"experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." -randy pausch

Sunday, November 1, 2015

'cause i think we all just feel like we're walking a bunch of crazy puppies with a cat climbing up our backs {HALLOWEEN 2K15}

it was freakishly warm again this year.
like it actually got WARMER as the night went on.
not even max wore a coat.
so so awesome.
halfway around the neighborhood loop max tripped on a rock, and her candy spilled out.
it was almost a game ender, but my cousin andrea saved all of the candy, and then we threw max in
the wagon for the halloween hail mary pass.
somehow this did the trick and HP did not even rear its ugly head.
god bless america.
and god bless the wagon.
we didn't lose any kids, except one time for five minutes, and it was actually me that we lost.
halloween night in our neighborhood is the best block party in all the world.
i couldn't help myself from stopping for a quick chat.
there is one house with a haunted house {it's LEGIT--they turn their garage into it, and takes them       an entire month before to prep it. my kids were all too scared to get past the candy grab, but two of     them at least did that. brennan made it further, but then we had to emergency exit after two scary         people jumped out twice.}
another house does hot dogs, donuts, and hot apple cider.
WITH fire pit in the driveway.
 i sure love chatting with them while the kids ate.
scott around the corner mowed a giant pumpkin into his lawn.
boy i thought that was clever!
in other halloween news...
    the house across the street from ours had doorbell ditchers,
    and apparently these doorbell ditchers rolled around in our front yard.
    then a house one street behind us got egged.
    there was some good teenager gossip about it all at church today.
    we were asleep before 10pm, and missed all of the excitement.
    we didn't even change our clocks back, so really, we went to bed at 9pm.
    i have never actually taken advantage of the extra hour of sleep until last night.
    let me tell you, I'VE BEEN MISSING OUT ALL OF THESE YEARS!!!!!
    also, i think this means i'm a grown up.
    {don't worry though, brennan still woke up at 5:15am...there's always a catch with the time change. NEVER fails!}
{max asked me to dress up as a witch with her. i almost cried i was so happy.
and then an hour before the bewitching hour began i came to find out that i had loaned out my witch dress to someone, and it was never returned. wah!!! it all worked out for the best bc i got to wear pants, and really, all you need to be a witch is a wig and a hat, 
and let's be honest, even the wig is optional.}
{brennan's trick or treating map. have you ever read the Bernstein Bear's trick or treating book?}
{brennan's cape was magical this year. the breeze kept making it fly behind him. perfection.}
{the lion costume brennan wore as a baby got pulled out again. 
why you ask did baby dean not get his own original costume?
let me tell you.
#1- it's a vest. #2- it has a built in giant eskimo warm hat. 
#3- did i mention it's a vest? best baby costume ever. also it cost $10 at costco
7 years ago and is still good as new, and i just couldn't resist! it brings his eyes out, don't you think?}
{my mom is so fun. i squealed when the garage door opened, 
and i saw her standing there to surprise us with her mask. 
i always forget about fun masks...}
these yahoos crack me up.
also, you should know that because cade is the SIXTH kid in his family,
he is also now an uncle, as his oldest sister just had her first baby in march.
so cade's nephew and baby dean ended up both being lions and obliged to have their
photo taken together. i give you....
cade's nephew & brennan's brother:
{i don't know why this brother nephew stuff all makes me laugh so hard,
but it does.
it just REALLY does.
i think it's mostly because cade is an uncle.}
"THE HALLOWEEN HOUSE."
that's it's name in our hood.
even when it's not halloween.
like if you're talking to anyone who's lived here through at least one halloween,
all you have to say is,
"you know, the halloween house,"
and everybody knows who's house you're talking about.
it's not decorated year round or anything like that.
it's just famously awesome with a new theme every year.
and this year was 
BY FAR, HANDS DOWN 
my favorite since we've lived here!!!
i giggled every time i walked past the skeleton walking all of the dogs.
there's also a cat climbing up the back.
they have seven kids.
SEVEN.
there are 7 dogs being walked {2 of them biting the walker on each leg,} 
and 1 cat {as previously mentioned, climbing up the back.}
so i kinda love them for having such a great sense of humor.
because i think we all just feel like we're walking a bunch of crazy puppies 
with a cat climbing up our backs most days as "real grown ups," you know?
i know:)
the hot dog, donut, cider house.
please note the finger lights that helped me keep track of my kids.
thank you to whoever was passing THOSE little ditty's out!
THE CREW.
only one bucket broke,
which was replaced by a costco reusable shopping bag,
and one witch hat was lost,
but we didn't know it,
until tonight,
when it was returned.
praise the lord.

things to remember for next year
FIRST.
remember that the kids hate clam chowder.
i made homemade clam chowder. it RIVALED pier 39, i tell ya.
but the kids, they hated it.
like they spit it out of their mouths and then we tried to bribe them, but the bribe didn't even work, bc they actually really hated it THAT much.
i know.
TRAGIC!!!
go figure.
i think this is the second time i've forgotten this.
i think i knew this, remembered it for awhile, and then forgot it again.
have you ever had that happen before?
yeah, me too.

SECOND.
because of the hot dog, donut, and apple cider house,
you actually don't even NEED to feed your children dinner on halloween night.
so handy.
if you can remember.
this was BEFORE they ate the soup. max liked it until brennan said he hated it,
and it was a domino affect from there.
i even have PROOF that max liked it 
BEFORE brennan decided to sabotage the entire thing:/
SEE!!!
boo hoo for my clam chowder.

{max told me she was the "bossy witch" from hocus pocus with this wig on. 
so proud, hahahaha}
we borrowed a pumpkin, cleaned it all out,
and returned it with only two holes in the back,
which we used for our front.
like i said,
my neighbors are THE BEST:)
and dean,
he liked the pumpkin better than his bumbo.
who would have thought?!
{the end.}