Halloween

The kids all had fun with their costumes this year (all of which I got for $4 or less at a consignment sale!)... Strider was excited to be a ferocious dragon (I kept overhearing him tell Rayna that since dragons are so big they don't even see flowers and they step on them!) But Rayna was still thrilled to be a flower. And Colsen even seemed to enjoy his costume -- he didn't rip the hat off constantly like I thought he would.

In the evening we first met a bunch of friends at IHOP for dinner. There were 19 of us in the group, and even though the restaurant was basically empty when we arrived, we were pretty sure the wait staff groaned when we walked in. And they were right to be apprehensive: between the wild costumed children all playing and yelling about scary dragons attacking beautiful princesses, who were then (possibly) rescued by superheroes, and the 4 babies in high chairs repeatedly yelling and throwing anything within reach onto the floor, we were a very loud and messy group! (We left large tips!)

Afterwards, we came home for some quick trick-or-treating around the corner. All 3 of our kids were very into it... Colsen just thought it was great to be outside in the dark, Strider was intrigued by every costume and activity everyone else was doing, and Rayna thought she was visiting everyone at each house. I had to keep calling from the sidewalk, "Ok, Rayna, time to go!" She just wanted to stay and chat with everyone. It WAS fun to see all the neighbors and enjoy the excitement.