So, Halloween...

This year the Ward had a trunk or treat the night before Halloween and they invited the Branch to come, so we met down at the Stake Center. It was a lot of fun! I was surprised to see how many families (children and parents) dressed up. Of course all the kids were dressed for the occasion, but I can only think of 2 sets of parents who did not have a costume on from the branch (out of probably 10 families). I just love the Branch!

Kalvin and I had the hardest time deciding what he was going to be. Most the time he said he wanted to be a rocket ship, but I wasn't sure how to put that together so I skipped over that idea when it'd come up. Some other ideas he had were firetruck and cowboy (but he's been that two years in a row now). With each idea I'd imagine all the things I'd have to buy and I really didn't want to put a lot of money into it as I had already purchased him a dragon costume while in Arizona, but he didn't like it. (*note to self* NEVER purchase a child's a Halloween costume without their input).

Well, Kalvin mentioned being Thomas the Train and after thinking it over a minute, I came to the conclusion that all I'd have to purchase would be paint for the box he'd stand in. So, after a few dollars in paint, we put it all together. It took a loooong time (off and on all Friday and some of Saturday as well). Kalvin really enjoyed seeing it all come together and often asked to help paint, so I ended up getting him a spare box to paint and that kept him entertained.

He loved showing off his costume to everyone. You can see the buttons on the side of the box there. They are from a book that was falling apart anyway and played four different theme songs from the movie series.

 

Here are the boys all ready to go to the Trunk or Treat

 

In the back box, I cut a hole for the candy to fit in. It was pretty ingenious, I thought. One less thing for me to lug around and Kalvin loved having it there!

Tristen actually wore the same costume last year as this (though then it was a little big on him and now it was a little small). He was a scarecrow. It's kind of sad, but Duane and I joke that the possible stint in Tristen's growth is nice because he's been able to wear the same winter clothes from late winter last year to the start of this winter (one effect of lead poisoning is growth impediment). Sad, but convenient sometimes. By the way, while we're on the subject of lead poisoning. Tristen's lead levels were tested the day after we got home from AZ and it has come back down to 10! (from 20)! Kalvin was tested and it read 2 (which is a normal level). The doctor had said that it usually take a long time to come back down because it gets imbedded in the bones, but one theory is that he mostly had an acute dose of lead so it didn't have time to absorb into his bones. We will test it again in 2 months to see if it comes down even more. Something else the doctor informed us and tested for was iron levels. She said that typically when the lead is high the iron is low and the test of his iron sure proved that to be true. There is suppose to be a 20-50% saturation and he had 4%! He is now on iron supplements taking 3X's the daily recommendation to get it to come back up (so far, no constipation. Probably because I've been feeding him grapes, they always get things moving for him).

Back to the Halloween stuff... Tristen was a darling scarecrow. He didn't really like the gunny sack vest at first, but I trimmed it some and then he tolerated it.

 

This is after the Trunk or Treat. Noyice the suckers he's got? Duane said it was kind of funny when they stopped at one car and the woman asked if he liked suckers. just at she said this Duane said Tristen held up his hand with suckers almost like it was his cue to show off his stash. She gave him a couple more to add to the collection.

  

Loves those suckers...

  

Here's Kal with his best friend from the Branch, Olivia. She was a pirate.

 

 Actually before the Trunk or Treat they had a mini carnival in the cultural hall. One of the booths was the mummy wrap. Kal was pretty quiet for his turn to be wrapped.

 And he did not worry about trying to take it off either as he walked away.

 Tristen was similar in that he didn't really get to involved in the mummifying process.

 Poor little guy, Daddy put the paper right in front of his mouth.

Here's how one couple from the branch dressed up that I thought was very clever and I am totally stealing the idea if I'm ever big enough pregnant at Halloween time. She's got a baby cookin' in the oven and dad is the chef. Though I may put some kind of caption like: "Homemade with Love".

Looking at the pictures from that night gets me excited for next years Trunk or Treat! 

Our family broke the Sabbath and met a few neighbors on Sunday to do Trick or Treating. It was night chatting with some we hadn't met yet.

 Most of the leaves have changed by now, but there are still a few that have leaves.

 Kalvin had a hard time getting up and down the stairs in his costume so sometimes I helped him.

 Near the end it of our Treating, it got VERY cold! The kids actually handled it very well I thought

 Oh yeah, and for the Trunk or Treat Duane and I dressed up as Trip and Fall.

 One of Kalvin's first shots at taking one on the "big" camera. Duane was pretty scared to let him hold it.

Oh yeah, and after the Trunk or treat we went to Dinner at Five Guys (which before my last trip to AZ was unheard of in Arizona). The Frys were good, but I expected more out of a $5 burger. The kids had a good time cracking and eating peanuts before dinner was ready though.

 Can you see the cool green eyelashes?!

 A better look at my hair from the side.