a very merry un-scary Halloween

Dear Ben– Just for your sake, I rushed to get these photos done. Trust me, it was hard, I am so behind on everything and I’m pulling out my hair wondering why I always, always plan more for a day than I can possibly accomplish.

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Halloween makes us miss you because you are such a crazy goofy nut with your capes and costumes. I didn’t realize how securely I’d indoctrinated you in anti-scariness until Mary Lund told me that you were well known among your friends for staying home from the horror movies and haunted houses. Hans and Stefan are doing the same (holy cow, did you know haunted houses cost $25? Hmm, maybe that was your real reasoning). I don’t remember ever saying, “No, you can’t go.” or “No you can’t watch that.” (maybe I did?) But I find it gratifying that my anti-scary, pro-fun form of celebrating has rubbed off on you.

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I thought you’d want to see the decor.
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OK, this is scary! But knowing your love for spider and cockroaches, we couldn’t resist. And it would have looked sacrilegious to have bugs crawling over our picture of Jesus.

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I never have to wake kids up on Halloween. At the crack of dawn, Mary and Gabe were bouncing around the kitchen– “Can you comb my hair?” “Where’s my frog?” “Can we have candy for lunch?” It was hard to break the news that they had three more hours until school.

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extra good practicing
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After school the Linkous’ stopped by since all four little girls are the princess and the frog. Do you recognize the dress? Aren’t you proud of me that I didn’t buy something new?

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Stefan and Hans are both YOU. Your favorite sweater is a little tight on Stef, but he swishes the cape almost as well as you do. And Hans pulled out your famous Peter Pan costume— well, at least part of it. We knew Stef had really slipped into persona when he was acting like a goofball and I said, ‘Ben! Knock it off!”

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Merlin!

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Bond. James Bond.

Gabe decided he’s going to wear a tux every day from now on.

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you. again.

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I wore Xander’s witch costume from last year. It was actually pretty cute.

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As always, the Dazley’s held their annual garage-pre-trick-or-treat-party where the overall theme was adorable rather than scary.

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especially little red Audrey.

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The Monster family deserves some sort of prize.

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those eyelashes!

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Hans’ friends. Definitely adorable.

You know how Utahns’ get when Halloween night is warm and lovely (it rained and snowed today). Even the adults were skipping down the sidewalks and Brother W practically broke into song as he waxed rhapsodic about never seeing such a perfectly beautiful Halloween.

So many of the neighbors filled their yards with fun displays. The Bishop had a mini-spook alley (you could have handled it, I promise), the B–s projected “The Nighmare Before Christmas” onto their garage, the A–s served out nachos, the L–s had ice cream and hot chocolate and of course the M–s filled their yard with silly tombstones and offered pound cake to dip in the chocolate fountain.

I love the extraordinary efforts saying, “We love our neighbors.” “We love these kids.” “We’ll do everything we can to make this a welcoming, safe and happy place for your family.”

I skipped down the sidewalk, and sang, just a little.

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Hugs and kisses, Mom

p.s. Ben can’t read the blog or access and web pages besides his email and lds.org, but I send him the blog posts in his email and he scolds me when I don’t write. 🙂

October 26, 2011
November 2, 2011

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6 Comments

  1. Cath

    November 2, 2011

    In love with all the costumes. And really? You didn’t buy new for Mary? Yes! SO proud of you!! Sounds like a magical night with wonderful neighbors. You are blessed on all sides! xoxo

  2. michelle

    November 2, 2011

    Love this:

    “I love the extraordinary efforts saying, “We love our neighbors.” “We love these kids.” “We’ll do everything we can to make this a welcoming, safe and happy place for your family.”

    And the neighbors are, of course, blessed to have you and your family.

    Nothing scary here. A picture perfect Halloween.

    I saw this poem on a friend’s blog which to me sums up what Halloween is about:

    Childhood is the world of miracle or of magic.
    It is as if creation rose luminously out of the night,
    all new and fresh and astonishing.
    Childhood is over the moment
    things are no longer astonishing.
    ~Eugene Ionesc

  3. Linn

    November 2, 2011

    Love the non-scary Halloween–I am so not into the alternative. And fabulous costumes!

  4. bkbsmiles

    November 2, 2011

    Great pictures! It’s all about the fantasy and doesn’t need to be scary to have a great Halloween. My nieces were “Hello Kitty”(age 4) and a Cow Girl(age 6)

  5. Lisa

    November 3, 2011

    Creativity is overflowing at your house…Ben will really like seeing all of you I am sure. I love Halloween too, and it sure was fun seeing you in a photo.

  6. Tracy

    November 3, 2011

    OH this is fabulous. I actually dressed up this year – almost a first for me. That is quite possibly the cutest frog ever.

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