Halloween 2011!

I’m still amazed how every year of my child’s life things just get better and better. I mean it’s not hard for things to GET better in our life, being that the first year and a half of Owen’s existence we focused more on my health than we did anything else…but I just love how every year, every holiday its just more and more fun! I’m sure that every parents feels the same way, but I just feel so blessed to be alive and loving all the positive memories we are making as a family!!  And this Halloween didn’t disappoint. Halloween morning didn’t start off as planned…

Rewind…On Sunday Owen woke up with a runny nose, telling Daddy “I’m sick, I have boogies”.  So we stayed home all day and rested while Daddy had a boy day watching football. When Owen went to bed Sunday night his fever was at 102. I was crossing my fingers that he’d wake up Monday morning fine….but that didn’t happen. So I called off work to stay home with my little dude on Halloween. He had to miss his Halloween pizza party at Martha’s and Mama had to miss work! He wasn’t terribly sick but another day to relax wouldn’t hurt him either. I wanted him to be feeling well enough to trick-or-treat Monday night. BUT I had to run to school to a) leave lesson plans for the substitute teacher and b) take a picture with my co-workers (since I as the nag that made them dress up for the holiday heehee and then called in sick oops!). So Owen got up and dressed and came with Mama into school for a bit. It was so cute when I told Owen that I was a teacher and worked at a school he asked if I rode on a school bus! haha I think one of Owen’s life long dreams is to ride on a yellow school bus…like the ones he see’s on the way to Martha’s every morning!

This was the ERHS PE Department aka Dodge Ball team/Old Fashioned PE Teachers!

Eric VanderWeerd, me, Kristin Courter, Mark Wade, Bill Stacy, Lia Cardon & Kelley Young (the sub!)

I thought we looked cuuuute and I was so proud of our guy teachers for remembering to dress up too!! We soooo should have won some type of spirit award! haha

As the day progressed…I got Owen some of his favorite comfort food (McDonalds) and after nap he was feeling ok and the fever was almost gone. I was so happy he’d get to experience real trick-or-treating this year.

I’m not sure how it started…but every year since Owen was born we head to the Cilderman’s house in Green River Community for trick-or-treating. Its so fun to gather with some of our closest friends. To watch the kids play and get so excited to get those costumes on! This year Heather went all out and made cute little mummy pizzas, cupcakes, carmel apples, supplied the works…she’s awesome! So the group picture was attempted… It was the best attempt we’ve had in the 3 Halloweens we’ve spent together but unfortunately it was another year of failure of NOT getting all the kids in together!

Tate Hudson, Addison Rowe, Payton Harp, Jaxon Harp, Owen & Ryland Cilderman
(missing from this picture are Tyler Rowe, Brynn Cilderman and Audrey)

This year we actually got a decent picture…Owen is IN it and NOT crying…amazing!!! Let me show you the years past group shots! haha

Owen would NOT sit with everyone for the pic in 2010 and was TERRIFIED and crying in 2009!

So at least the group pictures are getting a bit easier!! As the sun was setting the kids were getting so antsy to get goin…I don’t think Owen even knew WHAT he was excited about but he was following the lead by the older kids! It was so cute.

Of course my cautious little man was apprehensive about going to the first few doors…

…he needed some assistance from Mommy and Daddy!

But as the night went on Owen got pretty confident and LOVED going up to people’s doors. EXCEPT the “Fooky” ones (for some reason Owen can’t say “sp” words very well!) If it had loud scary music Owen was totally content hangin’ out with Mama on my scooter!

There’s a perfect little cul-da-sac around Heather & Matt’s neighborhood and thankfully it provided PLENTY of candy for the little ones. (And don’t you worry Daddy inspected that  lollipop before Owen opened it up!)
I think the adults were more exhausted than the kids were…Halloween on a weekday is ridiculous!  haha But it was totally worth it to see the excitement in all our kids eyes!  I wonder if in 10-15 years we will all still gather together for Halloween…and maybe then the adults will stay back and hand out candy while our kids run crazy around the neighborhood…I only hope we all remain as close as we are now and dream about the days we have in the future!