life outside of the blog...

believe it or not
I have a life outside of the blog

as much as I love to blog
as much as I love to take pictures
I really just enjoy living

sometimes there is no time or perhaps no desire to stand behind the camera
last night turned out to be camera free
which means there are no Halloween pictures of the kids
well... no pictures of the kids on Halloween in their costumes
we have pictures of the boys in the costumes on other days
just not on Halloween

Halloween was a blast!
Halloween lasts about two months for my sons
there is build up
lots of questions
lots of anticipation
and amazingly enough
no let down

HALLOWEEN NIGHT WAS WILD!
in a fun family with kids sort of way

dean was a store bought darth vader
grant was a non-halloween specific store bought knight
lisa was a store bought pirate
I was a tusken raider otherwise known as a sand person from star wars
star wars one which is actually star wars four
or something to that effect
my costume was a burlap monk costume from a few years ago combined with an actual gas mask

we meandered about the neighborhood
the boys more excited about the energy around town and the various haunted porch displays than making a big candy score
there were a few haunted porches and all sorts of excitement on Lamont Street
two city blocks closed off to traffic were filled with Halloween energy
costume contests
pumpkin carving contests
lots of kids and lots of candy

it was wonderful
it was exhausting

late in the night lisa and I got separated in our man to man situations
I moved at a five year old dean pace
lisa moved about at a 2 year old grant pace
grant and mom evacuated a tad earlier than dean and myself
while it was still pretty late
the streets cleared up pretty quickly
guess the streets cleared as the candy was gone

our walk home was like a page from family circus
dean wandered up various porches
not seeking more candy
curious of lights, carved pumpkins, smoke machines, flashing lights, and people

a few minues of lilo and stitch as the boys dressed for bed
once the boys were in bed but not yet asleep I went up the block for some adult trick or treating
or at least an adult costume party
meredith was marge simpson and hosting a house party
it was a good gathering with some great costumes
my costume lacked the gas mask after the initial introductions as I needed the passage clear to my mouth for food and drink

got home before midnight before I turned into a pumpkin

I may light the pumpkins one last night
and slowly we will gather all things halloween to be tucked away for another year
many of the costumes remain accessible
as costumes are not just for halloween in our house
knights
darth vader
power rangers
buzz light year
all make appearances along with all sorts of cowboys and such

I am wrecked

the kids are not yet asleep
and the glow in the dark bat is not glowing
time to remedy that