Our Halloween 2016

Yes, we decided to continue our new tradition of a family costume theme.  I do hope Evan will not mind joining us in this endeavor for a few more years.  These costumes were pretty simple to make although it did take some work to cut out all of the pieces and hot glue them to the shirts.  It was a pretty affordable costume arrangement since I got the shirts for less than $3 each from Michael's and also bought some inexpensive sheets of felt.  We are working on bringing the 80s back with our retro Pac-Man family.  I have to give Eddie a little credit since it was his idea, but I did implement most of it.  He didn't think the names were needed on the shirts, but I thought they were a nice touch.  Notice that I even had to use the pixelated letters from the video game.  I just love my little Inky, Blinky, and Clyde and especially love my little blue ghost that I ate.

Who knows what we will be next year?  The boys have already been a Ghostbuster duo which was pretty popular this year because of the new movie.  I am not sure where we will end up next year.  Evan wants Star Wars, of course, but I have resisted that one since it has been so trendy in recent years.  Sigh.  Last year, we started the family theme with our Harry Potter costumes.  Ideas, anyone?  Sigh.

I thought Brody's pose was funny in this picture.  It looks like he thought his ghost needed eyebrows.  I like this costume set up because all we are missing is our little Pinky ghost which would have suited our Mattie perfectly. 

I know it is just a big red t-shirt with eyes, but oh my goodness, I could have eaten this little Blinky up.  He is just so cute these days! 

We got a head start on Halloween with a little festival with Evan's Cub Scout troop. The Bear troop always sets up the games for this festivity as part of their yearly goal.  Evan bobbed for a Twinkie and shot a bow and arrow. 

Brody has learned the Cub Scout salute already, and all of the boys loved eating lots of yummy sweet treats.  My other favorite costume of the night was Evan's pal, Jasper, who was a Rubiks cube.  I thought he added to our 80s theme nicely. 

We combined pumpkin carving and painting this year.  Brody painted his little pumpkin while Daddy and Evan took over the carving duties.  Evan gladly accepted help cleaning out his pumpkin. 

Could anything be cuter than a baby in a diaper playing with a messy pumpkin?  I didn't think so with Brody so I had to relive those moments with Mattox. 

Yep, this baby loved it!

Silly boys!

Getting to work.  Evan was very careful with his knife as he had learned to be in Cub Scouts. I helped Brody do a Jack Skellington face on the front of his, but he wanted to be more colorful on the back. 

Evan made a scary vampire face while we let Daddy get out easy and just carve our Harry Potter eyes and lightning scar while I painted the rest of it. 

These boys were ready to trick or treat. Mattox was just ready to drive his car.  He tries to drive it all the time and throws a fit when we take him out because we have to take the real car.  

Brody made friends with this scary character. 

Evan had to handle the business of getting candy before he would get in the picture.  

We walked a different direction this year and discovered that a house just down the street does a whole Walking Dead theme around their house and yard.  It was pretty incredible.  I got startled by that zombie while taking a picture of the graveyard.  

One zombie was still eating a victim while dead bodies lined the sidewalk.  A fence around the property kept zombies in while Neegan made his special appearance with the lovely Lucille and offered to assist visitors to the candy for a share of the profits.  Ugh, does anyone else have an intense hatred of Neegan now?  I am really getting sick of him.  Sigh. 

Decorations were a lot more tech savvy this year with laser projected messages on houses and ghostly skeleton shadows dancing in windows.  `

Mattox enjoyed his first trick or treat experience and did leave his beloved car a few times to participate. 

Getting some candy and trying a piece.  Unfortunately a tootsie roll and its paper wrapper "disappeared."  Haha!

Big brothers showed him what to do. 

And Daddy Pac-Man helped too. 

Brody enjoyed this giant red-eyed monster while Evan got spooked by a very tall figure of death. 

Brody was fascinated by the real clown head on the table that turned around when he approached.  Yes, it was a real person and was pretty freaky. He also loved this little lighted pumpkin and the inflatable Mickey pumpkin. 

Some houses preferred lots of inflatables while others created scary graveyards.  Brody loves taking pictures with cool characters like this little skeleton prisoner. 

And we ended our tiring walk around the neighborhood. 

It was a good night for all.  I separated all the candy into chocolate and non-chocolate piles.  There is a huge bucket of non-chocolate and a drawer full of chocolate in our refrigerator to last us a while.