Happy Halloween!
I would ask how on earth it got to be the end of October already, but I find myself saying that repeatedly throughout the year regarding the various holidays. While time may stand still when you are young, it sure speeds on by as we age...

But for this moment... if we slow down long enough to enjoy it... we celebrate Halloween. Halloween isn't a big holiday in our household and I really think it has nothing to do with our chosen professions. It is a great time for some fun, but it just doesn't have the "oompf" that family-based holidays seem to have. So really, Halloween is just a marker for us -- it gets us one step closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas when we can celebrate time together as a family with our families.

This year, the girls started their Halloween festivities early with the annual Trunk-or-Treating event at my church. Josie took one of her dress-up outfits, made by Grandma, and turned it into a great gypsy costume. The scarf on her head is a scarf that Grandpa brought back from a trip to China. This picture is of Josie and her dear friend Allen. They have been attending this event together since they were three and we have pictures of them from every year. The difficult thing to see this year, is that they look so grown up! I tease Eric that is looks like they are ready for a date -- Josie with her eye make-up and jewelry while Allen sports his fun hat (he is Indiana Jones, btw. He was sporting a pack and a whip as part of his costume that isn't in this picture).

While Josie relished wearing make-up and jewels for her costume, Norah enjoyed a more simple approach as a jack-o-lantern. This was her first Trunk-or-Treat event to enjoy. While she didn't do much treating, she sure enjoyed running around the parking lot and chasing the wind! The wind was certainly howling this day, but Norah would just laugh at it. Such a sweetie!

Today continues the Halloween celebrations as Josie stays at school for a special pumpkin decorating event. Tomorrow is Norah's big hayride and pumpkin find day at daycare. And of course, Friday will meet us with an eager Josie to get out and enjoy the trick-or-treating.

And come Friday night when everyone is tucked into bed, we are one step closer to the joys of the next holidays to come!