halloween hullabaloo

ladies and gents...i have been too tired to blog. or maybe too distracted by the captivating fall television that beckons me to the couch most nights. or both?! but this is getting ridiculous. i have a million pictures to post (just because of my lack of energy and preference for tv viewing doesn't mean i've stopped clicking my camera. i'm even considering another class over the holidays. oh, yeah, i guess that means less time for everything else, but i digress.) so here is our halloween holiday all wrapped up into one ghoulish post. starting with...

greenfield village halloween

this has become an annual event with our family. it's such a treat. we walk in the darkness of the evening, led through the village by thousands of lighted jack-o-lanterns guiding the path. along the way, we stop to see displays- the haunted bridge, the dancing skeletons, the singing pumpkins, the headless horseman, the mad scientist- and collect various treats- cookies, candy, apples, chocolates. harper made it a whole 5 minutes of walking before she asked to ride in her stroller and get snuggled in with blankets. but she took it all in. all ages enjoy this event.

and forewarning here, i have not mastered (not even close) taking pictures in the dark. i hate using my flash, but alas, i think that is what i have to resort to next time. i took a whole bunch that had to be deleted, and had to really lighten the last 2 to even see who was in the photo.

yes, this is ethan and griffin, if you couldn't tell.

school halloween parade

a chance to dress up and parade around the school to show off our stuff!

cravens halloween party

complete with pumpkin carving, a bonfire, and a movie projected on the side of their barn.

pumpkin carving

stripped down and getting gooey with the pumpkin guts. except she was putting back in the pumpkin everything i had just taken out.

and carving her "boo! i'm a ghost" pumpkin with daddy.

trick-or-treat!

we talked about this day for weeks. rehearsed what she'd say at each door, and what she would find in her basket. we practiced at our front door before we left. she was very hesitant at the first house, but miraculously, once that kind neighbor pulled out m&m's (harper's favorite) and she realized how cool this trick-or-treating thing was, she walked down the steps and confidently asked "another house?" we made it around our court, and then had more fun looking at all the goodies she received when we got home and passing out our candy to the kids who rang our bell.

harper and grandma

snuggled in for a cozy ride

our friend, buzz lightyear, er, hunter

oh, how i love this holiday and all that's wrapped up in it. but there's so much more to look forward to these last 2 months. til next year, ghouls and goblins!