Halloween... and then some

While some have moved on to Christmas already I still wanted to sum up our Halloween.  The celebrations went on and on.  As Buddy Boy said it was just party, party, party all weekend long.  Friday morning I made gingerbread skeletons for the bake sale at the school carnival.  I love them almost as much as the ninja-bread men.

School let out early each day this week for parent teacher conferences (well timed based on my observation of extremely excited first graders in the classroom on Monday) so we took off for a pumpkin farm.  There were rides...

and straw bales to climb on...

and EXTREMELY large pumpkins...

and best of all a pumpkin blaster.  You could shoot mini pumpkins out of the air powered pumpkin blaster at the targets or the old truck out in the field.  If you hit one of the pumpkins on the truck you get and extra shot.  Dad got an extra shot.

After the pumpkin patch we dressed up for the school carnival.  Minutes before we were to leave My Girl absolutely and completely rejected the fairy costume I had made.  She wanted to be a ninja like her brother, so here she is, the Pink Ninja, complete with sparkly shoes.

Saturday was the trunk or treat at church.  We were rather late since My Girl fell asleep.  I didn't want to wake her.  We got there in time to collect a bit of candy and see some of the great costumes and car decorations.  Each year I am impressed.

Monday morning was full of costume parades.  Here is Buddy Boy's class.  His teacher was Harry Potter.  I really liked the wheel made from duct tape.  It's probably hard to find a good wheel costume in the stores.

The teachers really got in to the spirit of the event dressing as different characters from the Harry Potter books.  I especially liked the sorting hat.

I left school early to make it to preschool for their parade.  Each year they dress up, trick or treat at the office, and then sing their Halloween songs for the parents.  It is all pretty cute.  This time the fairy costume was the top choice.

After school we finally got around to carving the pumpkins.  Buddy Boy has enjoyed the fact that he looks a little like a Jack o'lantern himself this year with so many teeth missing or partially grown in.

There was some intense concentration.

And bunny ears.

I wondered if what used to be the main event would be rather anticlimactic.  I shouldn't have worried.  They were more than excited.  It was a lot of fun to go with friends around the neighborhood.  My Girl was a little bit amazed at the whole experience.  After each door she would run back and say, "They gave me a treat!", completely thrilled with the idea.  The fact that it happened again and again and she got to do it with one of her best friends was just too much.

By the time we got home they just dropped, ate a little candy, and went to bed early.  I call that a success.