Trick Or Treat!

Dear Ian,

I have to be honest and say that I am not entirely certain who had more fun this Halloween: you or me.  Our Halloween festivities kicked off after the dust from your birthday party settled, and from that day on, we were all Halloween, all the time.

Pumpkin patch!

First order of business was our pumpkins.  You had two pumpkins this year.  First, you and I headed off to the pumpkin patch at Faith Presbyterian Church, because you needed a small pumpkin for an event at your school.  After a few minutes of browsing, you settled on a midsized cutie.  We took it to your school and you decorated it with paint and stickers.  The end result had it looking like a vampire, and it was really cute.  Advent always does a great job with their school events, and this was no exception.  After decorating your pumpkin, we played a few carnival games, like the fishing booth and a duck pond, and then we even got to ride on a  hayride through the cemetery next door.  I think the hayride was your very favorite part.  With that small pumpkin decorated, it was time to move on to the next thing.

Both of your pumpkins, side by side.

Our house pumpkin this year was something to behold.  Every Fall, Grandma and Papa make their pilgrimage up to Cohocton, New York, and this year when they headed up, they asked you what you wanted them to bring home.  Your answer:  a humongous pumpkin.  And man, did they deliver.  They brought you home the world's hugest pumpkin.  It was as tall as you are when you sit down.  Photographic evidence below...  We did it justice by carving a great jack-o-lantern face in it.  To determine what your giant pumpkin would look like, I had you choose facial features.  I gave you a few options for eyes, the nose and the mouth, and you picked your favorite.  Last year when we did this,  you chose a typical pumpkin face.  This year, you thought outside the gourd and came up with something completely unique.  And it turned out really cool.  

Here are a few more pictures from our pumpkin carving:

 You and me out in the front yard carving out our pumpkin.  You were collecting the seeds.  We're planning on planting them next spring and trying to grow our own pumpkins.  We'll see how that works out...

 My little pumpkin and the humongous pumpkin.  Both too cute!

 Here's our final pumpkin product all lit up.  I think it turned out great.

You, on Halloween morning

When it came to your actual Halloween costume for this year, you sorta threw me for a loop and ended up giving me a huge challenge.  When I asked you one day what you wanted to be for Halloween, you promptly and decisively responded, "A tractor."  Hmm.  Since I have this thing about making you costumes (read this), I was not quite sure how I was going to pull this one off.  But thanks to Pinterest, our obsession with Amazon and their boxes, and a little creative thinking, we managed to pull it off.  I wrapped a box in green bulletin board paper and then added little cardstock details.  You painted a paper towel tube black for the smokestack, and we used the magic of Google images to print off the John Deere logo.  And it turned out ADORABLE!!  You claimed to be a John Deere 40, just like Papa's tractor, and to make it realistic, you pop-popped around in your little tractor.  

And you got to wear your costume twice!  Halloween morning, your school had a costume parade around the courtyard.  I sorta expected you to be a little reticent in front of all of those moms and dads, but you paraded with the best of 'em.  I have never seen you so confident and outgoing.  It was great!  Below are a few pictures from your school event:

 You and Daddy in your classroom just before your turn to parade around the courtyard.

 Here you come around the corner!  You were so excited! 

 My little tractor boy.  Grandma and Papa Davis gave you the John Deere hat for your birthday.  Worked out perfect with your costume!

After all that excitement, we finally made it to Halloween night.  Uncle Gary, Aunt Megan, Payton and Taylor, as well as Grandma and Grandpa Brooks and Grandma and Papa Davis came over to join in the fun.  Poor Daddy had to go out of town right after your school parade, so he didn't get to see you trick or treat, but of course, Mommy took a ton of pictures.  You and Pay were so cute!  You both really got into trick or treating this year, and you got a TON of candy.  I'm hoping to do some "science experiments" with it, but as of right now, you usually get to much a piece a day.  Anyhoo, without any further ado, here are the pictures from Halloween night.

 Here are you and Payton, just before we starting trick or treating.  You managed to make it all the way down and back up the main street, plus our cul-de-sac. 

 My little John Deere

 So excited about trick or treating!  Can we get going, Mommy!

 Papa and your little cousin, Taylor, are ready to go!

 You and Payton making progress down the street.  You had to sort of "parallel park" at each door in order to knock or ring the doorbell.  Your tractor was cute, but it could occasionally be a challenge to steer.

My little tractor man is running out of gas.

It was a great night and a great end to a fun day.  Even now, you keep telling me how much you enjoyed it and how you cant wait until next Halloween.  I am a little worried about what you're going to ask me to create next year, but whatever you ask of me, I will try my best to work it out.  

You're my little treat,

Love

Mommy