Our California Halloween

In California it is sunny year-round.  So, costumes are actually a little more fun because you don't have to be able to wear sweats underneath them.  It was always a bummer to put on my sweet Pocahontas outfit and then have to throw a coat over the whole things.  I remember being stubborn one year and wearing my moccasins ... my feet were completely numb by the end of the night. 

Well, as we only have a couple years to have complete power over Mac's costume, we decided to continue dressing him up as childhood heroes of ours.  Last year, he was Mario.  My childhood heroes were not quite as fun for Mac; come on, Meeko?  Not so fun. So we have stayed with Mark's hero:  ninja turtle.

Mark was very very involved in this costume.  I was constantly being corrected on things.  It was quite important to him that it turn out just right, and that made it all the more fun.  Viola:

 

The mask never made it to his eyes, but oh well.  He is too tough to have to be incognito.  When I bought the package of ninja weapons, Mac went right for the little three-pronged knives.  He has loved those things.  When Mark saw him, he said, "Hey!  But I wanted to be Raphael!"  Sorry Marcus.  You get second pick.  But I think it turned out alright!  Here are some pictures from our first ever Trunk or Treat:

Lindy always whips out the most AMAZING costumes.

Probably my favorite costume ever.  Note the dollar bills.  He also had a tattoo on his back.

An adorable little guy in my class ... who always looks just like Harry Potter!

Mark taught Mac how to kill people for this costume.  Now he pokes people and grunts, "Uuuggh!"

Raphael vs. Peter Pan

Leonardo vs. Superman

 
Later on in the week we went to Mark's school for the costume contest.  We were his props.  They picked the winners by loudest cheers ... and once again, Mark's class was too good to us.

Our top competitors ... Justin Bieber and Chilean miners!!  They were hilarious.

When everyone started cheering, Mac really wooed the crowd.  He bounced and waved his arms ... and it worked!  We won Best Costume ... which was $50!

Miss Molly cheered for him too.  She tried to give him a victor's kiss afterward, he wasn't sure what to think about it.

 The Hollands came over for pumpkin carving later ... unfortunately I ruined our plans to hit the "pumpkin patch" as you do out here.  I took too long getting dinner going, so instead of going to the  fun little place on the corner complete with pumpkins, blow-up bounce houses, and goats ... we just went to the grocery store and bought some.  Sorry Hollands.

Mac LOVED carving pumpkins.  He was ultra-involved the whole time.

His favorite thing was to put all the guts we had just removed back into the pumpkin.  Along with all the spoons he could get a hold of.

 And Disneyland!  Magical as always; you just can't beat Disneyland's holiday spirit.  I love the seasonal characters.  Wish there weren't such long lines to get pictures with them.

The line was quite a bit smaller to see Jessi.  Mac wasn't sure what to think about her.

Disney's Pumpkin Walk.  Not quite like Logan's, but pretty magical nonetheless.

Mac's favorite part of Disneyland.

We completed our holiday season with a young married's party with a bunch of people from our ward -- which was a blast, especially as we were able to leave Mac sleeping at home with the Holland's babysitter -- dinner with the Comeau family -- which included soup in pumpkins -- and lots of scary movies.  As I am a wimp, we watched three of the "Halloween" movies on t.v., so they were all edited and much more enjoyable.  We also watched some classic Vincent Price flicks ... my favorite creepy old actor. 

It has been a fabulous season, and now I can't wait for Christmas.