This IS Halloween, HALLoween, HALLOWEEN!!!

Halloween had quite a few activities for us to enjoy. Sasha's Pre-School class performed some darling and spooky Halloween songs for the parents. Earlier that day they performed at the nearby Nursing Home. Each year on Halloween, the Manassa Elementary School has a parade in town, with the kids in Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd grades. They wear their costumes and collect candy from the local businesses, and parents of the kids. This year, Sasha and I brought our Zombie Van to the parade, and delighted the kids with my Halloween music mix. Shelton's teacher liked it so much, that she asked if I could bring the CD to class for the kids to listen to during their class party. Sasha and I went to Shelton's 1st grade Halloween class party, and I brought 2 bags of chips for him to share with his classmates and their families. This is significant to me because last year I brought elaborately decorated monster cupcakes to his Kindergarten party, and Frankenstein Monster pudding cups to Emma's 5th grade party. That night, we also had a Halloween Open House Party at our home, so I baked all day, and got pretty stressed-out. This year was a dream compared to that. I really got to enjoy the day with the kids.

Sasha & Shelton are having some snacks and Halloween treats at Shelton's class party.

Shelton and his classmates enjoyed playing musical chairs to our spooky Halloween songs.

After school, we picked up Emma, and then went to Kim McCarroll's house to play a little Halloween prank on her. After leading our Zumba class, on Tuesday, she asked the class what time kids in this area start their trick-or-treating. We told her, thinking she would be taking her 7-year-old son, Robbie, out on the town, but then realized that she actually wanted to know what time to skip out of town. Not only did she want to avoid giving out candy, but she also planned on skipping Robbie's treat collecting. Well, since my girlfriends and I have made it a habit to play pranks on Kim, we took this opportunity to continue on in that tradition. At 4pm, 6 Zumba Moms, and their many kids, went trick-or-treating at Kim's house! Since she didn't have treats for us, we played a trick on her, and did our Zumba Thriller routine on her lawn with the music blaring from my Zombie Van's play list, which has really gotten a lot of mileage this year. It was great fun! She loved it.

Emma's Middle School had a carnival for all of the students that day, and Emma won an award for the best costume, in her Pirate Wench outfit. They got tickets for the carnival by bringing canned food items for donation to needy families in the area. There was a kissing booth, that had little Hershey's kisses that one could give to other students, and a hitching post, where Emma married 3 different boys! 

At home, the kids got in a little bit of rest, and for dinner we enjoyed Mom's homemade chili, mummy's in a blanket hot dogs, and Halloween cookies for dessert. Dad was late, as usual, which may have made me a bit grouchy, but since he usually misses out on trick-or-treating, I should be grateful he made it at all. Emma went off with a friend, and so Shane and I took Shelton and Sasha around town. It was the best year ever for me, because it was the first one that I didn't have to walk my kids to and from each of the houses. They went by themselves, and I got to stay toasty-warm in the car. Bonus! Too bad I had to hang out with a Zombie that night...

All of the Chili's managers dressed up as Zombies this year. Eew!!!