Happy Halloween (WARNING - Graphic Images!! Seriously!)

This year's Halloween had some significant milestones for us. 

 

#1 - Bradyn actually got her hands in the pumpkins for more than 5 seconds, to scoop out the guts.  Yes, she had gloves on for most of the time but still, I was pretty impressed.

#2 - Much to Kevin's delight, Bradyn FINALLY went as Vivian - the little girl turned zombie from Dawn of the Dead.  I went to Bradyn's school at lunch to do her make-up for their Halloween parade and, as I was sitting there surrounded by Cinderella, Minnie Mouse, Strawberry Shortcake and the like, I must admit that I felt extremely awkward slathering the blood on Bradyn's face and neck and questioned the 'appropriateness' of our decision to allow Bradyn to be a zombie for school.  Oh well - add it to the list of things we've done wrong over the last 7 1/2 years.

This is the 'real' Vivian.  Kevin was thrilled to find Bradyn's nightgown, which was a very close match.

I think that in past posts I may have mentioned the house across the street that the owners decorate for Halloween.  Bradyn has always been obsessed with this house in an excited, scared, respectful way.  One year she was so scared that she wouldn't even walk up the steps to the front door, so the owner came down to her to give her some candy.  Believe me, it's much spookier in the dark.

Our family of 6 pumpkins.  I realized afterwards that I should have carved the green one after all, but at the time, I just thought it looked so cool on its own.

Bradyn wanted to rival the house across the street this year and have lots of scary decorations.  We fell pretty short in comparison, but one of the proud masterpieces was her Calico Critters house that had been converted into a haunted mansion.  Bradyn and Diana spent an afternoon covering it in spiderwebs, spiders and blood spots, and creating ghost costumes for the Calico Critter creatures. 

When I was at the school doing Bradyn's makeup, she got into character and kept saying that she was hungry and asked if I had any brains.  On my way home after their Halloween parade, I stopped at the dollar store to see if I could find a 'brain' to serve as a prop for Trick or Treating.  They didn't have a brain, but I did find a heart.  As gross and disturbing as this may look, it was actually quite funny while we were taking the pictures.  The heart was a plastic squeeze toy.  Every time Bradyn put it to her mouth, she would squeeze it so it looked like she was eating it and it would squeak.  A little challenging to look creepy when you're laughing.

After Trick or Treating for 2 hours with Kevin, Diana and Diana's mom, Bradyn was eager to check out her candy haul.  Once again, the kid is all smiles when it comes to candy.

Hope you all had a great Halloween.