Halloween

The end of October brings one of the best days of the year -- Halloween! When it was time to celebrate Halloween last year Dahlia wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. This year there was no such confusion. In fact, she went trick-or-treating not once, but twice, and she and Jonah also dressed up for a Halloween party. It was quite an extravaganza!

Dahlia's first trick-or-treating trip was to a part of town known as 50th and France where many area businesses opened their doors to trick-or-treaters on a Saturday afternoon. In addition to collecting candy, there were many things to do and see, such as a fire truck driven by the one and only Cookie Monster:

That trip was just a dress rehearsal for the real deal the following day. Jonah and Dahlia were very excited to dress up. Jonah loved the costume his mom picked out for him and quickly put it on. What an adorable little pumpkin! