Halloween

October was a wet month in Seattle. We had 16.1 inches of rain versus the monthly average of 3.5. Thank goodness my parents and I took the kids to a pumpkin patch on Columbus Day (Tommy was in London for work) because I am not sure there was another dry weekend day to do so. It pains me to think that my kids will grow up and associate Halloween with memories of being wet and cold, but I suppose they don't know any different.

This year, Taylor dressed up as Elena of Avalor. Elena is a new Disney character and has a TV show on the Disney channel. I honestly don't know much more about her, but Taylor enjoyed wearing a puffy red dress, pulling her hair into a side ponytail, and having the excuse to put on makeup. Matty told me for weeks that he did not want to dress up for Halloween, then he told me that he wanted to be a pumpkin (??). We looked online to order him a pumpkin costume, but I was not surprised when all of the pumpkin costumes we saw were for infants or toddlers. So, he somewhat begrudgingly wore an old Yankees uniform that used to be Tommy's. He looked super cute and so much more mature than his friends that wore Ninja, Superhero, or Lego costumes.

And then there is Brayden. Oh Brayden! This is the boy that says his three favorite things are trains, conveyor belts, and urinals. When I asked Brayden what he wanted to be for Halloween, he got really close to my face and said in a whisper, "I want to be a monorail!" After my initial laugh, I suggested that he call Grandma and Pop Pop and ask if they could make him a costume. Thank goodness they were up to the challenge! I sent them some pictures I found on Pinterest, and Brayden had his very own monorail costume by Halloween night.

So, after a day at the pumpkin patch, a harvest festival at school, pumpkin carving with friends, and a Halloween pre-party at our house (with 30+ neighbors), Halloween 2016 is a wrap. The kids loved trick or treating with their friends, and now I need to figure out what to do with the bucket loads of candy in my house.

Here are some pictures:

The kids loved the potato sack slide at the pumpkin patch.

Baba joined in on the fun.

I love this particular pumpkin patch because of all the kids activities it has, including a giant inflatable pumpkin to bounce on. I even bounced a bit with the kids before an employee informed me that the inflatable was for kids only. :)

Picking our pumpkins with Mimi and Baba. I wonder where Brayden learned to stick his tongue out in every picture?

Oh wait! Like Baba, like grandson,

Tyler Stone and Matty at the school carnival.

Brayden, Owen Park, and Taylor participating in the treat walk at the carnival.

The big reveal of the monorail costume! Brayden was pumped about the lights!

Group photo at Mrs. B's on Halloween. I just laugh when I see B in that monorail!

Halloween night. These trick or treaters are ready to hit the streets!

It was cold and wet, but the kids were troopers.

I could not possibly get a still photo of Brady once we were outside. The blur of his feet in this picture accurately captures his speed as he ran (in a box, somehow carrying a pumpkin) from house to house.

Taylor and I carved this pumpkin. It looked pretty cool on Halloween night.

Back at home after hitting the jackpot with candy. Soaked and ready for a hot shower.

All jammied up, sorting candy, and watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Lots of smiles from these kids that night!