All Hallows Eve (on the Horseshoe)

Happy Halloween, folks!

The apex of October has, for at least most of the last decade or so, seemed more like an epilogue than a climax. That obviously has more to do with our own Halloween Party, which every year detracts attention away from the holiday itself by absorbing all of our energies on costume-hunting, party-prepping, and house-cleaning/decorating.

Not that I'm complaining.

Another win for Southern Tier's Halloween beer.

As we've done the last seven years, we rolled in to the Johnson's residence for their annual Trick or Treat the Horseshoe party. The Horseshoe is the nickname given to the neighborhood compromising their street (Sweetbrier), Highbrook Dr., and Westbrier Terrace (the outside outline of the 'horseshoe' shape), and Greenbrier Terrace, Canterbury Dr., and Lawndale Dr. (the inside outline.) It's all self-enclosed, so super safe for trick-or-treaters and their families, and a lot of houses participate in the distribution of candy.

Not nearly as good as we had it back in the 80's and 90's, but definitely a few clicks above the usual.

Erik had a fire going and several chairs set up by the time we got there, with their garage emptied of vehicles to accommodate Courtney's buffet-style table set-up. Like we always do in this group, everyone brought food to pass as well as candy to contribute for the evening, but after a measly two hours of giving it out we still had a crap-load on hand (which is par for the course, honestly - we all buy too much, every damn year.)

This isn't an all-night rager, compared to our party last week, but it's a nice, chill time and super nostalgic seeing all the kids running around in costumes having the time of their lives. We were home and in bed by 11pm or so, and I did my damnedest to help finish off the half-barrel of Miller Lite that we had worked on at my house the week before. . . but we didn't quite do it.

So here's one, last installment of pictures from October, gang - enjoy. . .

Another appearance of the Wild Kratz

I don't know all of these kids, but Julianna is left of Ella, and that's Harper in the Minions shirt.

And the obligatory weird one.

Before all the trick-or-treaters set off for their two-hour odyssey, we were able to get one picture of all of them together in the Johnson's front yard. This took multiple attempts, folks.

Erik set up a TV by the driveway, which was streaming old horror movies from like the 1950s for awhile, before some big football game or something came on, then folks wanted to switch to that.

After I had consumed my required Halloween, fancy beers (I always save a couple for the big night itself), I switched to our trusty keg.

Folks hanging out and snacking in the garage.

The food spread.

Kids eventually trickled in, coming into the house to start the usual sorting and trading process (good to see kids still do this sacred tradition.)

Loading up plates.

Brandon, Holty, and Collier

Womenfolk, probably talking about something super important.

Collier, Tom and Mitch, watching the game (sorta.)

If there's anyone who shouldn't be playing around with a hatchet, it's Holty.

My wife is special needs, don't make fun.

Holty and his wife, Alicia.

Collier and Mitch

As the temperature continued to drop, the fire became more and more popular. By around 10pm most of the folks had taken off (this party is definitely more a 'swing by' for a bit sort of an event, which most people hanging out in the 6pm to 8pm window of trick-or-treating.)

Most of the night looked like this right here.

Selfies in Ella's bedroom.

Hey look, I'm actually in a picture.

Another Halloween in the books. We'll see you guys next year.

- Brian 

All Hallows Eve

Happy Halloween, America!!!

Abby the Vampire

This is it.  The climax of October, the apex of Fall. . . which is kinda weird seeing how the day after our big Halloween costume bash we're pretty much done with everything 'Halloween' around these parts. 

Today's social get-together over at the Johnson residence is definitely a more scaled-down affair that what we held last night, but it's still a hell of a lot of fun.  The kids go out Trick-or-Treating the 'horseshoe' neighborhood (compromised of Sweetbrier, Hanover, etc.) while us adults hang bang in the their driveway around a fire pit, drinking beer, passing out candy, and gorging on food.  Then, unfortunately, everyone's back to home by frickin 9pm so that we can all get up and go to work the next morning.

Seriously. . . who the heck schedules a Halloween on a Sunday night?  C'mon, America.

So yeah. . . here's this year's installment of Hough Halloween-ishness. . .

Getting ready to head out.  Alayna refused to get a picture of 'just her,' so this is what you get, folks.  Teenagers suck.

