“Mo Canny, Mo Canny!”

Halloween seemed to go on for days this year. I think we were costumed out by Monday. But it was a great weekend all the same.

A couple weeks ago, we kicked off the season with a most delicious pumpkin soup. Thanks Alton, for the great, festive recipe. I’m definitely a fan.

So, Elise and I were put in charge of the ward Halloween Party/Chili cook-off. I wasn’t super enthusiastic about this assignment, since, you know, I have triplets that make being in charge of anything difficult when they are awake. We decided to keep it pretty low key, which is my attitude for this holiday in general, so I hope no one minded. KC was kind enough to come home a couple hours early on Friday so Elise and I could set up. He took full baby duty to get them there, manage them at the church, and get them home and into bed by himself (past their bedtime, adding another element of craziness). The night was a success, with more than enough chili and pie to go around, and great costumes to be seen. As per tradition, each group in the church put together a booth for everyone to enjoy. We had cookie decorating, fishing, a piñata, doughnuts on a string, face painting and even a treasure hunt. There definitely wasn’t a shortage of activities. I had a couple (seriously,just a couple) seconds to take Ruby and Alex (Bennett was content to stay in the nursery and play with toys) around the church to quickly go trick-or-treating. Alex realized what was going on, and wouldn’t stop saying “Mo Canny! Mo Canny!” We have a little bit to learn about manners, it seems.  We didn’t get many pictures, and it wasn’t what I had envisioned my babies’ first trick-or-treating experience to be. I was really looking forward to showing them the joy of Halloween, and seeing their faces light up as they discovered what happens when you say the magic words “Trick-or-Treat!”  and I thought the church was a great place to give it a try, since they’d be contained and safe without needing to be strapped in the stroller, but, I was setting out pies, and making sure everything was going according to schedule, so what’s done is done. The looked adorable in their “costumes” (I know, I’m not the most festive mom on the block, but the babies loved their hats, so we were all happy), and I was happy to have that party behind me. There were so many kind helpers that stayed to clean up, and Elise and I were home before 10. Lovely. Oh, and I tried to scrounge up a last second costume that wouldn’t drive me crazy while preparing food and running around. So half-hearted Superman it was. Thanks to KC’s mom for recently giving us KC’s childhood cape. I’m sure it will come in handy for future Halloweens.

On Saturday, we went trick-or-treating at Wegmans. It was a little crazy, but while the kids got candy, we sampled delicious food. Win, win. Oh, and it snowed that day. The kids thought it was great.

And just because it was part of the weekend, I’ll add that we all made it to Stake Conference, where we spent most of the time in the nursery, but later that evening enjoyed leftover ward party pie with some friends. The perk of being the party planners.

So, by the time Halloween rolled around, I was feeling like all was already said and done. The kids hardly understood what was going on anyway, so I wondered if I should even do anything different. I thought it would be fun to go to the little pumpkin patch at Watkins Park, but after loading everyone up, and strolling down the path, we saw that it was closed on Mondays. Perfect. Here I am wracking my brain for something festive to do with two-year-olds, and I get shut down. Luckily there is an awesome part there too, and lately I’ve been feeling more and more confident to let them play on their own at the play ground. I still run around the whole time in case people are about to fall off a ledge, but they seem to do really well for the most part. I appreciate a fenced in park when possible, but this park is so big and open, that they could really run free without me feeling like they were in danger of cars, etc. Not to mention we had the place to ourselves. This is a big development in my life a mommy.  A great Halloween morning.

As soon as they ate their dinner, and I took off their clothes, I knew I had made my decision that trick-or-treating was out. We were all tired, and the thought of getting everyone ready, listening to whining because they’d want to get out of the stroller (cause I really couldn’t see us letting them run around in the streets after dark-ha!) and going to bed an hour or more late again didn’t seem worth it to me just to have a bunch of candy lying around. Plus they would just want to eat all of candy right then. Not a great thing to add to the bedtime routine. So next year, I’m sure we won’t be so lazy, and the kids will truly enjoy what this holiday has to offer.

We went downstairs later and ate homemade pizza, and apples dipped in caramel. We looked through our scary movie options, and I was so disappointed in myself to not watching any of my faves this year. Not ONE Alfred Hitchcock, not ONE! I’ll have to remember to start watching early next year. Luckily I read Frankenstein for my book group. That definitely set the tone. And it was even spookier that I listened to it as I ran in dark each morning.

So it was a bit of an anticlimactic Halloween, but still fun to hear my little ones say their first “Trick-or-Treat!” It’s always nice to get it out of the way and start prepping for the wondrous holiday season. I’m more than excited for that, so let’s start haulin’ out the holly!

Alex the “Panna”Bennett the “Koowawa”Ruby the “Owloo”

(They were less than enthusiastic about pictures that day, but we are happy to have any group picture lately, so I consider this a success. )