Just Keep Swimming: Halloween

I wasn't really feeling it for Halloween this year. However, I knew that the kiddos wouldn't let me scrooge out on this particular holiday. But for the first time ever, I decided that I just didn't feel like buying candy. Fortunately for the neighbourhood children, Phillip came to the rescue with a bowl-full of candy to put out while we trick-or-treated. As it turns out, we had one of the nicer Halloweens we've had in a while. Previous Halloweens, we walked with a neighbour to trick-or-treat. This year we didn't and was able to do our own thang at our own pace, which was nice cause our current pace is kinda slow!

Archie wanted to be a ninja, so the week or so before Halloween we went out costume shopping. The thing about Halloween costumes in our house is that they are not a one-hit-wonder. Halloween costumes can be worn no matter the day or season or occasion. So from the moment the costume was purchased until Halloween, Archie was a "ninja in training". Meaning he wore the costume and jumped around the house using various made-up karate type moves.

Fortunately, he completed his training, becoming a full-fledged ninja on the day of Halloween. Just in the nick of time!

Since Lawrence was only a couple of months old last Halloween, this was his first Halloween being a participant instead of sleeping through it. He dressed up as Winnie-the-Pooh who was dressed up as a pumpkin. Two costumes in one!

Recently, I've become a reluctant stroller person. Lawrence is way too heavy to go on being in the sling for more than ten minutes at a time while I'm walking. My hips and back were killing me with his weight and with the new baby. So we used the new stroller to go trick-or-treating, which was much better than toting him around. He didn't get to visit every single house that Archie did because of steps or whatever, but we rolled him up to as many as possible.

Archie made it to most of the houses without being scared by the decorations or of the adult costumes this year. Most of them. We didn't hit any of the side streets, as Archie was just coming off of being sick and was getting kind of tired by the time we finished our main street and Trunk or Treat at the church.

Lawrence's favourite part of Halloween was of course, the suckers. I am a teensy bit curious as to how many of those he'd get into his mouth if I let him have his way!

This was taken before we left the house. Lawrence kept pointing at his belly, because I guess it was so much bigger and softer than what he's used to! Interestingly, he didn't mind having his hat on the whole evening.

We're off! Our neighbourhood gets several hundred children on Halloween. There were somewhat less trick-or-treaters out this year, but it was still pretty busy. I wondered if it was because Halloween fell on a Saturday and not on a weekday. People having their weekend plans and such.