Settin' up shop at the Johnson's, with dads out in the driveway and moms touching up kid costumes indoors.  Like God intended. 

Some of the children of the assembled adults, posed in the Johnson's front yard.

Abby, in the back left, wearing her candy bag on her head. . . 'cause why not.

Alayna had nothing to do with any of this evening's activities - Kris dropped her off at her friend Christina's house so that she could Trick-of-Treat with her friends instead.  You know, like a cool kid.

These are all anime characters.  This is seriously the nerdiest shit ever.

Abby runs out to meet her mom (in the distance), who is bringing along a zip-up fleece she told Abby not to forget at home.  Kids are awesome.

Assembled children, ready to head out.

I'm not huge on ciders, but this one was pretty awesome.

Hours later, Abby and Sophie come stumbling in, weighted down with pounds of sugar.

Dividing up the spoils.

Good to know kids are still just as cut-throat with trading collected candy as they were in the '80s.

A little while later, Abby and Ella passing out by the driveway fire.

Mitch and Ryan showed up towards the end of the night and joined Erik and I hanging out in the Johnson's garage. . .

. . . aaaaand they brought their wives.

A whoop-ass nightcap at the end of the night.  Happy Halloween, jerks.  

- Brian

All Hallowz Eve

What's up, gang.

So here at last we have pinnacle of Fall - what the entire month of October has been building up to, the last non-Christmas-ish day of the year.

Yours Truly had a half-day of work today - which was awesome - and Kris took the entirety of the day off so she could catch the girls' costume parade at their school and volunteer in their classrooms for their Halloween parties.  Most of that stuff went down in the morning, so by the time I got home around 12:30pm, Kris and I were able to drive around a few different stores and hunt for a pre-lit Christmas tree for this year (as you may or may not recall, we pitched ours last year as more and more strands of lights had gone out over the course of the last five years, and we eventually said 'screw it.')

After picking up the girls from school, we had a few hours to kill before taking them out around the neighborhood for Trick-or-Treating, which lasted about an hour-and-a-half, thereabouts.  From there, we just let the kids chow down on sugar and watch a few movies before forcing them to bed.  All in all a pretty run-of-the-mill Halloween.

Behold. . .

Start of the Costume Parade (here's Alayna and her class snaking their way through the Library.)

Alayna's teacher leads their class outside into the cold. . .

Next year the Cannonball should probably dress up as something warmer than a pirate.  Like a Wampa.

More of Alayna's class (that kid with the boombox definitely has some awesome parents. . .)

Abby's class passes by

That kid dressed up as a frickin' treasure chest has Halloween costuming mastered.  Kinda pissed Kris didn't get a shot of Abby and them together.

Abby and some friend of hers from school, who apparently dressed up as an Amish person. . .?

Ain't no party like a fourth grade party 'cause a fourth grade party don't stop.

And here's a couple second grade party shots. . .

I'm soooo glad I don't have to host Halloween parties for my 8th graders.  That'd be a straight-up train wreck.

Getting some reading in during the down-time between dinner and trick-or-treating.

. . . and some piano practice.

Ready to take these pirates out trick-or-treating in our new neighborhood.

The dog handled himself pretty well during our hour-and-a-half walking around.  He never barks at people, just other dogs, and there were about a half-dozen or so also being walked around.

We made it all the way down our road, crossed the street, and made our way back to the house, and even hit up a cul-de-sac within 90 minutes.  The kids' pace has definitely improved.

We could have probably stayed out later, but I wanted to turn on our house lights and pass out candy as well (seeing how we had bought a crapload to give out), so I kinda rushed us back.

Back at the house, ready to receive trick-or-treaters.

Warming up inside and preparing to dig through their hard-won plunder. . .

Moving furniture, plugging in lights, establishing Halloween-ish atmosphere. . . such is the Realm of Dad.

Our neighbors next door had prepared special bags of candy - full bars, larger items, etc. - for each of the girls, so they were definitely stoked when they finally had a chance to dig through them.

 

Starting our Halloween movie marathon off with this Tim Burton classic. . .

Abby approves.

Another Burton flick.  'Cause 'screw you, school night.'

I usually hunt down a special big bottle for Halloween - like this 9% ABV Imperial Pumpkin Ale from Shipyard (I've had it a few times before as my go-to Halloween beer.)

Happy Halloween, America.

- Brian