Surf City Halloween

We started things off with a pre-Halloween visit from our dear friends the Alders.  We spent several days subtly, but desperately trying to convince them to move to California.  I mean- where else do you find pumpkin-head surfers?

Eleanor and I were lucky enough to tag along on both Brigham and Marley's class field trips to the local pumpkin patch.  I couldn't get over the fact that these pumpkins were grown right next to the Pacific ocean (see it in the background?).  Crazy, crazy, crazy.

Brigham and his classmates helped their "little buddies" from the first grade to find a pumpkin.  Apparently there aren't enough little buddies to go around, so Brigham and his friend Trevor have to share one- pretty adorable to watch:).

On Halloween day Eric and I had to tag-team, so I could go to the elementary school parade and help preside over both boys' class Halloween parties (hi my name is Katie and I'm addicted to being a room parent), and he could attend Marley's preschool party.  That worked out okay, except for when one of the teachers yelled at me for not having removed the plastic wrap from the vegetable platter.  Really???

By the afternoon I was feeling a little crummy- being spread so thin, it felt like I was scrambling to make everyone's Halloween dreams come true, and not doing a very good job of it.  Then Marley brought me a cookie she had decorated at school and saved for me to eat.  She explained that she had accidentally stepped on it, but she bit that part off.  I closed my eyes and thought of all the disgusting germs, hair, drool, snot and who-knows-what-else lurking in the purplish-gray frosting.  I decided that whatever else happened that day, I was going to eat that cookie with a smile on my face- I could do that much right.  It actually tasted pretty good:).

Eric took the boys down to the beach to see their fist surf competition, the O'Neill Coldwater Classic.  They had a great time and were ready to hit the streets for some trick-or-treating when they got back.

Have you ever?

My favorite part of Halloween every year is following my kids around the neighborhood, peeking into people's houses, meeting new neighbors and hearing their sweet thank-you's.  Marley was cute and took two pieces of candy at every house so she could give one to Eleanor, who mostly stayed in the stroller.  Of course I felt the need to loudly proclaim, "OH, YOU'RE TAKING ONE FOR YOUR SISTER TOO?   THAT'S SO NICE!" at every house, so that people wouldn't think she was being greedy:).

After exhausting out neighborhood, we headed to over to some ward friends' home in Scott's Valley where the kids sorted through their candy and watched The Nightmare Before Christmas.  By the time we made it home, everyone was spent, sticky and a little sick on sugar, but happy.  

There's something about celebrating Halloween in a place that makes it feel a little more like home.