Whew.....

Glad it came and glad we have enough candy to last us until next Halloween!

We celebrated for a week straight, no one night holiday for us.

My handsome gladiator and I attended a Hollywood Premier Party, walked the red carpet and were attacked by paparazzi.  (Russell Crowe eat your heart out, Rand has way more hair on his legs than you).

Next stop - Elementary School Carnival

This is such a fun event (he he he), Rand has managed to be on call every year for the Halloween Carnival since Jake has been in kindergarten.  This would normally be fine but I secretly think he has the hospital page him to come in just as the carnival starts.  I assume he truly fears the crowds of screaming hyper children more than I do.  It wasn't too bad this year.... we left with Braden crying for a snow cone, Layla flipping her body in two yr old tantrums and Jake complaining that we were leaving too soon!  

On the bright side we actually had fun and the spook alley was great.  

Next day - Pumpkin Run

Seriously could the distance be any further.  I am surprised anyone made it at all.  I would have quit before it began, used my allowance for the pumpkin and went home with both of my lungs still working!

But............Jake being the little competitor ran his heart out and was one of the top 10 fastest boys in 3rd grade!

Miss Layla was there to cheer him on!

The next event brought nothing but horrifying memories.

Our cute little family headed to Enterprise for fun with cousins, while there we attended the elementary school carnival as well.  My kids were especially insane that day and we had already managed many melt downs with love and patience.  Rand was busy doing deer hunting things and so we headed out with the cousins to enjoy the night activities.  I should have followed my gut instincts because as every mother dressed perfectly walked around with well behaved children....................I, on the other hand had a screaming, sick and tired little Miss Layla.  She threw herself on the floor many times near the cake walk simply because I did not allow her to delve into the hundred cakes sitting on tables before her.  She clubbed me in the face a few times because we had to wait for Braden to take a turn  which chain reacted Braden into tantrum mode because Layla was bugging him.  As my lovely little children proceeded with tantrums so did I.  I THREW A BIG, FAT TANTRUM OF MY OWN!  Right in front of my lovely sister in law and mother in law.  They think I am such a good mother, I am just sure of it.   

This is one of the only pictures of the night!

 I am not the woman on the right in case you didn't know.

The only positive note of the night was that Jake and Braden both won goldfish!  The sad side of this story is that after a ride to Mesquite in an ice cream bucket they managed only to live 2 short days.  The other sad part of the story were the many tears shed by my "sensitive" little Braden as he flushed their sad little bodies down the toilet.

From frazzled to reflection..........

Halloween time also allows us a moment to pause and reflect on the  beautiful baby we had the privilege of seeing for only four short days!

Happy Birthday little Jesse!

Thanks Eryka and Abbie for helping us decorate this year!

Back to Mesquite.......

We left Enterprise to come home and celebrate the "real"  Halloween.  

May I just say that I have the "toughest" gangster, "noblest" King (who would not wear a crown because only a princess wears a crown) and cutest little 50's girly around!

Trick-Or-Treat! (Finally)

A success and lots of fun!  

There were scary houses and scary people that even left Jake screaming like a Princess.

The BMan lost the cape and Layla ditched the glasses early in the night but they both ran to almost every door.  Miss Layla won over every one with her politeness.  She said "thank you" even before the candy was in her bucket which worked to her advantage by scoring her a few more candy bars at every door.

Like I said, WHEW!