Trick or Treat Times Three

I have a disease. Remember how I went on and on about how I was keeping Halloween super simple this year? Well, I just don't think it is in my blood to pass up opportunities for creativity. At the last minute I had this idea and since I had all the supplies necessary, I just couldn't resist. 

It wasn't the most practical costume to wear trick-or-treating, so it came on and off, but Blake loved the actual flashing fire truck light.

We had three trick or treating outings within two days. Talk about a sugar overload.

1. Work-or-Treat
Troy has successfully dressed up as the same thing for three years running. A Red Sox player. I keep trying to tell him that a jersey is not a costume. Oh well, we still always love to visit him and his co-workers at the office.

This was the quickest and driest way to go about obtaining candy. Huge bucket loads of variety in every aisle of desks.

2. Trunk-or-Treat

My brother met up with us at our house in between work and church parties, and threw all of my Halloween decorations into our trunk within a half hour. In typical Jorden fashion, he rigged up orange and white mini-lights and spotlights as well.

I thought it turned out phenomenal, especially in the amount of time he had! He won the "Cutest Trunk" award, which is funny because as we were putting it together, I commented, "I just don't want it to look too cutesy." I'm thinking that avoiding cute decor is also not in my blood.

The sky above the rows of trunks was breathtaking.

This was the busiest trunk-or-treat we have ever been to. They combined two congregations together this year, and I'm pretty sure that our entire neighborhood plus the next one over showed up for the celebration. There was a lot of panicking when more than 300 people entered the gymnasium afterwards for dinner. Last minute tables and chairs were thrown into every corner. It was crazy - and in all the commotion and rushing I forgot to grab the big salad I made for the event. I didn't get a chance to eat anyway, so I figured that it all worked out. Plus, more people equaled more candy.

Blake won an award at the trunk-or-treat party for his fire truck costume (we paid off the judges so that we could sweep the awards). It wasn't the most glorious winning moment ever though. He was having a meltdown about who-knows-what in that overcrowded and overwhelming gym when they announced his name over the microphone. Being the understanding mom that I am, I ignored his tantrum and shoved that fire truck back on him so that he could go redeem his prize. He cheered up slightly once he found out that a prize was involved.

Another perk of having my brother around was that he pulled out his video camera again and surprised me with a compilation of clips of our trunk-or-treating boys (in exchange for using our laundry facilities).

3. Trick-or-Treat

Lastly, there was good ol' regular trick-or-treating. It was raining for a majority of the evening so I opted to leave the cute dalmatian at home. Blake's costume ended up working out perfectly considering he was already wearing a rain coat and boots. He loved ringing the doorbells and getting even more candy (which we have since hid or redistributed). After every house, he begged to go to another one (unless they had a big scary barking dog, then he decided that "no one was home" before even making his way up to the front door).

The best part about trick-or-treating was getting to visit with neighbors. Blake lit up when he found some of his favorite friends from church in costumes.

I think that just about wraps up Halloween 2010. Here's to keeping it simple...next year.