Halloween 2015

Halloween 2015 was sometimes a challenge. Lenny has developed what I think is a totally understandable fear of the gore around the holiday. She's easily spooked right now, particularly by bugs and spiders and the like. What are you gonna do? It didn't keep us from celebrating, although it did keep her from Trick or Treating. It was her decision to skip it and she was very happy with it.

Halloween 2015 was also about decorating pumpkins. Thanks, Dollar Store, for the "easier than carving" plastic facial features. Seriously. THANK YOU.

Halloween 2015 was a five year old all dressed up as Skye from Paw Patrol and marching in her SK parade.

"Ruff ruff! WINGS!"

She was THRILLED.

Halloween 2015 was an after-school party on Friday with some of her classmates and besties. It's so fun to watch the kids play together and to get to know their parents.  I'm starting to feel like we're part of a community.

The mummy hot dogs and vampire donuts were a big hit, thanks Pinterest!

Also, I made a Kid Friendly Halloween Party Playlist on Spotify so you don't have to! That's 2 hrs and 20 minutes of good tunes for your future Halloween revelry, right there (play it on shuffle).

Halloween 2015 was about letting my kid make up her own mind and respecting her decisions. It was also about vampire teeth (which apparently, are not spooky). Vampire teeth. A lot. It was a lot about vampire teeth.

Halloween 2014

Halloween has taken on a whole new meaning now that Lenny is in school.  On our way to school Friday morning, she kept pointing at all the kids walking down the street in their costumes.  "Mom! A Witch!!! A Ninja! Mom!!!" and then, simply, "This is the BEST."

I let her take the lead this year and decide on her own costumes, except the first one, which was a surprise from our friend Emily who found it online.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Buddy the T Rex from the ever popular Dinosaur Train.  We have spent countless hours watching the show and even more playing make believe with the characters.  She was beyond thrilled to be her favourite dinosaur first thing on Halloween morning.  She tells me she stomped her way through the costume parade at school, just a like a real T Rex would.

When she got home from lunch she was ready for a change (Buddy's head was starting to get itchy and hot) so we improvised this beauty.  Meet the "Lady Bug Pirate".  I wish you could hear her squeak "aaaarrrrr matey" in her little Lady Bug voice.  Sweeter than all the fun-sized chocolate bars in all the land.

After school it was time to do some pumpkin carving.

Hey! Look! It's the World's Ugliest Pumpkin!

Happily, even ugly pumpkins produce beautifully delicious seeds to roast with olive oil and sea salt.

After a quick dinner it was time for the main event.  Trick or Treating.  For the past year Lenny has been planning her costume.  And while it may look thrown together in these pictures we spent lots of time planning it out and it is exactly what she wanted.

Hang on to your hats!

It's...NO NOGGIN!!!

She was so happy, you guys.  I think her favourite part of the day was handing out treats, which is, again, adorable.  The best thing was when a couple of her classmates came to our door.  The best.  They're all so cute I can hardly stand it.

The next morning, still buzzed from a great Halloween she asked us "when's Christmas?" Yeah, she's ready.

Programming Note: All new season of Curious George starts on PBS this week!

Today CURIOUS GEORGE: A Halloween Boo Fest returns to PBS KIDS! Anyone who has already seen the Curious George Halloween special knows that it is an instant classic, so, you know, hold on to your hats!  If the kids in your life are anything like Lenny then you've been watching it all year long.  The big news?  The annual airing of Boofest is kicking off season 9 of Curious George with a whole week of brand new episodes!

Season nine!!! That's staying power.  I'm starting to think that the new season of Curious George is becoming as much of ritual in this house as picking out a pumpkin, enjoying the colourful foliage and realizing I don't like Pumpkin Spice Lattes as much as I think I do.  A big part of last Fall was the season 8 premiere starring Carol Burnett.  Lenny still wants a front-loader and I still tear up a little bit when I think of George tugging on his ear.

This year the new adventures with George and my not so secret crush, The Man with the Yellow Hat, debut on PBS KIDS October 28-30.  Plot lines include George testing his super spy skills and exploring an aviation museum. October 28 features the premiere of “Submonkey,” an underwater adventure that includes the song “Down, Down, Down,” performed by Belinda Carlisle (be still my grew-up-in-the-80's heart!).

The week of Halloween will also feature Halloween-themed episodes from other PBS KIDS shows, including DINOSAUR TRAIN, DANIEL TIGER’S NEIGHBORHOOD, WILD KRATTS, and more. Check your local listings.

BOO!

LenBot had a great time last night.  She spent a lot of it standing at the door watching the big kids Trick or Treating. Every once in a while she'd let out a high pitched shriek when I opened the door, much to the delight of the kids and their parents.  I think she's getting the hang of this Halloween thing nicely.  Next year?  Candy!

BOO!

Yes, Bernie got dressed up for Halloween. The awesome hat is courtesy of the Robeau's mom, MC (that's short for "Mother Clayton"). Best cat present ever. Hope you all had a spooky night!