Halloween Fun

Halloween is definitely not my favorite holiday. However, I ended up having a really good time this year. It was fun to dress Evan and Ella Grace in their costumes...a doctor and a pumpkin.

Aren't they cute? I told Derek that Evan was cuter than Dr. McDreamy. Ha! Oh, and at first, Ella Grace was not thrilled about her costume (especially the hat). Getting her to wear it at first required some bribing with Skittles. You know, sometimes, I'm just not above a little candy bribery. I have gotten a lot of milage out of Skittles and jelly beans. :) How else can you get two kids in Easter outfits, Christmas outfits, etc.??? Ha!

My lil' punkin!

Wednesday afternoon I took Ella Grace to her very first Halloween party at Gymboree. There were SO MANY kids there and they were all so cute. Ella played games, made a foot print ghost, went on a parachute ride, sang songs, and played in bubbles. She had a ball! It was only for her age group, so Derek took off work early and took Evan for a treat at Sonic and to therapy and we met up with them at the house afterward.

Playing on the slide.

Ella Grace and her friend, Sarah, who was dressed as a very cute cat, playing in a boat.

Going for a parachute ride.

Friday morning, I voted, and it only took about an hour and a half. It felt good to vote! Then, Derek and I took EG to Build a Bear to spend the shopping spree Lauren, Megan, and Meagan sent her for her birthday. Oh, she had THE best time and loved every minute of it. She now has a new puppy (of course) in a hot pink snow suit! So cute! Thank you so much, girls!

Ella Grace finding a creative way to use my "I voted" sticker.

EG and her new puppy. Doesn't she look happy?

Evan had a "special snack" on Friday at school. For some reason, they weren't allowed to call it a party. Evan is on a gluten-free/casein-free diet for treatment of his autism, which basically means no dairy and no wheat. One day I'll write more about this. He does so good only eating "allowed" foods. I made a decision that morning to let him have a cookie at school. When we picked him up at school, he ran to the car with black icing all over his grin that is now missing two teeth. That said it all. He enjoyed himself, and it was worth it! I wish I had a picture of that face.

Friday night we took them trick-or-treating. After about the fourth house, Evan was over it. He was just enjoying the nice weather outside and watching all that was going on. However, Miss Priss would walk right up to the door and announce "Trick or Treat, " and always came back with a treat for her brother, too. They both had a really good time, and Derek and I did, too. We ended the night at a local restaurant and were all tired when we got home. We won't talk about the sugar crash, meltdown that happened before bedtime. Let me just say, OH. MY. GOODNESS!

Evan was SO excited and ready to go. Can you tell by his expression that he was D O N E with pictures?! Ha!

Trick-or-Treating like a big girl!

A very tired Daddy and a very tired, sugared-up pumpkin. She had a chocolate ring around her mouth by the time we left the first house! Ha!

Hope y'all had a good Halloween. I'm looking forward to reading all about it.

Oh, and I had to post this picture. This was last year...

How much they have grown in only one year!