Halloween

School pictures taken at home:

 

The night before Halloween our ward had a party with the Japanese ward. Sterling and I supplied a photo studio instead of a decorated room. With free digital images for all:

 For Dora, Diego and their friends: (Romney family)

 For a bush belonging to the Larson family:

 For Japanese Power Puff Girls:

 For our own Harry Potter:

 For our Minecraft Creeper:

 For our Goldilocks:

 For Rapunzel and Flynn Rider:

 For Sterling's (drug testing) coworker and her family:

 For two Waldos in love (The Kartchners):

 For the Sanderson sisters (Larsons):

 For Hulk (Larson):

 For pirates in true character:

 For a spider, mummy and vampire (Sofe family):

 For a Hogwart's alumni and her white dragons (Parks family):

For the ward party we ate a potluck dinner on the top floor and it was crowded in there. There was a trick or treat floor (2nd floor) and on the ground floor was our photo studio and a room for coloring pictures/hanging out with friends. That's the room all the kids dumped out their candy buckets in to start trading!

It was a successful, fun, evening! Sterling begged me not to make him wear makeup (goatee). But I made him. And he looked so handsome!!! But everyone questioned his outfit...unless I was attached to his arm. Flynn Rider just looks like a pirate without me. And I just looked like a random princess if I didn't have Pascal on my shoulder!

 Athena and Matthew Faggard:

The next day was halloween. The children did have school to attend. Luke was able to wear a costume to middle school because a group of middle schoolers pleaded for the right, listing reasons they were responsible enough to come to school in costume. And the principle changed his mind. Allowing the middle schoolers to come in costume.

The elementary school was having a Storybook parade and Kindergarten Fall Festival that morning. Ty and Athena went to school in costume: dressed as characters from books. Athena was the color changing dot from "Press Here." A fun, interactive children's book.
Ty was Spiderman.
All the children had to wear their costume and carry the book they are from. The classes took turns being on parade and walking through the classrooms as their route. I was in Athena's room and able to watch Ty parade. But I did miss Athena's ...as I was helping to set up the Kindergarten Fall Festival.

I helped walk Athena's class down the street from the school to the park called Sakura Shell for the event. I helped man the spider hat craft table. The children ate lunch there, played games, did crafts, and participated in a fun photo op. center.

That night we expected a crazy amount of trick or treaters. We were told that it gets crazy! The Americans sign on tons of Japanese guests to the base for the evening. So, I stocked up on candy!

I used a little at the ward party but expected to use the rest on Halloween night. Sadly, our failure to be rich and live in the nicest homes around once again resulted in a disappointingly small number of trick or treaters.
I sat on my porch with an awesome front yard and porch decor. I sat as Rapunzel with a big cauldron of candy. I was surprised to see only two others houses (out of 8) handing out candy in my parkinglot! I figured a lot of my neighborhood was probably that way. That both parents went trick or treating and none were home to hand out candy. I know that also because I saw both parents with most children who came over.
For the first hour we had a lot of trick or treaters...but not as many as was expected.
The last hour it died down. I could have been inside my house and simply answer the door when they ring the bell.
We did not run out of candy that night!

Sterling took Athena trick or treating. Despite being a sugar addict she quit with just one bucket full. Which was fine with me because she already had a bucket full from the ward party!

Luke and Ty went trick or treating with their friends Brandon and Lumin. It was funny...The group came back to check in with me. Tiberias had walked farther than his comfort zone...it being night time and his parents not being with him. So Ty came to check in with me. And I told him "It's Halloween! Go have fun. Go trick or treating all over the neighborhoods."

The best thing about being on base for Trick or Treating is that it starts and ends at a certain time. And there is a curfew...so teens are not out finding pumpkins to smash or houses to egg. That just doesn't happen.
There were military police scouting the streets during trick or treating, and afterwards I am sure.

It was a successful and fun Halloween!

Red Ribbon week at school...crazy hat day:

A robot costume I found at the thrift store...just for fun.

 The base party:

 Doughnut girl: