Halloween Fun!

I have had the kit for Frankenstein (make-up, electrodes) for the past 3 years and I was finally able to convince Porter to be Frankenstein.  I spent about an hour on his make-up and spraying his hair.  I think he looked pretty good.  Seth didn't even recognize him when we went down for the trick-or-treating at his work.
Mitchell's had not made up his mind about what he wanted to be until right before we needed to get ready and then I finally just decided.  A couple of the other choices were too big and one was too small so this was what he ended up being.  It was cute.  He kept saying "I'n a dalnation, dog."  At out trunk-or-treat one of the adults dressed up as Cruella DeVil.  She kept trying to catch him.  It was fun.  I was amazed he sat still enough for me to paint his face.  But he had fun watching Porter's face get painted so he was ok with it.
Poor Ella.  She was the first dressed and ready to go but then had to sit patiently (or not) while I painted Porter's face and the rest of the kids.  She cried for quite a while.  But she still looked so cute!
Naomi's costume was the only one I made this year.  I went to www.familyfun.com and looked through the costumes.  I let her pick but I had to approve the costume first.  Here were the rules.  1. I am not making a costume that cannot be reused, i.e. no cardboard, or foil tape.  2. The costume has to be easy to make and only take an afternoon or evening to make.  When I found the skunk, I told her that I could make that one if she wanted to and she was soooooo excited.  It was funny when people would ask her what she was going to be and they were expecting some princess or witch or something more girly, but instead she would proudly say "I'm going to be a skunk."  Now the question is, does she really look like a skunk?
I should have had her turn around more to see the stripe down her back.  Oh, well.  By the end of the night the tail was no longer sticking up.  The clear thread I had tied from tail to back had broken off by the end.
This was the end of the evening's looting.  They had been to trick or treat at Dad's work (which we love because everyone hands out candy bars, some of them full size).  Then we went to the chili cook off and the trunk or treat at the ward.  Then while Seth was helping clean up at the church we went home and went around the neighborhood.  In years past the around the neighborhood part usually ends up being one or two houses to friends and then back home because it is way too FREEZING cold.  But this year, I went around without even a jacket.  It was SOOO nice.
You can tell it was the end of the day.  The make up was smeared off the faces from eating and rubbing the itches.  I was in such a hurry taking pictures before we left to go to Seth's work that I spaced taking pictures of Kyah in her costume.  I will have to have her dress back up and get some pictures taken.  When I do I'll post them.  She looked cute and her costume was really easy.
Here's the loot.  We always have so much candy.  I don't know why we do so many trick or treating except they love each of the different experiences.  I have somehow convinced the kids to put all their candy together (except for some of the "special" candy).  Then we all share.  Seth and I really like it because then we don't have to keep track of which person's candy we keep eating.  Plus this way it makes for good bribery with help around the house or potty training.  With 4 children getting candy it really piles up after a while.  Here is the pile.  Notice how high up on the couch it stands.  Good grief that's a lot of candy.  Our dentist loves us.And that's about it.  Yet another successful Halloween.  But it didn't come without the usual nervous breakdown of Mom trying to do too much and then stressing out to the point of tears.  It wasn't too much really, just getting kids ready in costume (which most were scattered here and there throughout the house and one of which I had to finish making that morning), paint everyone's faces, making the kids clean the house so it wouldn't drive me nuts later, making chili after going to the store to get the rest of the ingredinets (only to taste the chili and hate it.....I guess I really don't like cummin), driving all over town getting to the places we needed in time and without any accidents.  No not too much at all.  Piece of cake.  So now you know and when your loot runs out you know where to go.