Halloween festivities!

Donatello and a fire breathing dragon.  

Our first Halloween event this year was at Kemper's school.  They hosted a trick or treat event through the halls of the schools and also had stories and dinner following the trick or treating.  James was planning on meeting us there but got caught up at work so it was just me and the boys.  

What an adventure this was.  I wasn't sure how Hudson was going to do when I put him in his costume or actually trick or treating.  We waited in a very long line just to get into the school and then, all it took was one sucker dropped in Hudson's bucket and he was done.  Sat down in the middle of the floor, thrust his arm into that bucket and grabbed the sucker to begin tearing the paper off.  He wouldn't stand up, wouldn't move or hold his bucket.  He wasn't interested in getting anymore candy...he had his sucker and was in heaven.  I carried him the rest of the way.  Sucker juice dripping down his hand, not caring who was talking to him or whether candy was going into his bucket.  He was one with the sucker.  By the end, my left arm fell like it was going to fall off and we were both sweaty and covered in sucker juice.  Fun times.  

We had to carve pumpkins one night after James got home from work simply because we procrastinated and were running out of time.  This meant Hudson got to witness about 5 minutes of carving before it was bedtime but that was enough for him.  He wasn't interested in feeling pumpkin guts after he got an initial touch.  Kemper loved the pumpkin guts and happily cleaned out 3 pumpkins (with a little help from Daddy to make sure they were good and clean).  

Kemper designed his own pumpkin...diamond shaped eyes and a "scary" mouth...but no nose.  Daddy decided to "shave" Hudson's pumpkin into Muno from Yo Gabba Gabba.  I decided to try drilling holes into mine.  Next year I will use a bigger drill bit.  I wasted an hour of my life for holes that you couldn't even see.  Hooray!

He was so mad that we wouldn't let him take the seeds and plant them in the backyard.  He didn't care that we wouldn't be in this house next year to see them grow, he just wanted to plant pumpkins.  

All of our pumpkins...we had quite the collection of baby pumpkins thanks to various trips to the pumpkin patch.  Also, thank goodness for flameless candles and pumpkin glow sticks.  

Hudson's little nursery school had a Halloween party during class one day.  They were welcome to wear costumes but they had to be diaper friendly.  His dragon costume was not diaper friendly so we had to improvise.  A quick raid of the dress up box and his closet and we had Cowboy Hudson!

It was the cutest thing to see his little class march in from the playroom and take a seat at the tables.  I expected him to run over when he saw me there but he just smiled and took his seat.  Of course, it helped that there was a plate of food ready and waiting for him and he promptly demolished that plate of food.  

Hudson and his best gal pal Harper.  Or as he calls her, Harpy.  He sure is going to miss his Harpy on Tuesday...it will be his first day in class without her as her family PCSed this week!  

Halloween night we were under a tornado watch so the Schmidts came over for dinner and we had an impromptu indoor trick or treat through the house.  No costumes or treat buckets...we decorated bags and James, Lynse and I sat in different rooms and handed out candy.  The boys LOVED it and had the best time.  

Trick or treat in Hudson's room!

Checking out their loot.  Not hyped up on sugar at all!

Even this little guy got to sample some smarties!

Walking up to his first house with big brother.

The following night, we headed onto post and trick or treated in a friend's neighborhood.  We had stocked up on candy since we are usually bombarded so we just dropped that off at a friends house so we were contributing to the neighborhood. Hudson wasn't as into it as we thought he would be.  He spent most of the night being carried by Daddy or Mrs. Lynse (he loves his Lynse) and munching on candy.  I guess he did enjoy it, just not in the way we imagined.

He seemed to have a stand off with this nice man.  He wouldn't hold his bucket out or move closer.  We finally had to take the candy and put it in the bucket for him.  

Again, wouldn't hold his bucket out at all.  He's lucky he's cute. :)

Kemper had a blast, as usual!  He was loving being with his buddies and being dressed up as Donatello!  He found this manhole cover and happily declared, "Look, it's a door to my house!" (since Ninja Turtles live in the sewer).  

Ninja Turtle Donatello, Optimus Prime and a ninja!

We were out for about an hour and decided to call it a night.  This little dragon was fading fast and the big boys had PLENTY of candy in their buckets.  One thing I have loved about Halloween's in Tennessee is that we have always been blessed to spend them trick or treating with amazing friends.  The Hitchcocks, Liesens and Schmidts have been a routine part of our Halloweens over the last 4 years.  This was the beginning of a bittersweet holiday season since next year we'll be celebrating in Alabama.