Halloween 2011

This year for Halloween Frances wanted to be a cat. She actually created her own costume from things she already had. We did end up buying her a tail and ears, but the rest was her own creation.

Henry waffled back and forth about a couple of different things he wanted to be. He finally settled on a dog (big surprise, huh!?!)

And since cat and dog were already taken, I decided to make Benjamin a mouse.

Since Frances' costume was homemade, I bought a brown sweatsuit for Henry and a grey sweatsuit for Benjamin.  I found some felt in the craft box and added some details with the hot glue gun.  I think they turned out rather nice. And I spent more money on candy than I did on costumes!

 We went out to visit Daddy at work for our first stop.  I always get a little giggle about visiting Ken at work. I really wonder what people think about this lady dragging her three little kids with her into the liquor store!!  Last night as I was getting Benjamin out of the van, the guy parked next to me made a comment about trick-or-treating at the liquor store.  I laughed about it and commented, "When Daddy's gotta work, this is our only choice!"  Incidentally, this might be my favorite Halloween picture this year:

Especially the way one ear is flopped backwards!!

After visiting Daddy, we went over to my work because the girls had asked earlier if we would stop by.  They got some candy there and banged around on one of the computers before we headed over to Franklin Street to collect candy. We parked at a friend's house and walked down the street and back up.  When we got back to the van, Frances said, "Where are we going next, Mommy?"  Ummm..HOME??  She had enough energy to keep going, but her brothers were definitely spent (and so was her mom!)

Incidentally, I couldn't find my big plastic candy bowl that I usually set out on the porch, so I took two McDonald's buckets from last year and filled those with candy.  We are not usually home when the majority of the trick-or-treaters are out, so I just leave the bucket on the front porch.  It is actually pretty rare for us to get trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood, which is why we go a few blocks over.  Anyway, when we got home, both buckets were empty (yeah!) so I refilled them and put them back out on the porch. I heard a few rustles out there while I was putting the kids to bed and then later when I was sitting on the couch.  When Ken got home at 9:30 I asked him if there was any candy left in the bucket. "What buckets?" he says!  Turns out somebody took not only the candy, but the buckets as well!!  Well, the jokes on them-I was hoping to get rid of those things anyway!

And just in case you think Ken and I are no fun, we did dress up.  We didn't get to spend any time together on Halloween, but we spent weeks planning our costumes and collecting pieces, so here we are:

Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institution and FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth.  You can't see the "cocky" belt buckle I bought him, or the shoulder holster he was wearing, but I know they are there and that makes me happy!