Halloween 2008

It's been quite a busy week around here. Some neighborhoods in our area (including ours) had trick-or-treat night on Thursday, the 30th, while others went ahead and had in on the (more logical?) day: Friday. The boys had parties at school, and were also invited to a couple birthday parties this weekend!
So it was a full week of carving pumpkins, shopping for presents, getting in and out of costumes, and gathering SO MUCH CANDY. Too much candy, that my children have already forgotten is here and I, unfortunately, have not forgotten, but keep eating it...
The first video was taken before we left to trick-or-treat. Henry is describing his costume (it has a waistband!)- sorry I idiotically turned the camera sideways to try to capture the whole look. You'll also see Spiderman dart back and forth.
The second little clip I wanted to tell you about: last year there was a house that was scaring everyone. Even the little kids, which ticked me off. This year we came up the opposite side of the street, and I saw that they were again dropping something down from the roof of the porch when the kid approached, and screaming. So I started warning the kids: "that's the house that scared you last time."
If they had asked to just skip that house, that would have been fine. But, you know, God forbid you walk past one house that's giving out candy. Henry was determined to trick-or-treat there. So, first I loudly announced "this is the house that scared you last year", hoping that the teenagers on the porch would get the hint. Then I suggested that Henry get out his sword and use it to defend himself against the scary house. Of course, my very noble knight had trouble unsheathing his sword without some assistance. But once I helped him get the sword out, he waved it valiantly, and proceeded up to the house.
I was so happy because the kids on the porch played right along! "Oh no! Don't come any closer! Here- just take your candy and go!!!" they shouted, and threw 2 pieces of candy out onto the sidewalk. Of course we made a big deal out of how Henry scared the scarers. And that's what he's telling you in that little video.
Kate was giving out candy at her grandma's house (her mom's mom-she lives near us), so Bill took the boys over there to trick-or-treat and see their sister.
Friday night Henry had a birthday party to attend, so I took Tommy trick-or-treating in his babysitter's neighborhood. A very cool older kid (L's nephew- 2nd grader) went with us, and ended up inviting Tommy to SPEND THE NIGHT. After I nearly passed out at the thought, we decided to give it a try. Tommy has been away from home many times- but always at Grandma & Grandpa's. We tried it once before with a friend and it didn't go so well- I ended up having to go pick him up.
I slept with my cell phone next to my pillow all night, but of course everything went fine. We were all meeting at a indoor play place the next day for a birthday party, so it really worked out very well.
Henry did well at the party Friday night, as well as the party yesterday afternoon. Although he really wanted to dance around out in the video game area, watching and playing games, he agreed to wait in the party room until the appropriate time. This was huge- I didn't have to ignore the whole party and stand out in the game room with Henry for an hour. Huge. He attempted lots of games with good spirits, and I was just really proud of him. Both my sweet boys are growing up into such nice kids.