Halloween used to be my favorite holiday. I say “used to be” because for the last few years, I’ve either just had a baby, or had a baby too young to trick or treat, or just had three babies. It’s also not as fun now that I’m married and not dressing up in some hot (but modest) costume out looking for a man. You know that’s why you love it too. No? Okay, maybe that was just me. I also used to love scary movies. But now I can’t stand them. So maybe I’m just getting old. Or my life has enough real terror in it. I don’t need more anxiety and fear. (“You can’t scare me. I have triplets.” Who wants to get me that bumper sticker?) 

But now that Elizabeth is old enough to get Halloween, I am once again a big fan. Except next year, I will be the one picking her costume. Goldilocks and the three bears would have been SO CUTE. But she had to be Foofa from Yo Gabba Gabba. And next time, I will live closer to a Jo-Ann’s.

 Our ward had a “harvest festival” in lieu of a Halloween party. Yes, yes, roll your eyes, but it was mostly an excuse to throw out all the macabre and inappropriate decorations from church parties past. Though I heard there’s still a severed arm and a tombstone in the storage closet … 

With life being as crazy as it is, I waited until the last minute to figure out costumes for us and the babies. And since Elizabeth was doing her own thing, we decided to do a group costume for the five of us. Adam and I had a great time cutting and gluing and pinning all during the babies’ nap. Felt is fun! So here we are: three aces (three of a kind) and a pair of three’s. 

We certainly have a FULL HOUSE! And I have to say, the Harvest Festival way beat out any of our old Halloween parties, thanks almost entirely to this impressive lady. 

So this is who Elizabeth wanted to be:

And this is what I came up with:

So … yeah. Room for improvement. But not bad for no-sew. That’s another “next time.” Next time, I will live in a place that will have space enough for me to own a sewing machine.

On Halloween proper, I enlisted the help of my mother’s helper to help push all the strollers while we took Elizabeth trick or treating. We also joined forces with my friend Lindsay and her boys since this was kind of a new experience for both of us. 

Trick or treating in Brooklyn is pretty different, at least in our neighborhood. First, you go in the daylight, right after school gets out. So, sorry dads, you miss out. Second, there are only certain streets that are known for giving out candy. I’ve NEVER had a trick or treater ring my bell, even when we lived in a “house,” not an apartment building. Third, most trick or treating is done in the business districts, going from store to store. (Maybe like mall trick or treating in the burbs?) It’s much easier than climbing up steep stoop stairs, but the candy was significantly lamer. But Elizabeth couldn’t care less. Another lollipop and tootsie roll? Hooray!

Outside the Foot Doctor’s office

Elizabeth was a little shy at first, but after a while, she didn’t need hardly any prompting. She’d run right in, yell “Trick or treat!” and hold her little Happy Meal pumpkin bucket up with glee.

I have to say that taking Elizabeth trick or treating was about as much fun as I’ve ever had on Halloween. Can’t wait for next year!