Halloween 2015 ~ Traditions & New Stages

The highlight was Grandma Boo's skeleton made entirely of vegetables, it rocked! We carved pumpkins because wonderful neighbors gave us 9 from their garden. We roasted the seeds and had fun creating shapes, mom and dad can't help anyone so it was time intensive but they were so proud of their cats, minions and monsters. 


Banana created a "stick" man with neon glow sticks, J-L was a prison breakout, Big M was captain America and even went to a party with Miss Captain America! Great was a zombie skeleton, don't take his candy! Little M was "Michael Jordan Zombie" and Miss D was a fancy skeleton! Little Lu was brave and had a blast using her costume over the last month. 

Annual 8
Captain America x2

The other fun tradition that we made up when the oldest was a toddler is that the Great Pumpkin comes and eats all the candy and leaves a gift for each child. I had never actually seen the Charlie Brown special and totally messed up the idea of what the Great Pumpkin is! So the Otis Great Pumpkin is similar to Switch the Witch or the Candy Fairy. But our tradition stuck and lots of jokes about obese pumpkins not being able to fit in and out the door have been born, sigh. The candy "eaten" by the Great Pumpkin goes to soldiers over seas. This year our church is doing it for us (post Halloween Candy drive sent to troops) but in past years driving it to a local hospital completed the fairy tale.

Great Pumpkin Morning display
The oldest stayed home and handed out candy this year, his favorite treat was eating taco bar and being cozy by the outside fire. We said he should be a lumberjack, he said "how about a freshman too old to go trick or treating?" He won.

Wash seeds, spray cookie sheet with oil,  raw seeds in at 350 degrees and cover with garlic salt.
When golden brown they are done.


 

Pumpkin Carvers

Dad's Dancing Goat Pumpkin!


Pirate Pumpkin Carver


 




Our Brave Scottish Warrior
Mom with Pumpkins

Another great holiday in the books, I have to rally each year as it is not my personal favorite holiday. But I love seeing costumes and creativity. 

 How many days until I can put up the Christmas tree? 

Comments

  1. Otissidekicks.comNovember 1, 2015 at 7:08 PM

    Yes we DO keep candy. After trial and error we decided to keep a some per kid and a mom and dad mini bucket. We give away about 1/3 and save the rest. Everyone saves about the amount of one plastic pumpkin. It all goes well until only two of the kids have candy left, it is always N and Miss D!

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