Halloween Traditions

I LOVE our family Halloween traditions.  Some of my most favorite memories are Halloween evenings spent at my grandparents trick or treating around their little circle.  That circle of about 10 homes, once felt really big, but with time it became smaller.  There was a lady who didn't pass out candy, but gave us the choice between a dime and a pencil.  I can't remember what I chose each year, but it's something I'll never forget.  My grandparents had this awesome fireplace in the backyard, where we would roast hotdogs and grandma always had homemade (not from a mix) hot chocolate on the stove.  And sometimes if we were lucky she made long johns, aka maple bars.

This past Friday was our Young Family Halloween Party.  It's something I choose never to miss.  We now hold this annual party at my cousin Reads the weekend before Halloween.  We typically have a hay ride, we now eat soup and rolls and of course my cousin Katie continues Grandma's Hot Chocolate tradition.  There is always a fire going in the fire pit where we gather around to catch up with cousins.   Of course it wouldn't be Halloween without all of the adorable children in their costumes going from car to car filling their bags with sugar.

 Prettiest Unicorn ever!  And General Lee!

 Hey Abe Lincoln!

Little Red Riding Hood only smiles if she can see herself when taking a selfie.  It's so funny.

This years party didn't disappoint.  I loved that my cousin Misty was able to come this year from Eastern Idaho with her children.  Unfortunately Alisha was home with a sick baby.  We missed her.  The weather this year was fabulous.  To end the evening off, we watched It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown outside.  I love my family and the memories that we always make together.  I'm sure that with each family gathering, our grandparents are proudly watching from Heaven. 

Halloween 2016

We had our family Halloween party last Friday night.  I was pretty much laying around the house all week last week, but Friday afternoon I had a spark of livelihood and because I can only dress up once a year like a scarecrow, it had to be done.  I had been wearing this flannel shirt all day, so with a little make-up, this awesome Tom Sawyer hat that I think we got in Hannibal, MO (the Tom Sawyer town) many year ago and some overalls (that I think are back in style) I had a costume!  It took a little convincing to get Tenielle to join in the costume dress up.  I think I did a pretty good job at getting her to be a bag of leaves!  My mom painted this cute pumpkin when I was a kid.  I love it and love that she still puts it up every year.

The weather was suppose to be cold and rainy.  Thankfully the weather man was wrong, because it turned out to be a perfect night for soup, a bon fire and trunk or treating.

Halloween evening the kids all came over for donut holes, apple juice and left over soup.  I loved that it was still light out side and not freezing.  I went trick or treating with Troy's kids.  It was super fun!

Halloween Traditions

I love our family Halloween Traditions.  I also love the Phoenix Halloween traditions that I'm becoming accustomed to.

After having chemo 2 weeks ago I went home with a mask over my face and in a wheelchair.

I felt awful on that plane ride.  Surprisingly I'm not feeling that bad today.  It was so nice to go home to see the fall colors even though when I first got there, the leaves were all on the tree and still slightly green which is rare for the 3rd week in October.

Mom has been sending me updated pictures of the tree because she knows how much I love it this time of year.  Thanks mom.

 And today dad started raking up all the leaves.  I wish they would stay around for another few weeks until I go home, but that's not happening.  I told mom to have the kids go over and take pictures of them jumping in the leaves.  That's the best part of the leaves.

Friday afternoon we went to the pumpkin patch.  It was the perfect afternoon and even maybe a little warm.  I liked going in the afternoon over the evening.  Of course the highlight is this crazy slide that all the kids love and the hayride which takes us to find the perfect pumpkin.  At the end of our time we always have donuts and apple juice in the parking lot.  Such a fun tradition.

Saturday I made a pot of pumpkin chili for our evening party, watched college football and read Go Set A Watchman, which I might add was fabulous. That evening we had our annual Young Family Halloween Party.  This was the first year that we didn't have it at my grandparents.  It was kind of sad and I missed seeing grandpa standing at the door watching the fun.  But we had a fabulous time at my cousin Reads.  It was the second perfect place for our Halloween Trunk or Treat.  We always have soup, cinnamon rolls (or long johns which no one brought this year; it was grandma's tradition) and grandma's homemade hot chocolate.  We also go on a hayride and the kids have fun collecting candy.  I was sad that my sisters weren't in town for the weekend, but it was fun to have all of my brothers there.

 

 
The weekend before I went home I went to a Halloween Block party with Cathy.  Her sister's block has had this tradition for 20 years.  I loved it, especially that they had Bahama Bucks tropical snow.

This past Friday I went to Deborah's ward trunk or treat.  There was a huge turnout and we had fun handing out candy.  Afterwards we went to her house where her husband, the master pumpkin carver showed us his talents.  He is quick and does exactly what the kids ask for.

Saturday Cathy and her daughter Hope and I went to Laura's and went Trick or Treating with their kids.  They have a huge neighborhood and they all sit out in their driveways handing out candy and grilling hot dogs.  It's hard to keep up with the kids going from house to house.  Thank goodness Laura had a brilliant idea to put green glow in the dark necklaces around the kids, even though they did get lost a time or two.

Sunday Deborah had her annual Halloween dinner.  She goes all out with eyeball ice cubes and mummy dogs, spider eggs and such.  She didn't disappoint again this year.

It's a good thing that I don't have kids.  I'd be really tempted to eat their candy, even though I'm staying away from candy for now.

Tristen sent the cutest pictures of Aidree and Bridget.  We missed them at our Halloween parties. Such silly girls.

 

Aidree had her kindergarten pictures.  So adorable.  I can't believe how grown up these girls are getting.  They have such fun characters and I love facetiming them at random hours of the day.

Ah, November's First Fabulous Friday!

1.  We had one of the most beautiful Octobers ever here in Idaho.  I have loved every moment of it, even if it included chemo, but chemo is over and I have a new month to work on getting well and getting my body back.  I jogged for the first time this week since May, not long, but it felt good.  Working towards my goal of a 5K on Thanksgiving day!
2.  Monday night I went to a look good, feel better class offered for cancer patients.  I enjoyed it, got a lot of nice free make up and learned how to work my eyebrows.  They look much better now.  Sure can't wait to get my full eyebrows and eyelashes back.  I hope they come by Christmas.
3.  Monday night I also went to Alisha's where we made carmel apples and had Family Home Evening.  Her kids are so awesome; I love them like my own.  I heard they are saving all their licorice from trick or treating to give to me!  What sweet kids they are.

4.  My head is getting cold and the crochet hats and scarves aren't keeping it warm.  I've thought of some cute designs and my aunt Carol has a huge fabric collection.  I went to her house yesterday and picked out some cute fabric for some hats.  Monday we are going to put them together!  I feel like I need some style, so that's what I'm hoping for.
5.  Halloween included Taco Soup, Dragon Fly (one of the greatest movies ever) mummies, cowboy's and an indian, and a little duck dynasty.  We missed the ladybug and snow white this year.

6.  Last year I published my 2009 blog and it was ok, but last week I found a better way to publish it via cutestblogontheblock.  Last week I published 2010's blog.  It was so easy and I had it in less than a week.  I got it on Monday and absolutely love it.  So I ordered 2011's this week.  It is an awesome thing to have and look through.  So grateful for technology!