Vanessa dressed up for pre-school. Her requested costume: Ginny Weasley, a character from Harry Potter. She is really into Harry Potter right now. She is listening to me read it with Savanah and she loves watching the movies. She can even parrot several of the lines. Last week, she drew a picture of Moaning Myrtle being murdered by a basilisk at preschool. Here is my best attempt at a Ginny look-a-like.
The wig is actually a 70's guy wig. It was just the right length and color for my Ginny. I received several compliments on her being a red head. She wanted to make sure all the "Vanessa hair" was hidden under the wig.
The wig is actually a 70's guy wig. It was just the right length and color for my Ginny. I received several compliments on her being a red head. She wanted to make sure all the "Vanessa hair" was hidden under the wig. Savanah was Hermonie Granger, another character from Harry Potter. I braided her hair in tiny braids to make it bushy. She wore the same Gryffindor robe the boys wore back when they would dress up as Harry Potter. She tried doing spells all day and informed me she wanted to be adopted by witches.
AJ was an Ultimate Texas fan. Is that a surprise? He decided he wants to paint his face like this next year for the game against Oklahoma.
AJ was an Ultimate Texas fan. Is that a surprise? He decided he wants to paint his face like this next year for the game against Oklahoma. 
On Friday, we went trick-or-treating to the nearby assisted living center. They have all kinds of activities for the kids like a bean bag toss, cake walk, and cookie decorating. It is a fun family tradition.
After that, we went to the school carnival. Every year it is crowded, hot, and miserable. By the end, there isn't a single parent with a smile on their face. Having said that, we go every year. The kids love it and it's a better fundraiser than selling things to family and friends. The girls loved digging eyeballs out of a bucket of slimy spaghetti.
Vanessa won a live goldfish. It was a girl goldfish named Casey. (I don't know how to tell a girl fish from a boy fish so we have to take Vanessa's word on it.) Yes, I'm speaking of Casey in the past tense. She died shortly after I found a fish bowl and purchased food for her.
Vanessa's preschool also did a carnival to help raise money for a young couple who have premature twin babies. AJ pointed out that the tickets cost more at this carnival but, they let the kids stay in the jump house as long as they wanted. They had slides and rides that the kids really enjoyed. It wasn't very crowded and a lot of fun. Too bad this isn't an annual event. 
On Saturday, we carved pumpkins. Savanah thought digging out the insides was disgusting. Ethan and AJ thought it was awesome! Esteban thought it was uncool so, he didn't do one.
Here is Vanessa's and Savanah's finished products.
They looked great in the dark.
Saturday night, I took the girls trick or treating. (I'm always happy when they don't want to stay out for very long.) AJ went to a party where he went trick-or-treating with friends. Aaron watched a football game (his favorite way to spend a holiday). Ethan and Esteban invited friends over to watch a movie in the barn. Yep, I said the barn. It was a bit cold so they wrapped up tight. They watched A Sixth Sense, a movie that scared me when I watched it years ago. They thought is was intriguing but, not scary. ( I think they just hate to admit they were really scared.) The only time they were scared was when Aaron snuck out and threw rocks at the barn roof.
Halloween is a holiday that is a lot more fun with kids. I'm grateful for my Four-n-More that make it all the MORE fun.
The party was fun! They had a costume contest there. My favorite costume was a house elf (some people are so creative). They also had kids crafts, palm reading, trivia questions and more. The best part was just being a part of the excitement. I was amazed at the variety of ages: grandmas, toddlers, college students, teenagers, our family, etc. etc. I am also amazed at how many times this last week I have seen people carrying the book in public trying to read it every chance they get. I know how they feel.
We find ourselves debating, speculating, and salivating at the thought of the upcoming release. Is Snape a friend or foe? Is Dumbledore really gone for good? Will Harry return to Hogwarts?Who will live? Who will die? Is Harry going to die in the end? Savanah told me Harry was going to die. She said, rather matter-of-factly, "He's already dead. He's not even real." This comment brought me back to reality that it is fiction, after all.
The ones that I was courageous enough to actually eat tasted pretty realistic. The dill pickle tasted like a pickle with the sweetness of a jelly bean. (It's hard to explain.) I have to wonder, how do they create vomit flavored candy? Who are the testers? Who wants to remember, analyze, and recreate what vomit tastes like? The even bigger question is - Who is crazy enough to pay money for it? The answer is us, and millions of other Harry Potter fans.
Ethan felt differently. After the show he turned to me and said, "Well, that wasn't very exciting was it?" I guess you can decide which movie review you agree with.
