Some things about Halloween remain the same year after year. The kids spend the entire year trying to decide what they would like to be. Carving pumpkins before the big day is a necessity. And this Mama generally eats most of the Halloween candy while vowing to change her ways with each day that passes in a mound of candy wrappers. And so, in all the ways it truly matters, Halloween in the year of COVID was still Halloween.
Although we did not take the opportunity to visit most of our favorite pumpkin farms and apple orchards this year, we did find the time to make a trip to Ackerman Farms to see the animals and pick out our Halloween pumpkins.
Briggs was the most excited about pumpkin carving. He drew on his design (a monster eating a person-you can see the legs sticking out of the monster's mouth) and then Adelie helped him with most of the carving.
This was the first year that Adelie carved her pumpkin all on her own.
Staley worked on her pumpkin for at least an hour, using a template to carve hers to look like the Schuyler sisters from 'Hamilton.'
WORK!
Zach always enjoys carving his own pumpkin too. His pumpkins generally follow a certain theme.
Staley decided that she wanted to be Hermione from Harry Potter for Halloween this year. I was able to find a second-hand robe and tie, dug a white shirt out of the 7/8 bin of clothes for Briggs in the basement, and voila!! Hermione she was!
Although there were no parent volunteers allowed this year, the kids were still able to wear their costumes and have Halloween parties in their classrooms at school.
Adelie decided awhile ago that she wanted to be Aurora (from Sleeping Beauty). The Eureka garage sale site was my friend this Halloween as I was also able to find this princess dress for Adelie from a local friend. Adelie was quick to point out that she was Aurora AFTER she woke up, so she was not Princess Aurora. She was Queen Aurora!
Briggs had wanted to be Olaf last year for Halloween before I talked him into wearing his scarecrow costume for one more year. He never changed his mind and Olaf was his costume of choice this year as well. We had a friend who loaned us this Olaf costume so Briggs could be the cutest little snowman.
His friend, Dava, was the friend who loaned him his Olaf costume. She didn't need it since she was going to be Clara from the Nutcracker.
On Halloween evening, we enjoyed trick or treating around our block with Briggs' friend, Grace, and her parents before venturing off to visit grandparents and aunts/uncles.
It was another fun and successful Halloween. Fun costumes. Check! Carved pumpkins. Check! School parties. Check! Trick or treating. Check! Mom eating way too much candy. Well...guess we have to check that box too.
Happy Halloween!!!
