Tanner = Iron Man (the Grey One)
Ty = Wolverine
Tori = Wonder Woman
Troy = Sock Monkey

We had such a fun Halloween with all four kids this year and all my nieces and nephews.?? (Thank you Josh and Britt for opening up your home to the whole crew – great party!)

Last year we had an 11th hour panic with Tanner’s costume.?? He refused to decide so I gave up figuring he didn’t want to dress up only to hear him softly crying on Halloween Eve because he finally knew what he wanted to be and thought it was too late (and it wasn’t thanks to Uncle Dave and Aunt Beck who are great at 11th hour solutions).?? This year I gave the kids a Halloween magazine early and Tanner had plenty of time to deliberate.?? Jim and I were both disappointed though because for quite awhile Ty wanted to be the Pillsbury Dough Boy and we really hoped he would stick to that decision.?? I giggled at the party because I watched Tanner sitting sorting candy and doing trades with his friends.?? Totally a 10 year old thing to do.?? He looks 10 doesn’t he??? It’s killing me.???? I came out of the Walmart restroom this week to an elderly woman staring at Tanner and Troy.?? It appeared she had been observing for a bit.?? When she saw I was mama she said “You have a BEAUTIFUL baby.?? He is almost as beautiful as his big brother.”???? I had to giggle at that.?? I sure do have 3 handsome boys.?? She would have swooned over Ty too but I wasn’t silly enough to leave Ty standing with Tanner outside the restroom while I was in there.?? Can you imagine??? Oh my.

Ty was very disappointed that I threw away the wolverine claws and wouldn’t let him wear them to the party.?? Countless other innocents are thanking me for that decision.?? :)?? We have dressed the kids up every year and gone to Halloween partys but never before had we taken them trick or treating.?? I am not a “know my neighbors” girl because we aren’t outside much so I was never very comfortable with that.?? However, Jim and I had to open the gate wider this year because it occurred to us that trick or treating was like MADE FOR Ty.?? 1.?? He would get to ring door bells!!!?? 2.?? He would get to meet the neighbors (and he always wants to do that).?? 3.?? They enjoy meeting him so much they give him CANDY!!???? How great is that??? And yes – he was in seventh heaven.?? We trick or treated with all my nieces and nephews and a bunch of friends.?? Between us we probably had 25 to 30 plus little ones in a mass herd.?? As a result, I had a heck of a time keeping an eye on Ty.?? At one point I commented on my nervousness about this and my girlfriend Belinda assured me that the Village was “on it”.???? To my knowledge there was only one incident that several adults had to run from because Ty ringed a doorbell about 30 times before anyone stopped him.?? I was really pretty okay though with giving my sweet friends an OPPORTUNITY to manage through a Ty moment.???? I find it comical though that they chose duck and cover as their tool of preference.?? LOL.

Tori:?? Mommy!?? I CAN’T fly!?? 🙁

Me:?? I know babe.?? Putting on your costume won’t make you fly.?? People can’t fly.

Tori:?? But it says!?? See!?? It says right here!?? Look!?? She IS flying.

Tori is now considering a lawsuit for false advertisement.?? Pretty darn disappointing to dream of flying only to find out it was photoshopped.?? Sad day.

Her brothers thought they would help her out.

When Jim was a little boy he had quite the crush on Linda Carter so I thought he would get a grin out of his beautiful little daughter dressed as Wonder Woman.?? She may have looked a little too beautiful for my taste.?? I think I should have not agreed to the makeup at least (and yes mother – she did need a costume with a longer torso as well – got sick of stretching that thing).

Unlike the boys, Tori was not a fan of trick or treating.?? I have one costume rule and that is that may not be anything gross or scary.?? Non-negotiable.???? Tori, therefore, didn’t think ANYONE should be allowed to dress up gross or scary and she was having a fit over many of the costumes.???? At one point she begged to go home because she didn’t want to see anymore “monsters”.?? Add this to the fact that she was scared spitless to approach many of the decorated houses and I think she could have done without the whole trick or treating affair.?? Again I side with my daughter.?? Doesn’t it seem a bit silly that people offer candy to small children and “entice” them to approach the front door with ghosts and goblins??? Tori and I think that is a dumb marketing strategy.

My Troy baby had better things to do with his time.?? He was (according to Daddy) an “angry little Elf”.?? He wanted to nap and not pose.?? I had 14 children to photograph in all of about 40 minutes so I had to resort to my girlfriend Janelle’s signature quote “You get what you get and don’t throw a fit”.

At the party that night, Troy tried so hard to stay awake and be social.?? He finally got angry that he was sleepy and he just started yelling (he yells more than cries when he is tired but is wanting to stay awake).?? I finally took him to a quiet corner of the house and attempted to swaddle him with a tiny blanket (I forgot his swaddle blanket at home).?? No sooner did I get his arms swaddled down that he looked up at me with the biggest grin and then quieted right down and fell asleep.?? He LOVES to be swaddled and sometimes just demands it to sleep.

Was a wonderful evening with all four of my amazing blessings.?? Anybody want some candy?

Next up will be all my nieces and nephews.?? I told my sisters that if they would get their kids to me before the party I would get pictures done before the sun went down.?? I must admit that the whole shindig went remarkably well (for 14 kids 10 and under majority of which were under 7).?? It may take me a few days though – busy week.