Halloween 2009

Here's one for you...I now have to worry about their Halloween costumes being too hot, instead of worrying about how to get the costumes over their coats! Thank goodness the trick or treating doesn't start until after the sun goes down. However the 2:30 parade at school was a different matter...

This was Michael's very last Halloween parade. How did he grow out of those so soon? As 2010 and middle school approaches, I imagine that there will be many more "lasts" and "firsts" for him. He is already talking about the school dance that will replace the parade for him at Halloween. Oh boy...

Please indulge me as I take a quick detour down memory lane...here is a picture of his first Halloween parade in 2003, as a 4 year old in preschool. What a great big brother he was (and is), taking 2 yr. old Jake along with him:



...and then six years later as a 10 year old in 5th grade:


The kids paraded and had their parties at school on Wednesday, Oct. 28th, which is our "Friday." The theme seemed to be Black for the 2009 Green family costumes. Jacob sported an authentic ninja costume that Julia brought him from Japan this year:


Don't you think that Jacob's costume looks very similar to one of our everyday sights...


We waited until the 31st to do the actual trick or treating. We kept things pretty low-key this year and stuck close to home. There are some neighborhoods of the community that are literally packed with kids, teens and parents trailing with cars. It's down right dangerous on some of the streets - in fact last year a kid got hit by a car. It's much less crazy in our immediate neighborhood. The Miller family came over to go trick-or-treating with us, and then we had some fabulous roasted butternut squash soup for dinner. A very autumn-like meal, despite the desert heat.