Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat!! Happy Halloween everyone!

Abby had so much fun getting into her part as a witch, and loved posing with her cape!
Caitlyn was happy to get dragged around by her cousins, and was a trooper even after she had obviously had enough!

This year had an added element of fun because it was the first year where Zach really understood what was going on (or at least how to get what he wanted). "You mean if I say Trick or Treat (or even if I don't), peeople just hand me candy??" He thought it was great, and after the few first houses had the biggest smile on his face. He already has a cute little run where he swings his arms- but seeing him running up driveways with his arms swinging and his feet flailing- and his little bumble bee wings bouncing?- it was way too much fun, and SO cute!

Once we got everyone out the door, even Trick or treating was fun because we had a big group- and a lot of our neighbors and friends were on the same path we were. I walked out the door to catch up after a quick kitchen cleanup- and it is SO fun to see kids all dressed up running from house to house in the nieghborhood- I LOVE it! There were our family and friends all up and down our little street at every house, and on every sidewalk, and at every door- Trick or Treat! It was fabulous! (Especially since our little neighborhood is relatively new and still somewhat empty- so we weren't sure what kind of turnout we would get?) It was great!

It's always funny to go with a group too because all the kids are different ages, and speeds! Abby is almost always leading the pack- RUNNING from house to house! Zach brings up the rear and everyone else is everywhere in between.
Our great friends, the Nielson's- Derek and Kemari (she was great to dress up for the who knows how many times?) I had already been queen for the day, and was ready for jeans and a sweater.

We kept a couple of our Halloween traditions this year- we had our good friends, the Nielson's, and Patty and Caitlyn (and later Sonny) over for homemade Chili before we all went Trick or Treating. Patty made some great cornbread to go with it, and the Nielson's brought fun Halloween desserts (but the kids were too anxious to get out the door, so we admittedly didn't get to them- yet). It's always great to get family and friends together around some good, hot food- and talk and laugh and enjoy each other's company!


The other great part was, after we got home, the kids all dump their candy on the floor and Chris goes through it with them- and they divide and conquer! (even distribution of the wealth) But it was funny because Chris and Sonny start talking about how they need to check the candy because when they were kids, people were scared of needles and razors and stuff ending up in the candy... but the great part was that I could say without any reservation that I wasn't worried about the candy at all. We went through our neighborhood and Sonny and Patty's neighborhood. We know most everyone we visited, and more than that- I love that we feel so safe and comfortable in our neighborhoods.

It took me a long time to get "used to" being in Utah (and the fact that we would probably stay awhile) but... There is a sense of community here that I love. I love that I can let my kids ride their bikes and not worry, or today the girls were playing football in the street with the nieghbor kids, and later went to play at the soccer fields across the street with some other friends--- and I don't worry (too much) about them. I love that we know so many of our neighbors and that we can also call many of them friends, and that even when we go to Sonny and Patty's neighborhood, I can say the same thing about many of them. And I love that when we go out on Halloween night, the streets are filled with other young families with kids in tow, and that the biggest problem we had all night was waiting for each other while one of us is talking to someone else we know...And here are the winners of our favorite costumes-
Winnie the Pooh, dressed as a Bumble Bee!- Zachary
Pretty, Pretty Princess Claire!
The always spooky, and still fancy witch -Abigail!
And, of course, our very own adorable girly Cheetah - Isabelle!

Happy Halloween from Payson, Utah!
And P.S. wasn't Chris a fabulous photographer?- Thanks Chris!! Love you!