No Tricks, Just Treats

This is no trick.  Yes, this is a real snake.  Yes, it is a huge boa.  Yes, our kids and cousins are holding it (much to my creeping out-ed-ness).  And yes, this is the spookiest thing about our Halloween night.

This is my good friend, Libbi Nelson's, pet snake.  I'm not really sure that pet and snake should be used together in the same sentence.  But she swears that the boa is harmless.  Apparently, it only eats about every six weeks and she last ate 2 weeks ago and is therefore very full and content.  Nice to know that my kiddos won't be her next meal :)

But before all this snake business....

In keeping with our annual Halloween tradition, we kicked off our night at the neighborhood Halloween chili & fry bread party in the church parking lot.  The attendance was huge, as always, and I just have to say that my pot of chili might have just been the best batch I've ever made.  Just sayin'.  Of course the kiddos all dressed up, but I decided to get back into the spirit this year, too, and sport a little costume of my own, since this was the first year in a while that I haven't been in charge of the chili party.

Our little biker chic.  Sporting the attitude and all.  In case you were wondering, yes, those are 100% real pleather pants.

Afton is self-proclaimed "Thing 3".  Not to be confused with Thing 1 or Thing 2 from Cat in the Hat.  She created this fabulous look all by herself.  Imagine that??

Easton is obviously Bat Man.  Minus his batman pants and batman belt and batman hat, none of which he wanted to wear.  Well, he might have actually worn the belt had he not lost it at school, but apparently it was too hot for his pants and his mask squished his face, so he opted for the shorts, blacks socks, and more comfy hand-me-down mask from several years ago Batgirl.  Not that I care.  It's all about the kids, right?  Whatever tickles their fancies.

Rowan and I were biker chics together.  Sporting the tats and all.  It was pretty sweet.

Maya Shumway, Rowan, Lily Berrey & Brooklyn Hughlett

Grandma Cheri & Grandpa Bob came to our party again this year too and helped us celebrate with all our friends, family and neighbors.

Rowan with cousin, Siena Hatch

Grandma Cindy was on fry bread rolling duty for the second shift, all while sporting her ever-so-cute witch hat.  I like it.

Barrett had a Stapley softball game last night (lame to schedule a game on Halloween, but at least they won - beat Shepherd Junior High 8th grade at an away game 2-1) so she missed the chili/fry bread party, but made it back for some trick or treating with her friends.  Guess what she dressed up as???

The kids always want to make sure we make it over to the Steiners house at the end of the night to get a bag of fresh popped popcorn.  They love that and Doug & Patty are always so great to give them a couple of refills before we leave.  

We only trick-or-treated through about half of Harris Park before our little ones were pretty thrashed, but they managed to get a huge haul nonetheless.  All of them trick-or-treated off and on with at least a few cousins and some friends.  The Berrey's were with us for a street or so, the Chesley's hung with Afton, and somewhere in our neighborhood were the Stokers and Shorts/Duponts, but I never saw them after they left the chili party.  Tons of kids out, as always.  Ryan was a good sport and sat in the lawn chair in the driveway passing out the goods while I walked with Easton & Rowan.  He didn't really have a choice this year, though, given the cast and all.  I was happy to be the tricker-treater parent this year since I've missed the last couple years (due to party clean-up duty).

The candy sorting party afterwards is always a hit.  Piles by candy type.  Bartering with the siblings.  Sharing some chocolate with dad.  Bagging up and labeling the stash.  Classic.

This morning was brutal.  All the kids were beyond tired, but somehow we all managed to get up and going and no one missed their buses.  Hopefully we can catch up on a little shut eye tonight.