Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Halloween Experience

I wish I loved Halloween.

I always have good intentions to make it a fantastic evening.

This year: eh. Mediocre.
I never can get good costume pictures.  With kids like this, how is that possible?  Hyrum is using his "force push" on me to prevent pictures.

Lily was the shopoholic.
Micah was Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Rum was Anakin Skywalker.
And Evie?  It was the last year Mom could determine her costume, so she was a reluctant Yoda.

Hyrum had a parade at school that morning. Isn't his teacher hilarious?
But he saved his brightest smile for when he saw his baby sister was there.
Eve thought it was fun to actually go trick or treating, until she got to the first door, whereupon she cried, hid, and yelled NO at everyone she saw.
She lasted for the four houses in our cul-de-sac, which wasn't all bad, in my opinion.


Dad tried to negotiate a transportation/chaperone tax out of Lily.  It didn't end well, let's just leave it at that.
Hyrum and Micah dumped all their candy into a big pile and left it open for anyone to take whatever they wanted, as directed by Micah. That invitation thinned their pile considerably.
All my kids were in bed, pumpkins snuffed and wrappers gone by 9:45, including Ben.  Like I said, kind of boring around here on Halloween.  We make up for it every other night during the rest of the year, right?

My Halloween philosophy:  Eat as much candy as you want on Halloween night.  Get it gone and out of my house as soon as possible. No more fights.  No more sugar fits.  No more chocolate-smeared wrappers found in the couch.

What do you do?  Dole it out, one piece at a time, carefully monitoring sugar intake and counting KitKats? Or is there a sugar free-for-all?

Hope your night was all you dreamed it would be. Linking up to Boo in the Blogosphere.


17 comments:

  1. Looks pretty eventful to me. Just like it should be. Darling children! Oh, and Brad.

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  2. I follow the same philosophy as you do with the Halloween candy. I let them eat it until they are sick.
    I let them keep a very small stash of 5 or 6 pieces of their favorite and the rest goes into a commmunity pot for a couple of days. At the end of the week it gets sent to dad's work for his coworkers.
    I'm not a fan of Halloween at all. The costumes, the fits, the candy, the running around, the blown out of proportion parties for one night that isn't even a real holiday. I just don't get into it at all. I would love to adopt some kind of new tradition and activity that wouldn't leave my kids angry, tired, disappointed, hyper and grumpy.
    I sound like a real Halloween Scrooge, but I'm perfectly willing to boycott Halloween in place of something fun, but different.
    Man alive! If a parent doesn't rate a couple of pieces of candy then I don't know what. We have an enormous cauldron chock full of candy, so I would love to send your husband some. What's his favorite? My kiddos are awesome at sharing their Halloween loot.

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  3. Ours was a similar experience this year...rain and 40 degrees doesn't lend itself well to prolonged trick or treating! But, the plus not too much candy this year, enough to be a treat, but it will be gone soon! Amen sista!

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  4. Yup, I keep Halloween kinda simple--the costumes and the candy. Some are homemade, some are store bought. Whatever works. And I'm like you with regard to the candy eating process--eat it up and get it out ASAP. I am not one who wants to "guard" the candy jar for weeks on end, doling out one piece at a time. That's just more work. I say, ENJOY IT UNTIL IT'S GONE!

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  5. Aww poor Evie. I guess she really objected to being Yoda. Well maybe next year will be a little more exciting for everyone. I guess I can't quite say that our Halloween was that much more exciting either. It was definitely interesting but not a big whoop.

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  6. My niece asked my husband to be OnlyOne Komobi ;)
    I let them eat whatever they want on the night and then it goes in their own box in the fridge and they can have a few pieces a day!

    http://www.bywordofmouthmusings.com/2011/10/howlerific-halloween-time-to-link-up/

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  7. hahaha, i love yoda's ears!!!!

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  8. That parade is adorable! Seriously - love that pic..and I do always cherish a crying toddler pic..I captured one of those too this year.

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  9. evie was sooo adorable. It makes T or T when you've got the fun one!!! last year lily didn't want to until she realized after the 2nd house she got candy...this year she got the idea before we even left the house.

    my hubs loved the "push force" photo...classic

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  10. Sooo cold here for halloween. e.v.e.r.y. y.e.a.r. Eldest stayed back to hand out the candy. Ended up fighting with Youngest to wear something warm since she was only wearing leggings and feathers. Had to redo costume with two hoodies underneath and talked her into mitts and scarf, thank goodness. I think it would be fun if the kids could actually wear the costume as intended. Candy. We put into a communal pile, sort it and dole it out one at a time for lunches and after supper, until just the stuff they don't like remains, and then it's chucked. Did I mention is was soooo cold out there. I'm just now starting to warm up.
    Dana

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  11. We used to go with the sugar free-for-all. Surprisingly, they tended to hoard about 2/3 of it.

    =)

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  12. First there is the Dad tax, then what ever they don't like goes in the garbage and then a binge. I'm with you - eat it all and crash all at once. Bad week but then it's over. Nothing lurking in closets or drawers for months.

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  13. Poor Evie...Aubrey wasn't too sure either!
    Love Hyrum's smile for his baby sis!:)
    I let them eat as much candy as they want (within some kind of reason) then slowly throw some out each day. It will all be gone in about 3 days!!
    have a happy day jen

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  14. Your kids are DARLING! :o) I'm pretty sure I'm the ONLY person alive who actually likes Halloween. I LOVE the decorations, the crafts, the costumes (within reason). This year was especially fun. As I took my decor out at the beginning of the month, my girls "ooh-ed" and "aah-ed" with such excitement. Totally worth any hassle in my book! As for the actual Halloween night - we only go on our block - they get PLENTY of candy to last for ALL of us. Kids were able to trick or treat, then hand out candy, then in bed by 8:00. Maybe my philosophy will change as the kids get older - but for now, I'll enjoy the "extra" holiday and extra reason to be festive...even if it IS festive with ghosts, skeletons, and everything else that goes along with Halloween! Now - bring on Thanksgiving! :o)

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  15. We are kind of boring at our house. We go to the ward trunk or treat and thena few houses of people that we know. The kids do not get too much candy. They are quick to share with mom, dad, and Forest. I go out the day after Halloween and take advantage of the marked down candy. Then I hoard it and pass it out as I see fit. (Mostly it ends up in mine or Matt's lunches!:))

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  16. Now THAT is a REAL life Halloween!!!
    ha!
    Have a pretty day!
    kristin

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  17. I am so glad you linked up, I love your blog! Your house reminds me of mine, it is crazy over here 24/7 and I love your Halloween candy philosophy. We let the kids have a little Halloween night and now it is up in the cupboard for them to whine and beg for every day. I let them have a piece or two which is just prolonging the sugar rush and crying. I am stealing your idea in hopes of a peaceful Halloween next year.

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