Halloween fun

We had a fun couple of weeks celebrating Halloween.  The Sunday afternoon a week before, we went to Night Eyes at the zoo.  It's always a good time, and the weather was perfect!  It always makes it more fun when we get to go with Emma too!

Emma and Becky and the Three Little Pigs

Becky and The Wizard of Oz gang

Colby taking it all in . . .  and enjoying a candy bar!

family photo by the pumpkin

That was our first Halloween excursion.  On Wednesday night, I took the kids to the church where we had Trunk or Treat (after Becky's dance Halloween party).  I even put on a pumpkin shirt and wig but was too busy keeping up with the two kids to snap any pictures!

On October 29th, we went to Tingley to be in the Halloween parade.  What a blast!  I had been struggling all day on the 28th to figure out something to honor Mom with.  Hard to believe it's been 10 years since she died.  I just felt like I should do something, but I had no idea what that could be.  That evening, Mom's Mom, my grandma, called me and asked if we would like to come down and be in the parade.  (God was really working in our lives that day, wasn't He?) What better way to honor Mom than to be in the parade that she loved?  So we ran around Des Moines Saturday morning trying to figure out a costume for me and Al and a theme and then headed down that afternoon.

Here is a picture of Great Grandma with Colby and Becky. She was so glad we could come down.

Here we are!  Dawn and the girls also decided to join us in the parade last minute.  It was just so much fun! What a great way to honor Mom.  I know she would have loved it.

I can't even begin to say how great it felt to be doing something fun and to be with Mom's family on the anniversary of her death.  It just felt right.  I remember being in the parade for years as a kid, and having so much fun deciding on a theme and Mom making costumes, and just having a blast.  Also, Halloween is one of Al's favorite holidays (if not his number one favorite), and I really haven't felt much like celebrating it for the past ten years. I'm usually just sad and missing Mom this time of year.  It was nice to have that changed around, and Al couldn't have been happier.  I am hopeful we can make it a new family tradition.  And next year we hope to have a little more time to plan our theme and our costumes.  (Although I do have to say I kind of remember Mom running around last minute trying to get everything done, putting finishing touches on the costumes that day and making signs right before leaving the house.  Nice to know I'm at least a littlte bit like her! Makes me smile.)

Here is my Cousin Melissa and her two girls Tatum and Alba and Grandpa and my Aunt Ginny in the background.

And here is Al and Becky on Beggar's Night.  I decided to stay home with Colby and hand out candy.  He was just so tired, and we really didn't need any more candy. I think I answered the door maybe 9 times.  Oh well.  Al and Becky sure had fun.

Hope you all had a nice, safe, and fun Halloween!