"This is Halloween. This is Halloween."

Its that time of the year where everything gets scary and spooky around the town, Pumpkins are all over and in everything you want to eat and Candy is your now to go snack. ITS HALLOWEEN TIME!!

Since we have moved into our own apartment, I wanted to decorate for the holidays more. I went on a search for good Halloween decorations. I found a few that weren't super scary or based on death and gory. So I decided that I would make some of my own since I have been in this super crafty mood and can. I made a 'trick or treat' banner, 'boo!' banner and some Halloween silhouette pictures to put in frames. It is fun to be inspired and create your own decorations. The best part is that you can personalize them to your color scheme and liking.

Decorations that are around our apartment for the Halloween Season.

This year we went to the Disneyland Mickey Mouse Halloween Party with Casey's family. Summer and her family came up for fall break so they joined us. It was fun to go to Disneyland when it is all decked out in Halloween decorations. All of the main characters were dressed up in their own costumes and the villains of Disney were out and about as well. There was many candy stations that you can go around and get a handful or two of candy. We came home with about 15 pounds of candy. (Hence the reason why candy is now my go to snack. Its everywhere!) The whole family dressed up for the event. Robin, Perry, Grandma, Summer, Glen, and Kasen were characters from Peter Pan (tinkerbell, hook, tick-tock crock, tiger-lily, smee, peter pan). Payton and Lexi were Cinderella and Belle. While Walker was Captain America and Casey and I were Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. A lot of people were dressed up for the event. It was fun seeing all of the costumes that people think of (lots of toy story and princesses).  We went to Disneyland at 3 that afternoon and do some rides with summer's family before the halloween party started. We got to meet some of the Winnie the Pooh Characters with Lexi and Walker while Summer, Glen, Kasen, and Payton went on a ride. Robin, Perry, and Grandma Schroeder joined us around 6 for the party. They closed down the park except for the people that bought tickets for the party. We got to see the halloween fireworks and also the Halloween Costume Party Parade. I liked the parade better but the fireworks were still pretty cool. We were behind a tree that blocked the fireworks so we weren't able to see all of them but did see some. The castle was all lighting up different for the fireworks and we were able to see that. Disney never disappointment on not going all out. I defiantly like going to the Mickey Mouse Halloween Party instead of going out to random peoples homes and get candy, a lot safer and fun in my opinion. I wouldn't mind doing this again next year and the year after that.

Mickey's Halloween Party.

Walker surrounded by 15 pounds of candy and treats = one happy boy!

A tradition we have around Halloween time is go to a pumpkin patch with the family and come home to crave the pumpkin. This year we went to two. We first went to a pumpkin patch that is in Ramona. It was kinda lame and not every exciting. So we decided to go to Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch like we did last year. They always have lots and lots of pumpkins and kid friendly things to do. Robin joined us. Walker seemed to like see and playing with the pumpkins. He liked to knock on the pumpkins and also wipe the hay off them. Silly boy.

Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch.

At Bates Nut Farm they also have some goats that you can feed. Robin got some food for them at the store and we had walker feed him. He seemed to love it! The goats did so well with him. We showed him how to do it a couple times and than he was able to feed the goats on his own by the end. He also loved to pet the goats. We kept on having to remind him to be gentle but like I said the goats were great. It was fun to watch him discover new things and see how much he loves animals.

Walker feeding the Goats at Bates Nut Farm.

We bought a pumpkin at Bates Nut Farm's pumpkin patch. They have them for a great price. This year we wanted to crave our pumpkin into something Walker loves. We were thinking about doing Sorcerer Mickey but the patterns were crazy. So we decided to do something different. We did Woody from Toy Story. We had Walker help us empty the pumpkin. He didn't really care about the seed or 'guts' but he just wanted to put the spoon into the pumpkin and the top of the pumpkin back on. He tried to scrap the sides with the spoon as well. It is fun to see his observant personality come out each time we do something. Casey and I took turns carving the pumpkin. Casey did post of it because I am not super good and didn't want to break it. Our Woody-O-Lantern turned out great! After we carved our pumpkin we watched part of the movie "Nightmare Before Christmas' than the new short movie 'Toy Story of Terror!' They are both great things to watch around this time of year. 

Pumpkin carving and snuggling while watching 'Nightmare Before Christmas'

As long as I can remember my ward has put on a 'trunk or treat' party. This year we were going to able to participate in two! Robin and Perry's ward and our own ward. Robin and Perry's ward had a theme of Peter Pan. When we were deciding what we were going to dress Walker up for Halloween we decided it would be fun to do a Avengers theme with one of our friends. Walker being Captain American and his friend Lucas as Thor. We were planning on going to Robin and Perry's trunk or treat but plans changed and Walker was admitted into the hospital that night. (you can read about it here.) 

Even thought we weren't able to make it to Robin and Perry's Trunk or Treat on Saturday we still had the opportunity to go to ours. Our ward's 'trunk or treat' was on Halloween night! Smart idea if I say so! The kids and still go "trick or treating" in a safe environment. There were a cake walk and some other games the kids could participate in. Walker was still a little young for them but he did go fishing and did the cake walk with Casey. Robin and Perry joined us as well for the night. We walked with walker to all the cars to get some candy. It was funny to see what he would do. Most of the time he just kept on walking or he would watch the person put the candy in his pumpkin and then take it back out or drop his pumpkin and leave it there. It was always fun watching him do this own thing. 

Walking around carrying his pumpkin full of candy. Our Family (Captain America and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D)

Halloween this year was fun. I am excited to think of something creative to do for our costumes next year. I already have some ideas but we will see what happens since Walker will be able to tell me what he would like to be. It is fun dressings matching or coordinating as a family, I think. Hope you all had a Happy Halloween! 

♥ The Schroeder