Halloween 2011

Halloween was, as per usual, a grand and glorious affair in the Madsen household.  Not only did we have three grandparents, but we also had the South family over for dinner because they are our Hoosier family and we always spend holidays with them.  Not that you'll see any evidence of that in the pictures below.  There was far too much mayhem going on for me to expect any more pictures other than those I could trick my kids into posing for.  So you'll just have to trust me that they were there.  (Or ask Paul for some evidence.  He just got an AWESOME new camera that I am coveting and took around 34,297 pictures of the evening.  Hey Paul, send some of those my way, will ya?)

This was the best I could do in getting all four kiddos to pose together.  Some year I would love to have a theme and make matching costumes for everyone in the family.  Some year I would also like to win the lottery (which I don't play) and learn how to fly.

Mr. Spencer was a Jedi.  He kept telling people that he was Anakin Skywalker, but that I bought him the wrong colored light saber.  Hey!  He told me to get him green.  That's all I'm sayin'.  Anywho, he certainly has the Anakin scowl down, doesn't he?  Also, Spencer got that brown robe from Logan's birthday party this summer, which means Gigi helped supply half of my kid's costumes this year.  Gigi - my hat is off to you.

Can you tell who this glasses-wearin' cutie is?  Master Yoda!  And, in case you're wondering, his lightsaber is the correct color. I'm proud to say that I made his (and Spencer's) robes all by myself and without a pattern.  Not quite on par with Gigi's skills, but not so bad, either!

The ears?  Well, I also made them without a pattern, but I'm not bragging so much about that.  I think they looked more like goblin ears, but whatever.  Josh liked them.  Plus, I made them out of an old Yoda-colored maternity shirt, which means they were absolutely free.  Scored big on that, I did!

Oh, Mr. Cole.  Our very own cowardly lion.  He wasn't too keen about putting his costume on the other night for our church's trunk-or-treat (I had to bribe him with a lollipop), but on Halloween he was in a much better mood.

Well, mostly.  Oh my goodness.  I don't know why, but little upset kids in costume are just too cute!

 

 

Sad story: I had to wash the lion costume, and wasn't thinking and put it in the dryer.  Now, instead of a big, fluffy mane, there's a short, stumpy mane.  SO SAD.  Guess Tess won't be a lion for Halloween in a few years.

Here's farmer Lance with some extra sweet corn.  But we've seen this ear before.  (And with more smiles.)

Let me just say that trick-or-treating in our neighborhood is way fun.  There are lots of houses to go to and everyone is very friendly and nice.  One of our neighbors went all out and totally decked out their house with witches and zombies and ghosts, and even had a projector playing Halloween images across the upstairs windows.  It was pretty great.

Cole caught on to the whole candy thing fairly quick.  He wanted to stop and eat the candy, but I eventually convinced him that it was better to keep going door to door to get more.  His lionly roars charmed the pants off of everyone.

Okay, now for a few soap box subjects:

1. How old were you when you stopped trick-or-treating?  I was 11 (almost 12) my last year.  There were packs of teenagers all over the place!  And I'm not talking 13 or 14 year olds - I'm talking 16 and 17!  Some even without costumes!  What's up with that?  I don't know that I'm willing to give candy to those kids.  But I didn't get to make that call since my dad and Grandma were at home passing out the candy.  But next year there might be a few disappointed teens leaving my doorstep.
2. How lazy are some parents?  I saw a TON of parents who would slowly drive alongside their trick-or-treating children.  Seriously?  SERIOUSLY?!  I mean, okay, there could be some medical or personal reasons for doing so.  But I KNOW that not all of those parents had those reasons.  I'm just sayin', how lazy do you have to be to drive instead of walk?  Also, I think it's more dangerous for everyone when parents do that.  Kids are running everywhere and the drivers are probably a bit distracted by their own kids.  Seriously, people.  Get out of the car, put on some tennis shoes, and WALK with your children.  This is what's wrong with America today...
3. I am 99% sure that there were a BUNCH of kids trick-or-treating in our neighborhood who did not live there.  Granted, the Souths came with us, but they were our guests.  And they're family.  And they're here often enough that some people probably think they do live here.  (And that's a good thing!  Move here, Souths!)  That's not the point.  The point is, who brings their kids to a different neighborhood to trick-or-treat?  I think I would feel uncomfortable doing so.  I mean, I don't mind my kids going around and begging for candy because I'm giving away a ton of candy at my house so it all kind of evens out.  (BTW, the South's brought candy to pass out.)  But to just bring your kids and not have candy to give in return?  Lame.

Okay, I'm off my Halloween soap box.

Instead, I will distract you with Grandma and a rather large ear of corn!

And look!  Another grandma with a rather large (and happy!) ear of corn!

A picture of me with my Grandma.  This is not a great picture - I really should have knelt down or something.  Oh well.  We'll have to get a better one next summer at the reunion.

At the end of the evening Cole helped grandpa pass out the candy.  I think Cole liked this even better than trick-or-treating!   (How much candy did you feed him, Grandpa?  It took forever for the kid to go to sleep!)