Happy Heatherween 2019!

Here's a secret for you. I LOVE trick or treating. Like more than my kids. 

Trick or treating involves:

1. Lots of walking. Walking is my favorite exercise. It's the exercise that feels good but doesn't feel like work to me. I love you, Walking! I love you.

2. Talking to Neighbors. I'll admit, I'm not always the most neighborly. We're all busy and all that. But Halloween is more chill, everyone is in a good mood, and everyone is excited to see each other and look at the cute kids. 

3. Candy! I am not as much of a candy lover as I used to be. I still LOVE chocolate and baked goods and all that but I can't hold my candy like I used to be able to. Still, it's fun! 

The girls and Dan and I were excited about their group costumes, and we just sorta assumed that Harris would LOVE being Peter Pan. He really didn't. He HATED the hat.

After pictures, I let him take off the hat, and he was somewhat better after that.

It rained all night and all day before trick or treating time. I was getting NERVOUS. The kids were devastated at the thought of not being able to go. And then at 5:30, it cleared up and we were on our way. And it was WARM. Low 70s. A dream come true.

Harris insisted on climbing up every step by himself, and we did a lot of waiting. That's fine by me--no rush on Halloween!

The neighborhood was dead. I am not sure if it's because of the rain or if people just go to the mall to trick or treat now. Either way, I was sad! Let's all go trick or treating!! But the kids certainly benefited from the lack of attendees. Everyone gave them gobs and gobs of candy.

And candy-passer-outters received a treat from my kids as well. More like a trick. Gwen is the most blunt person in the all the land and often told people the first thing that came to her head when they answered the door.

"You're BALD!"

"You look like a GRANDPA!"

and my personal favorite:

"You need to mow your lawn!"

We had many talks about it in between houses, but she just doesn't see any offense in the truth. I was a little mortified.

Harris wasn't the only one to modify his costume throughout the night. I seem to forget every year that costumes need to be low maintenance. Nothing that needs to be constantly adjusted. No props to hold in order to have the costume make sense. I've been doing better, but this year Harris had the problem hat, and June's dress dragged. We kept tying it in knots to make it better.

We went for two hours, and it was bliss. I have a sprained hip that I'm going to PT for right now, and it was certainly a little irritated, but the rest of me felt so alive!

The LOOT:

And no picture of Harris with his candy because he went to bed with no complaints the second we stepped in the door.

And the next day was my 35th birthday. 

June is a special girl and remembered my birthday is the day after Halloween. So before that, she got the other kids together, and they made me presents that they gave to me the morning of the 1st.

This is what I opened from Gwen. It's a game she made up. The top of an acorn in a water bottle lid. You shake the lid, and if you can shake it and keep the acorn inside the lid, you win. If it falls out, you lose!

This wrap job was done by June. The thing on top is a bow.

And on the inside: a "fan" she made me for when I get cold this winter. Haha.

Also, Dan and my BFF Linz gave me a great present. Linz flew in, and Dan watched the kids while we went to NYC Saturday. We met up with some of Linz's friends for lunch.

Linz and I saw Phantom for the billionth time. We always laugh and cry and make fun of it and love it all at the same time.

Sunday after church, we took the girls with us so Linz could see the Priesthood Restoration Site. Probably my favorite church history site. The Spirit is so strong, and I just love it.

Linz has since gone home, but my kids haven't recovered. I've had two kids crying for Aunt Linz ever since she left.

And in miscellaneous news, Gwen poured and flipped these pancakes all by herself.

And Beck has finally reached swing stage and loves it.

But can fall asleep anywhere. It's genetic.

The End.