00 RUN (because it's raining) over to neighbor's house who has been anxiously waiting to see the kids

9:30 FINALLY home and have to make deal with kids on how many candies they can have before bed.

10:30 Everyone in bed

10:31 Checkin' out the kids' loot to see what sounds good.