I forgot how much I loved Butterfingers

until I came home last night from a costume party at Ben's office and raided the kids' candy stash after consuming half of a pepperoni pizza (half a PIZZA not half a slice or anything reasonable like that) that Ben and I picked up on our way home.

But wait. I am getting ahead of myself.

Halloween was one of the funnest days of our year for sure.

We started at a mall-- but not the terrible mall that was full of skanky unsupervised kids that and gave out jewelry cleaner-- a nicer mall that had a children's performer give a concert before trick or treating began.

Harry dug it, sort of-- and he insisted on wearing these gloves even though they were waaaaay too big

Harry's oldest friend in the world, Josephine, liked it, too. The two of them tried to start a mosh pit, but nobody else joined in. So Harry and Jo used their wings to knock people out of the way.

The loved traipsing through the mall collecting candy. Jack liked it, too, even though he mainly just rode in his stroller eating those eye-roll inducing organic lollipops I am so fond of.

The only fly in the ointment came in front of North Face when we peeked our heads in the door and noticed they had no candy. "No candy here," I said, and Ben, Harry, Jack, Josephine and her mom Allison, and I headed down the sidewalk just as a woman pushing a teeny baby in a travel system and an older woman who was probably the baby's grandma were entering the store. "These people," the grandma said contemptuously. "Why do they need all that candy?"
"Because little kids like to trick or treat on Halloween, lady!" I snapped at her, and she had the grace to look a little embarrassed. But I felt so bad! I have seen the greedy people out for free crap at the other Malloween and at the zoo treatfest clusterf*ck last weekend, but we are not those people. At least I didn't think we were. The kids only got a few pieces of candy-- they had so much fun listening to the silly music and comparing costumes and having free run of the mall.

Anywho, we went home for real food and naps and set out again around 4:30, when tantrum Harry made an appearance. Really, I had been waiting for him all day, ever since Harry got up at 5:17 and said, "Is it Halloween? I'm so excited!"

The kids rang the doorbell next door like 74 times, but no one was home (thank goodness b/c how embarrassing), so we went over to Jo's to trick or treat with her.

It was adorable. A perfect chilly fall night, lots of leaves, beautiful old houses.

Jack was so happy to be included, and he loved dropping candy in his bucket

He was a little slow,

but Harry was so high on candy and the possibility of more candy that he was practically flying, so he was sort of hard to catch

Jack always had at least one hand in his bucket

Harry and Jo are streaming to the next house, and Jack is just reaching the front door

Right as the camera flashed, Jack fell down. He didn't cry, but he kept saying "noooooo." We thought he hit his mouth, and we asked him if his mouth hurt, and he said "nooooo." We were like no? Awesome. But in the bath he had some bloody nose discharge, and we realized he smashed his little nose and was actually saying nose, not no. Duh. Anyway, he's fine now.

Then we got the the chancellor's house a few blocks away, and BUCKY WAS THERE! zOMG! BUCKY!

And some cheerleaders handing out giant candy bars tied up with a red bow.

We were super stoked (especially the grown ups)

LOVE that both kids are staring at Bucky-- also, I think Josephine's dad, who is a PhD student, and I would have both rather had our pics with the chancellor.

An impressive haul, really (except Raisinets because everyone knows that raisins are not candy. no offense if you handed out raisins, but next year? get something kids like. and not toothbrushes.)

Jamie came over after Jack went to bed, and she and Harry were going to answer the door for trick or treaters, but nobody came by probably because our house was dark. Oops.

Ben and I got ready for his company party

We had to reassure Harry like 6 times that he would not lose a foot after he saw my plastic severed one. He asked Ben why he was a woman, and Ben explained the Goth subculture.

On our walk from the parking garage to Ben's office, people kept looking at Ben like is that guy dressed up, or is he just a d-bag? I was the only woman on State Street with a coat over my costume. I was also the only non-slutty costume I saw. That's all people dress up as-- slutty something. We even saw two girls dressed as slutty Buzz and slutty Woody.

That's how I came to be a zombie bridesmaid, actually. I was at the party store staring at all the costumes, and I realized I was too old and post partum to be a slutty anything. SIgh. I had so much fun with the gore, though, that I can't wait to be something nasty next year. You know, once the kids have recovered from the shock and horror I inspired in them.

When Indiana Jones proffered the tray of jello shots, I was like sure thing! But then I took off the lid and was like, how do I eat this? Or do I drink it? Then I used my fingers to squash some in my mouth and almost choked from the vodka burn. There was a time in my life when I was immune to the taste of vodka because I drank it so much (not really a point of pride, I guess), but now is not that time. So I primly put the lid back on and set it on the window ledge.

Oh this picture? Not even from Halloween. Ben wore that same outfit to work last week.

SO proud of my gore

Ben. He has so much angst.

Happy Halloween! Harry is already counting down the days till next year. From 17. Because that's as high as he can count.