Trick or Treat!

The boys were super excited to go trick or treating this year! And we were so happy to bring them trick or treating in our fun new neighborhood! They got all dressed in their costumes when they woke up from their naps. Then we Skyped Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Mal so they could see them. All the neighborhood kids came over to check out the boys in their costumes since we were the first to head out. We wanted to be sure to get an early start in our own neighborhood before we headed over to Oma & Opa's house later. 

This is our neighbor Lauren. She is in 5th grade and is the sweetest thing! She loves the boys and they love her! Heath didn't want to wear his mask at first, but he put it on just for her!

After MUCH deliberation, we went with a Star Wars theme for their costumes this year. I thought I would have one more year where I could convince the boys of what they should be for Halloween. I thought I had one more year where they would want to be an animal or some other cute thing. But I was wrong. Nolan wanted to be some sort of Super Hero. And then, of course, Heath also wanted to be some sort of Super Hero. I couldn't even talk my 2 year old into being a sea creature or jungle animal. Those were the themes I had in mind. But at least they agreed to do a theme- I LOVE dressing them in a theme, I have every year. And they were psyched to be "good guys" from Star Wars. 

We looked online and they picked out who they wanted to be. 

Heath as C-3PO,

Brooks as Yoda,

and Nolan as Luke Skywalker the X Wing fighter pilot.

Our Force! 

(And yes, we know that C-3PO should not really have a lightsaber, but as we've had to explain to many, you try telling a 2 year old that he CAN'T carry a lightsaber when his older brother can!)

 After snapping a few pictures, the sun was starting to set, so it was time to head out.

The boys did a great job going up to each house by themselves, ringing the doorbell, and saying "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You"! 

Brooks came along in the stroller and didn't get any candy of course, but was happy smiling at all the kids in their costumes as they came by. 

We trick or treated at the boys' friend James' house. Then they joined James and a few other boys from the neighborhood and ran up the street to a bunch of houses together. It was really cute to watch them do this! 

Of course we had to check out this "Blow Up" along the way! 

After about an hour or so on our street, we stopped back home to check out our loot and get ready to go to Oma & Opa's house. Nolan's favorites are anything fruity- Skittles, Laffy Taffy, and Nerds. Heath loves it all, but Tootsie Rolls are his fav! 

It was really fun for the boys to see their Oma & Opa dressed up as Pocahontas and the Fiddler on the Roof! Auntie Sue was dressed up like a Fisherwoman and Uncle Brad & Auntie Jayne were surfers. (This Mommy & Daddy really should have gotten into the spirit and dressed as Princess Leia and Hans Solo, but we just didn't get out act together in time to put together costumes. Oh well!)

All the cousins in their costumes: Nolan, Ella (honorary cousin), Landon, Heath (too busy checking out his beloved candy to smile for the camera), Brooks, Payton & Arie, Brady, and Cohen

Oma & Opa always have yummy soup and chili and other goodies at their house for dinner on Halloween night. So we ate and chatted and all the kids played for awhile before they were bugging us to go out and do some more trick or treating in Oma & Opa's neighborhood. 

We left Brooksers at the house and took Darth Vadar along. We thought we'd just do a few more houses. 

But they were having so much fun and kept saying, "just one more house". 

Quickly, "one more house" became 10 or so! 

And the boys completely filled their baskets. 

We even checked out the "creepy house". The boys and I stayed by the curb and we made Mark venture in to check it out. It was really scary! 

At about 8:30, their buckets couldn't hold any more candy and Heathy couldn't hold him self up anymore, so we headed home. 

These two guys were EXHAUSTED by this point and they both plopped down on Oma's kitchen floor. It was a long and busy night...but oh so fun! 

Probably too much fun, because we had a couple of tired and cranky kids the next day! But they had a BLAST and are still talking about it days later!