Our Halloween 2016

Halloween 2016 was AWESOME, but not the year of great pictures. Womp, womp.

Do you ever let a "big" event pass by, then later on regret not getting that ONE photo that would have really sealed the deal?

For me, the girls would have been sitting with me on the front steps of our new home, brown and yellow leaves scattered around, with that "perfect" golden light streaming in, my little black bat and orange pumpkin both beaming happily and holding as still as stone statues. 

Let me show off the perfectly imperfect photos I got instead. :)

First things first, Camille got to enjoy Trunk or Treat at her preschool last Friday!

So yes, she was a bat this year. Her choice. I was fully expecting a request for a Sofia, Minnie, or Elsa costume, but all we heard over and over was that she wanted to be a bat. Wish granted. 

I bought a black leotard and tights from Walmart and a yard of black felt. She laid down on the black felt for me while I cut out the wings. I whip-stitched the center to the back of her leotard and stitched on some ribbons for her wrist-ties. The details on the wings were just sketched on with a chalk paint marker. 

The ears are cut out of black felt with gray felt centers and hot glued to a headband. LITERALLY they are held up inside by cardboard from a box of wine, ha! 

Next, I hosted the third annual Halloween playdate at our home at 10am on Halloween morning.

 

Amateur move, I scheduled it right around Charlotte's mid-morning feeding and nap, so she didn't last long before it was time for us to run upstairs to eat and put her down to sleep. Charlotte's pumpkin costume is the softest material ever and it was less than $10 at Walmart! 

That photo above will be shown to these little friends for years. 

After naps, we carved our pumpkin on the back patio. Before slicing the top off, I asked Camille what she thought was inside. She said "a princess."

No princess inside, but seeds and slimy strings. This was majorly fun for Camille this year!

And finally, it was Halloween night. I'd helped to organize a neighborhood block party in a nearby cul-de-sac, so we walked that way around 5pm and enjoyed celebrating with about 35 of our neighbors. We had nine pizzas and some homemade sweets. Every time Ian and I looked over, Camille's hand was up on the cookie table. 

Around 7, we walked back home and I took the girls to a few houses while Ian passed out candy at our house. 

We finished the evening looking at the candy that Camille scored and trying to calm the girls down and attempt a quick, painless bedtime. 

Halloween is now all packed up, the Halloween decorations, wreaths and board books put away in the attic until next year.

And, mark my words, I WILL get that front steps photo in 2017. Ha!