Halloween 2.0

Since we're well into November, seems like a good idea to catch up and write about the kids' Halloween before Christmas is upon us.
Usually Jim takes the kids around our neighborhood and I stay behind to dole out the candy. This year I insisted on a trade since I usually don't get to see their happy little faces as they gleefully accept their treats. I learned soon enough why Jim was so quick to take me up on that offer.
(On a side note, I get that parents with small kids want to start before it's pitch black outside, but we aren't trick-or-treat ready before 6:30 and even that is pushing it with our schedules).
So we had the lights off and ignored the doorbell which still chimed (lights OFF, people!) until it was time to wrangle Henry and Kat into their Superman and Dragon costumes, respectively. Naturally, Henry's Superman costume which he has worn a couple of times before the 31st was suddenly unacceptable and chafed his neck. Kat's dragon hood kept falling over her face, so that wasn't going to work either. Changed into Storm trooper and Pumpkin and headed out only to discover it had started raining somewhere between putting on Henry's Storm trooper mask and plopping on Kat's pumpkin hat. Perfect.
My brother and I headed out with the kids while Jim stayed behind in the nice warm house. It was cute at first to see them trot up and ring the doorbell, delighted with the people's responses to their costumes, but quickly became a tiresome routine of helping Kathryn up and down precarious porch steps, without tripping over my Renaissance dress, and keeping track of an increasingly hyper-Henry scampering around in the chilly rain. But they had fun and I loved how Kat would hold out her little hand, get two pieces of candy, then chase after Henry yelling "Ree-Ree!" to give him the other piece. She was so concerned that she was getting a treat and he wasn't. Love that.