Halloween

Somehow I didn't get very many photos and none at all of the kids trick-or-treating (or Aleks for that matter). We were rushing out the door for beggar's night after cleaning and cooking all day in preparation for our Harry Potter Halloween Party (very small nowadays). The boys were waiting out front with Heather while I tried to get my Bellatrix costume on as quickly as possible. Bastian was Dobby the House Elf and Aleks was a Dementor. He's so pale that I just dusted him with a bit of powder (which didn't show up really at all) and put dark eye shadow all around his eyes. He wore a black robe (actually, his Slytherin robe from last year) over dark clothes.

We just went up our street a bit. The kids got plenty of candy, despite living on a street of duplexes with mostly college students. I'm glad we're limited in that regard, though. We walked all the way to Coventry and visited Ed and Joe at Vidstar, where they had candy (and a deal on horror movies, but I didn't bring my wallet). We passed by Phoenix, where Aleks went in only to find they weren't giving out candy. He tried to give the barista some of his, but she declined. Then we passed by a Christian group giving out candy but it came with the Word of the Lord. I tried to decline that and wanted to tell them we were heathens, but I restrained myself. They snuck their literature into Aleks' bag anyway.

Back at home, the neighbors were all readying themselves for varying parties. They came to our porch to hang with the boys who passed out candy to the remaining trick-or-treaters while I finished preparing for our party. The pumpkins Heather and I carved turned out quite well: This is her itty-bitty vampire pumpkin.
This was our screw-up-turned-moustachioed pumpkin. Apparently I missed photographing Heather's zombie pumpkin.
The Great Pumpkin, remade:
Our next door neighbor, Chris, got lots of help from Bastian and Aleks to create his Grapes of Wrath costume.
This year, Bastian actually wore his Dobby costume.
Heather dressed as Tonks, my (Bellatrix Lestrange) niece.
Heather's boyfriend, Chad, in from New York, came as a really excellent Remus Lupin. Which reminds me that I also completely missed getting a photo of the other Heather dressed as Nearly Headless Nick.
Anna threw together a Quirrell costume at the last minute. She much enjoyed Jon's cloverleaf rolls too.
Here, she poses with more poise.
The rolls, not quite ready with the Three Sister's Stew we always make, were an excellent snack during trivia.
Here everyone stares at our computer for Harry Potter trivia. Gryffindor beat Slytherin by one point.
Ian thought trivia was hilarious! He made it quite difficult to hear as well with all his screeching.
Leah, a friend of Joy's, guessed "Harry Potter" for every trivia question.
We had a great time, all in all. Everyone left for a little while so we could get the kids to bed, but some adults returned for late-night board games and beer drinking. Bastian fell into a sugar coma and nearly passed out right on the kitchen floor. There were far too many sweets! Between the trick-or-treating candy (which Aleks luckily disposed of by giving lots away), Tarantula cookies (an annual favorite we make with Heather), Cauldron Cakes, and Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, the kids were way jacked up. Their moods reflected it too!

I got sent a picture of myself!