a mixed bag (a smodge podge of fall photos and a bit of commentary)

Once again, I've totally neglected Halloween. I wish I could say it's because I'm super holy, but we all know that's not true. Yes, we Burtons allow our children to dress in costumes and partake of the neighborhood loot. Please don't judge me.

And, when your daughter is Kate B., Halloween is a complicated affair. For the last few years, we have had to accommodate several costume changes. This year was a bit more streamlined with just two: Fairy Princess and Rapunzel.

(Side note: I have since vowed to NEVER buy another dress-up wig. Not only was Rapunzel's hair impossible to manage, it wound up everywhere in my house. I'm talking on the carpet, between couch cushions, in the dryer, all tangled up in everyone's toys, etc. In a word...AWFUL!).

Sam, drum roll please......was Woody. Was there ever any doubt? Never. He certainly made for one cute cowboy...and a funny one, too. As we trick-and-treated (or tricked-and-treated?) around our neighborhood, Sam embodied Sheriff Woody and threatened each and every monster or otherwise creepy kiddo we encountered with an authoritative "Get outta here!" Kate, for one, was very much appreciative of his efforts.

At a Halloween party hosted by a preschool friend, our Woody sang a different tune. Left all alone on the swings, he reminded me of Desperado. Poor guy...

And then there was Benjamin. Brace yourselves, friends. The cuteness you're about to behold may prove too much...

Humpty Dumpty, or, a.k.a., The Cutest Halloween Costume Known to Man. If Benjamin fights the urge to puke one day as I gush over this costume, so be it. It was adorable. It may not have been comfortable, but definitely adorable. And it's not like I made him wear it all night. He and I headed in early and waited for Kate and Sam to return home with all the goods:


And here's where I find myself in a sticky situation. We allow our kids - encourage them, really - to gather up as much candy as they possibly can. And then we spend the next two weeks telling them "no" every time they ask to eat some of that candy. I don't need my UNC degrees to know that this makes no sense, and they know it. Oh, if only the fun of the hunt was enough, but, no. They really do intend to finish the job and eat ALL of the candy. Duh. Silly mom.

A few other Halloween pics that deserve to be shared:

It really must be said that Stephen's pumpkin-carving skills get better and better each year. Wish I could say the same for my roasted pumpkin seeds which are always a little hit or miss.

My apple cider, on the other hand, is pretty darn good. We'll pretend it's homemade.

I'll end on this sweet photo of my three loves. Each Halloween, I wonder what they'll want to be the next year. For now, I'm betting that Woody makes a second appearance and may even be partnered up. And for my girl, who knows? I'm sure she'll have a list of characters come October. But none with wigs. Absolutely no wigs.