HAAAAAAPPPPPYYYYY HAAAALLLLLOOOWWWWEEEENNN!!!!!!!!!!

..EVERYONE!

this year is the first year i haven't carved a pumpkin myself with the kids.

i had a pretty exhausting weekend, so by the time it came to 'pumpkin carvin' time last night, i passed the torch to mike!!

(L to R...court's, mike's and ty's...)

...aside from Christmas, Halloween is my second favorite season of the year.  i love seeing all the houses all decorated and lit up as the Hallow'd eve approaches!  the kids get excited about planning what to dress as for costumes, and they look forward to their school parties every year too.

courtney's school has an afternoon dance, and this is the first year that tyler's school will be having a "sock hop" this afternoon as well! 

sooooo...lunchtime today was a chaotic RUSH!

( i'm sure most of you can relate to this! )

this years costumes were planned out well ahead of the game...

Courtney...a Zombie Bride

Tyler...a Vampire

i took courtney to good ol' value village to rely on finding an old, once adored, wedding gown and veil.

Check!  ( plenty to choose from...the gawdier, the better! )

...and seriously, i had a huge weight of guilt on my shoulders this morning as this old wedding gown,

which looked like this...

...was attacked with a knife in my hand to rip it all up all over the place,

like this...

...to only then be taken outside and doused in black spray paint...

THE HORROR!!!

(someone once loved this dress...someone once loved this dress...-yes, i have a guilty conscience.)

:)

anyway, i picked the kids up at lunchtime, raced home to scarf down a peanut butter bun, and mini chocolate bar and a cup of peach juice...and then slip into MAKEUP and COSTUMES before racing them back to school for their parties!

WHEW...what a whirlwind, wasn't it????

...and here's our finished Halloween costumes for this year...

( i gave her my dying, wilting Mums to use for her bouquet...of course, after spraying them black!)

...they looked so cute running out to the car so we wouldn't be late...


...i am having a quick breather before all the craziness of trick-or-treating and makeup touchups tonight...

I.
Love.
Halloween.

...have a safe and fun night everyone...

...be back soon...