Saturday, October 31, 2015

All Hallow's Eve (Now in Michigan Form!)

Seriously?
Well, this Halloween sucked.

Seriously.  What the hell was up with the weather tonight?!  Low-50s and pouring rain?  Thanks a lot, Michigan.

Ghastly weather be damned, our kids were determined to venture forth into the crappiest of weather in order to Trick or Treat.  This was their first Halloween in Michigan, after all, and they weren't about to let a bunch of rain ruin it for them.

They wouldn't have much company out on the streets, though - we had been expecting hordes of trick-or-treaters to assail our house tonight, seeing how family-friendly our neighborhood is, and based on the testimonies of many of our neighbors - but the rain kept most kids at bay, and a result we had about five bags of uneaten candy that had been purchased for trick-or-treaters.

That's going to my school, rest assured - I don't want my kids feasting on that for the next couple of months.

Anyway, here's how Halloween 2015 went down. . .

Alayna inspects some of the candy we had on standby for trick-or-treaters.
How to NOT use an Imperial blaster.
Some Halloween-ish pictures of the inside of our house for you. . .
Enjoying a sucker, wearing Kris' witch hat. . .
Me and Kris' pumpkins out on the front porch, lit and ready to roll for the evening's soggy festivities.
Mom and John swung over about a half hour before Trick or Treating started in order to snag some pics of their grandkids in costume, which went HORRIBLE this year (yet another reason why this year will go down in history as one of the worst ones we've had.)
They were incredibly uncooperative tonight.  Moreso than usual.
(This is probably the best picture we have of the girls all suited up for Halloween this year.  Seriously.)
Showing off her vampire make-up.
Kris and Mom.
Papa John, the Cannonball, and the lone remaining Lions fan in Michigan.
I let Abby use one of my old Star Wars blasters from college to accent her Princess Leia outfit.  She used it for about half the night, then switched it out for an umbrella (can't say I blame her.)
This was the first Halloween we had in a community where most houses give out Halloween candy, so I stayed back to pass out candy while Kris took the girls around the block.  Then, afterwards, she came back to pass out candy and I took the girls around the other side of the street.
Venturing off into the storm. . .
Abby's pumpkin.
(You'll note the absence of trick-or-treaters. . .)
Appreciate this picture of our house decorated for Halloween, Internet - I got soaked taking it for you.
While Kris and the girls got drenched trick-or-treating around the neighborhood, I stayed in and watching the epic Kung Fury and passed out candy (to, like, twenty kids.)
Watson enjoyed barking his ass off every time kids came to our door. . . which got old real fast.
This was pretty decent, as far as pumpkin beers go.  Still can't wait for Stout Season, though.
Kris and the girls returned after about a half an hour, and we switched places.  We had them put on boots before going out again (the leaves were keeping the rain water from draining into yards, so most of the sidewalks were flooded), and I made them carry umbrellas as we set off to hit up the other side of the street.   
After about fifteen minutes, though, Alayna wanted to come home and warm up (and watch some Halloween movies.)  I tried telling her she could go and get more candy, but she looked at me and said, "Daddy, if there aren't a lot of trick-or-treaters going to our house, we have more candy at home than I'll get walking out here in the rain."  Touché, kid.
Examining candy prior to mass-consumption.  No syringes this year.
One of our neighbors was giving out cans of Coca-Cola, which, when placed in fancy wine glasses, increases in tastiness.  That's science, people.
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.
Plunder
Watson bides his time. . .
Happy Halloween. . . I guess.
- Brian

Friday, October 30, 2015

Across Two Classrooms...


Another Halloween, another series of classroom parties, costume parades, and sugary gauntlets to run down.  After years of having kids, we're pretty used to this shakedown.

Alayna and Abby had classroom Halloween parties today, and Kris, having the day off of work, was able to go in and help out.  This more or less entailed bouncing back and forth between a kindergarten and 2nd grade classroom, snapping pictures whenever possible and trying to help maintain order in an otherwise swirling vortex of sugar-infused chaos.

(Glad I was at work this year.)

Anyway, here you go.  Halloween parties at Chestnut Hill. . .

(Abby's pissed because we made her eat breakfast before she changed into her pristine-white Princess Leia Halloween costume.)
Mrs. Larson's second grade class (you can spot Kris there, off to the right, taking video with our Powershot.)
The Cannonball went as a vampire this year, and was quick to show off her new costume.
Arts and crafts time.
Hammin' it up.  No big shocker, there.
Ms. Van Den Boom's Kindergarten class, all lined up for the Halloween parade through the school (you can spot Princess Leia off to the right.)
The parade begins. . .
(No idea why she's resorted to this fingers-in-the-mouth thing recently.)
Alayna and a few of her homegirls during the parade.
This was probably lunch.
Kris' craft for the class - Q-tip skeletons.
The Cannonball - unsurprisingly - didn't finish hers.
More from Mrs. Larson's class.
The crew pose for a pleasant Halloween group pic. . .
. . . then do a weird one.  'Cause they're a big ol' gaggle of 2nd graders.
And now for the Kindergarteners. . .
No idea what the hell this is.
Story time.
That wig refused to stay on her head.  I guess she has a receding hairline.
Creepy you can get a bunch of 5-year-olds to sit still like that. . .
More fingers in the mouth.  
Table discussions.
Doing some candy-and-coloring time.
Kris and another mom tried for awhile to get Abby to pose with another boy in her class, who was dressed as a Jedi.  After awhile of Abby refusing, the other mom just told the boy to stand behind Abby while she was distracted with her coloring. Kris and the mom then got Abby's attention and snapped a few pictures, much to Abby's dismay. . .
Painting pumpkins (you'll note the absence of the white costume, folks.)
(That pumpkin kinda looks like someone took a crap on it.)
Celebrating mediocrity.
Later that day - doing classwork.  No idea how she's still functioning after sustaining herself all morning with candy and chaos.

- Brian