Celebrating Halloween Together

It's Halloween, and things are getting scary . . . 

Okay, so maybe not scary, but we did have a fun Halloween holiday.

Kyle and I always have some serious discussion when it comes to deciding what Grace will be for Halloween. After going through a variety of choices, like a mermaid or a truck driver (that one was Kyle's), we decided on one of Grace's favorite characters, Minnie Mouse. And we picked up her costume at Toys R Us one day when we were in Springfield for physical therapy.

Grace and her preschool friends at their Halloween party.

Grace's Halloween fun started just a few days before Halloween with a party for her preschool classmates.  We dressed Grace up in her costume, and she and the other kids in her class walked uptown to trick-or-treat at local businesses, including the newspaper office.  It was kind of cold that morning, so we sent Grace with a Minnie Mouse blanket, which covered most of her costume. After they got done on their walk, they enjoyed some Halloween treats in the classroom and watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."  I think she really enjoyed seeing all her friends in their costumes too.

Grace and her daddy being silly with Halloween treats.

The very next day marked Hillsboro's Halloween parade.  The chamber also puts on a trick-or-treat trail, where kids could visit local businesses in costume, but we opted just to do the parade this year.  Usually we stop by the newspaper office and Grace's physical therapist.

Our sweet little Minnie Mouse.

Family photo opportunity with Minnie Mouse.

Since Friday was such a pretty day, we walked from our house uptown in time for the parade route.  For the past two years, Kyle and I have built part of her costume around her stroller. And this year, we talked about making some big bows for Minnie's Bow-tique, but as we are in the middle of a home renovation project, we just didn't get that done.  It's also the reason we didn't get our pumpkins carved this year.  We even got a Finding Dory pumpkin carving kit and a pink flamingo pumpkin kit, but we will save them for next year.

Mommy and her favorite Minnie Mouse.

Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa before the parade.

Because the weather was gorgeous, there was  huge turnout for the parade, and Grace loved seeing some of her preschool friends.  We walked along the parade route, and it was fun just to be together as a family.

It turned out to be a gorgeous Halloween weekend, and Kyle and Grace ended up riding with me to Litchfield to cover their Halloween parade on Saturday.  We didn't dress Grace up, but she still managed to get some candy from some people in the parade. As it gets harder and harder to put Grace in and out of her car seat, we decided against actually going trick-or-treating this year. Sunday was paper day, so Grace hung out in Raymond with Grandma Kim and PaPa Randy, who live out in the country and don't really get trick-or-treaters. Although Kyle did tell his mom that he put on Facebook Grace would be waiting to greet trick-or-treaters at their house.  I think he was only kidding though.

Grace got some candy at the Litchfield parade.

With our house in disarray, mom and dad invited us to dinner at their house on Halloween and to greet trick-or-treaters. After a delicious steak dinner, Grace got some new pajamas for Halloween, and we settled in to feed her.  Mom and dad greeted the kids as they came to the door, inviting in ones that knew Grace. Several from her class stopped by to say hi, and she really liked all the attention.

Grace loved visiting with her friends when they came to trick-or-treat.

Reading a new Halloween story with Grandma Susie.

Before long, it was time to go home, as another Halloween was done. Even though we didn't get our pumpkins carved, we still enjoyed celebrating together. We can't wait for next Halloween!  Kyle is already coming up with costume ideas that Grace can do with her baby sister. We will never let INAD slow us down from making memories together.

mlh