Halloween

This year has been the weirdest Halloween we've experienced in Oregon. Usually, our apartment complex is hopping - kids and families all over the place. During Aeryn's last year in elementary school I was volunteering at the library and heard the other parents talking about how our complex was "THE" place to go. There were kids all over. The office used to sponsor cider and treats with coloring pages and a trick or treating stop for the kids. We'd see most of our friends as we walked around, and it was a blast. Seriously, a blast.

Today however, it seems mostly vacant outside. We have opened the door a total of 8 times to hand out candy, the parking lot is empty, and there are so few people. With a family, it's just one more thing that makes me anxious for the day we can finally move into a real neighborhood. Soon. At least that's what I'm telling myself: Soon.

Aeryn chose to be Black Widow, and Tate, well, he didn't get to choose anything. (And yes, it causes me stress that her blacks don't match, but well, she was happy and I'll just deal with it.)

Can I tell you how thankful I was for this costume choice? All it took was one trip to Goodwill and one 6 minute block of time to create the belt symbol. She totally made my day and I didn't have to talk her out of something elaborate first. That's the reason she actually has the costume she wanted. It was easy. At 34 weeks pregnant easy is my mojo.

Tate was slated to be a minion. Didn't he turn out cute????

Yes, I know, that doesn't look like a minion... That's because as I mentioned previously I am tired. With a capital T. On our goodwill visit I even scored the perfect overalls and was completely stoked. I was going to make the hat and goggles, dye a shirt or find something yellow for him to wear, then call it done, but even that was far too much effort for me. I have spent the last three days feeling like a slacker mom but in truth I'm going to blame it on baby girl sucking all my energy away. I can't be this unmotivated by myself, surely. 

This afternoon I was desperately trying to think of something we could put together at home and then it hit me that we had taken away a blue plastic bat this morning because Mr. T was waving it all around the place on the verge of damaging everything we own. Couple that with the jerseys he is about to grow into and the idea was born that we could make this look deliberate instead of last minute and spontaneous. Winning. 

Of course I had to try to document this whole weird holiday so I can forever look back at how cute/little/silly the kids once were. Toddlers do not care if you have a camera. They do not care if you want them to smile or be still for only one second. They do not care about much of anything except that they are outside and can run amok. Squirt tried to keep tabs on him, but the darling Pinterest-worthy photo ideas that linger in the back of an internet obsessed mother were not going to be happening. I can only imagine how effective it will be once there is yet another one to coerce into cuteness. Pinterest has ruined me. If it weren't for all the great ideas I've stolen from there I'd wish it would disappear so my self-esteem wouldn't suffer.  (Please, please, for the love, don't go away Pinterest.)

Squirt handed out candy to the few kids who came by and we took Tate to the doors of a few families we know. He didn't get the whole thing and tried to walk away once a person talked to him. He doesn't understand candy and it didn't make a whole lot of sense, but he LOVED knocking. We had success at only two homes which was just fine with us. I can say that we did it, and the kids still had a normalish non-sugared up bedtime. 

Evidently Ellie was sick and didn't get to go out tonight, but she was able to attend a party at church a few days ago and get to have a Halloween experience for the year. If only we'd be able to have them all together for this holiday one year...

And now, it's over. I didn't decorate, we bought our candy at 4:00 p.m. after we already saw kids outside, and as you know I was a bit of a slacker in the costume department. Next on the list is Thanksgiving, and I'm determined to actually experience that Holiday. I've already got plans for simple decorations and food. Bets on if any of that will happen? I'm thinking the odds are not looking good, but I'm going to keep dreaming anyway.