Halloween, Schmalloween

Maybe the reason why I've taken so long to blog about Halloween is because of my general apathy towards the holiday.  Now before you get all up in arms over my lack of holiday spirit and overall sense of fun, just simmer yourselves down.  I love me enough Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday to make up tenfold for my Halloween deficiencies.

Coming up with four costumes every year is enough to send anyone running and screaming.

The one good thing about this year?  It was the last time I have to worry about four costumes.  My costume responsibilities will decrease by half next year, as Emma and Leah have now gone the way of all good teenagers (emphasis on the word good) who no longer trick-or-treat.  In fact, they really should have been relegated to handing out candy THIS year, but they made a good case for themselves...last year, their would-be final T-or-T, Halloween fell on a Sunday and no one went out.  So this was the last hurrah.

Hurrah!

There is a significant lack of pictures, despite there being plenty of festivities.  Church Trunk-or-Treat (out of town), major rager at the intermediate school (bookended by a sleep over), class parties (no longer a room mom), and of course the haul at the end of the night (I think I just wanted kids to get in bed).  But for posterity's sake, here are a token few...

chicken taco soup and cornbread for dinner--better than any snack-size candy!

my crew--a couple I-Luminate girls, a bodyguard, and a Hogwarts student

the whole darn lot of cuteness

this is what the parents have to look forward to next year...the teens taking the littles around by themselves!

the very start of what would prove to be a lengthy night.  and yes, jake was the ringleader of it all.

Ok, so Halloween isn't so bad, but it's got nothin' on a day like today.  I got out of bed at 9:30, I watched the parade, I smell that turkey in the oven, I'm about to pore over the Black Friday ads, and in a couple hours the entire family will descend upon my house ready to eat and relax and be together.  It is a bright, sunshine-y day and I love it.  Now THAT'S what I call a holiday.