Spooktacular 2011

Autumn is a weird time in Texas. The weather isn't really much cooler yet but fall holidays come none the less. So you end up with rotten pumpkins because of the heat and have to think of Halloween costumes that won't be too hot, etc. Either way, we celebrated the month of October with vigor and just kept our A/C running at all times.
Tara has made a tradition the last several years of stopping at our house the week before Halloween on her way to a big work event in Las Vegas for some festive fun. It's a quick trip but we always look forward to her visit and pack in as much fun as possible while she is here. Just moments after her flight arrived the "big girls" headed to the salon and enjoyed a pedicure together. Belle was so excited, and kind of nervous, to get her feet worked on for the first time. She picked a purpleish-pink polish and had a flower painted on her big toes and felt so grown up. They asked her if they could get her a drink and she said "sure, a root beer please." She sipped her root beer in the huge chair and said her favorite part was the leg massage. (She's no dummy.) After the salon and Olivia's nap we headed to a local pumpkin patch. We ate a snow cone, rode a hayride, bought 4 pumpkins and had a great time. It was a warm October day and the girls loved being outside.

The following week we were lucky enough to wear our Halloween costumes three times. The first was to our ward's Annual Trunk-or-Treat and Chili Cook off. Alee, Nick and Leo decided to drive down for the weekend so we were happy to take Leo the train conductor along for the night. The second was to our neighborhood's Halloween party where we bobbed for apples, painted pumpkins, went on a scavenger hunt and ate pizza. And the third was on the actual Halloween night where we went door to door saying Trick-or-Treat! Isabelle had the vision for the holiday where we would all be a wedding party with her, of course, as the beautiful bride. Grammie went to work and sewed her a beautiful wedding dress and also made Olivia a collar to wear as her sister had requested her to be the bride's bouquet. Ben went as the Father of the Bride and I was the Maid of Honor. Neither girl lasted too long going door to door but went enough to fill their buckets up plenty and then had fun passing out candy with Grammie and Grandpa. I think as I write this Belle may have eaten 3 or 4 pieces of her candy since then and Olivia a few more. Most of it I believe has ended up in their parents bellies!





We finished the holiday off with a Christensen Tradition of "Dinner in a Pumpkin." Belle was worried we were planning to eat the pumpkin's seeds and guts and was relieved to see the yummy pasta dish inside. Olivia asks to go to "Gummies house" daily so any chance she gets to visit her family she is thrilled. We had a festive Halloween season and now look forward to being grateful and a turkey dinner and possibly even some actual cooler weather!

On Halloween the thing you must do
is pretend that nothing can frighten you,
and if somethin' scares you and you want to run
just let on like it's Halloween fun.