Halloween Weekend!

We took the girls trick or treating at the mall on Saturday day at around noon. This was their first real experience trick or treating. Last year, they wore costumes, but we just carried them around and they weren't really cognizant of any of the action.

This year, they were like a deer in headlights! They were soaking it all in. Abby, ever the entrepreneur, quickly figured out that people were putting some cool stuff in her bag. She would quickly take it out and hold it in her hands so her bag looked empty for the next person.

The people were loving the chicken costume!!! Thanks Jess and Sue!

The girls observing the trick or treat process.

Nightmare Before Christmas characters appeared in our mall, just in time for Halloween! Annabelle had a permanent "I'm not so sure about this" pout, while Abby just stared and stared at these characters.

The funnest part for the girls was the fountain. This is their favorite fountain in the summer time anyway. In fact they have actually gotten to dip in this fountain (one really hot day we decided to cool them down before our walk home). But on Halloween, someone put soap in the fountain so it was all bubbles. A toddler's dream!

On Halloween night, they got to see how all the lights and scary decorations look in the dark. I had been leading up to Halloween with them all month, having them wear their Halloween clothes, making witch squeals whenever they pointed to the witches on their shirts, and saying "oooo-oooo" whenever we saw Jack-O-Lanterns in real life or in books. I tried to make the sounds funny/silly instead of scary so that they wouldn't be too spooked come Halloween night.

I read them a few Halloween type books including Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin (which is too story based for the girls, so we mostly looked at the pictures), a parody of Goodnight Moon, called Goodnight Goon (which is hilarious, but a bit over their heads), and a book called "That Didn't Frighten Me." They looooooooved this book and requested it every night. I was worried it would be too scary as it goes through various mythical creatures that appear outside a child's window every night. But they thought it was hilarious! It is especially great for toddlers because it uses repetition on every page, making it rhythmic and fun. So we went with it. Now they call the book "Me!" and request it still.

Halloween night! Girls are ready! Abigail is the chicken and Annabelle is the Giraffe.

Walking the street in their costumes.

I love the pictures from behind for some reason.

Knock, knock! This is one of our neighbors who we pass often on our walks downtown. They have three boys, two cats, and a dog. A full house!

I had to get one of them and the black cat...

Poor kitty! Abigail makes contact with her tail!

A new neighbor we've never met. Little baby Indian says "How!"

Annabelle checking out her spider ring once we get home.

Abigail sorting her loot and trying to suck the chocolate out of the package.

Go Giants! The funnest part for kids at this age is just sorting the candy, taking it out and putting it in the baskets again. All around great Halloween!

After we got home, the girls helped us pass out candy to the trick or treaters. They were GREAT helpers! And make sure to give some to each kid that came to our door, even taking some out of their own baskets. That generosity may not last till next year, when they figure out what candy really is!

To see the full Halloween album, click here!