Halloween '11

Halloween is here and is kicked off on the Friday before with the

first of four activities . . .

Friday morning was the Award Assembly at school and kindergarten carnival. Christian was chosen to receive the Teacher's Choice Award (a.k.a. the teacher's pet award as John calls it). He was so excited. On his award said he "is a well rounded young man. He does well academically, is fun to be around, and he is a great friend." Can't get better than that! Good job Christian!

The kindergartners are the only ones who dress up and each year have a Carnival. They get to parade into the assembly room to show off their costumes for the rest of the school. It is totally darling. Ashlyn was Rapunzel this year and was beyond ecstatic with her wig.

At the Carnival, I was in charge of the cookie decorating station. I can't believe Ashlyn is now participating in the carnival, she has been there twice before; first as a little pumpkin baby, then helping me when Christian was in K. Now it's her turn, and my last!!

On Friday night, Brooke had a daddy-daughter Activity Days night Halloween dinner. They got to dress up; John came up with an impromptu Bob the Builder and Brooke is the Mad Hatter. They had a great time!

The next night, we were invited to the Zdenek's annual Halloween party which Madison and Brooke were enlisted to help. Lisa Zdenek is Ashlyn's kindergarten teacher, and has had all the Merrill kids.

Here she is with her darling family. When she was Madison's teacher, she just got married and now she has three cute boys. I love the lake in their backyard - such a beautiful setting.

Look, Ashlyn really does have eyelashes! A little mascara made her feel pretty grown up.

The candy house table! M&B were in charge of helping kids with decorating the houses.

Lots of sprinkles, lots of frosting, lots of sticky.

Super fun night!!!!

Then the next night we carved our pumpkins! It's funny how the kids beg and beg to do it, and we put it off, knowing how messy and difficult it can be. Then half way through they complain that it's messy and difficult. ha!

But they turned out darling. Madison donated her cleaned-out shell to me to use for our traditional pumpkin stew for Halloween night. Thank you Maddy! It saved me from having to clean out one!

Halloween day: the after school snack was pumpkin smoothies. YUM!!!

Everyone's dressed up and ready to trick or treat throughout the neighborhood.

And I mean everyone! Even I donned a costume for the first time this year.

They all got their fill of loot; enough to keep dentists in business for the year.

Happy Halloween!