Making Halloween Memories

We've officially taken down our one Halloween decoration (of course, it's a pirate sign) and thrown our pumpkins away for the season. And though we look forward to spending the upcoming holidays with family and friends, Halloween is always one of our favorites!

Grace with her classmates in their Halloween costumes.

Grace and her friends in the Halloween parade.

Grace and her friend, Talullah, the bumblebee

It's always been fun to pick out costumes for Grace.  One year, she wore a clown costume that my grandma made for me when I was little, and another year, we picked out Minnie Mouse because that was always one of Grace's favorites.

Grace and her dalmation puppies at school!

Grace agreed to get her picture taken with me, but she wouldn't smile.

With the addition of Charlotte to our family this year, we decided to coordinate costumes together, and went through a ton of ideas.  But we kept coming back to Grace as Cruella deVil and Charlotte as her little dalmatian puppy.  And with a little help from the Disney Store, we were all set.

Grace was excited to be part of the mummy game.

Grace thought her friends were funny.

Although Grace usually has physical therapy in Springfield on Friday mornings, we cancelled the Friday before Halloween so Grace could celebrate with her classmates at school.  I got to take Grace to school for the Halloween parade around the building with her class, and then enjoy the party with the other kindergarten students.  I think Grace's favorite was a mummy game where two of her friends wrapped her up in toilet paper.  I'm constantly moved by how much the kids in her class love Grace for who she is.  It's pretty special.

Kyle might have picked out a giant pumpkin to carve.

Later that afternoon, after some naps of course, we ventured uptown for the annual Halloween parade. We had to stop by our friend and photographer Ken Meade for some pictures first. But I really like the Halloween parade, even if it is a little chilly.  For us, it's something that Grace can participate in just like the other kids, which is pretty cool.  Grace and Charley won third place in the groups division, and both girls really seemed to love the attention from everyone.

Grace's friends from preschool stopped to see her at the parade.

My favorite little characters in the parade.

That weekend was our annual pumpkin carving, which is always lots of fun.  Charley was a little impatient and took a nap during part of it, but Grace always seems to enjoy being with us.  I always pick a pattern, and Kyle still hates to clean the "pumpkin yuck" out of his pumpkin.  We also watched "The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" which is another favorite at our house.There's always lots of laughter and fun memories.  And I can't wait for Charley to be big enough to help out.

Getting ready to carve pumpkins.

The girls loved my pumpkin!

Kyle carving his huge pumpkin.

Finished pumpkins.

Spooky jack o'lanters.

Since neither girl can eat candy, we sort of skipped trick-or-treating this year.  Instead, we spent the first trick-or-treat night greeting friends at Grandma and Grandpa Galer's house.  We also got to decorate sugar cookies with pumpkin faces. Both girls got a taste of icing, and Charley's quick fingers almost got her an M&M.  But she'll have to wait for another day.

The girls looked so cute in their Halloween outfits.

We had fun decorating cookies with Grandma Susie.

Family photo opportunity in Halloween pajamas.

Over the years we have been together, it has been fun to take memories from our childhood and recreate them together, as well as make a few new fun, family traditions.  It will be fun to see what costumes Charley picks over the years, and whether or not she wants to carve pumpkins with us.  But whatever the holidays bring, I know we will always make the best memories just being together.