Halloween

Now, normally on Halloween James takes the kids around. He and some of the other dads get together and drive the kids around. Remember, we are in Colorado, and usually Halloween is the coldest day of the season which means the kids are in their coats, hats, and mittens, and are freezing by the time they get back. James usually takes the seats out of the van, opens the van door at the clusters, has the kids jump out to go trick-or-treating, and then they drive to the next cluster. Since James is the greatest husband ever, last year most of my friend's husbands were deployed, so he took 8 kids trick-or-treating. I had to laugh this year when the weather turned out to be in the 60's at night, and the kids could actually walk around instead of being driven as well as not having to wear their coats over their costumes! James would have enjoyed this Halloween! Here are pictures of the girls in their costumes. Alysse was Samantha (the American Girl doll), and Ashlea was a kitty cat. Austin went as Austin. He was never big into dressing up, and now that he is in middle school he is "too old" for that. Our cadets, Mikey and Kat, were super sweet and called to see if they could take the kids trick-or-treating. While they went around, I went to my friend Danielle's to pass out candy. One of our other traditions on Halloween is that I make gumbo. My friends look forward to it as much as my family does. Around here, gumbo really warms you up as we sit outside in the cold to pass out candy. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Enjoy the pictures!

Pumpkin Carving Party

Every year we have a pumpkin carving party the Sunday before Halloween. We carve our pumpkins, roast pumpkin seeds, make caramel apples, eat chili, and watch Charlie Brown's "The Great Pumpkin". We always have a great time! For the past couple of years I have invited our friends whose spouse was deployed. This year my friend Sharalie and her family came since her husband is in Korea for a year. Our cadets came down to give me a hand with the carving, and I am so glad they did! Here they are carving away!
Austin carved his own and did such a great job!

Here he is with his finished product!

Ahslea wanted this very detailed haunted house that took our cadet, Mike, around an hour to carve. Thank you Mike!!!! As you can see it turned out great! Mike had Ashlea decorate it, so you put a lot of rain drops on it and balloons that say boo!

Alysse chose a kitty cat for hers which our cadet, Kat, was gracious enough to carve. The funny thing is by the time Halloween got here the cat was pretty shriveled up, so he added to the Halloween ambience.

We had a great time, but we sure missed James! As we watched Charlie Brown, I got a little emotional knowing this was the first of the holiday season, and he wouldn't be here. I sent him pictures of their pumpkins and costumes, but I can't wait for next year when he will be home with us!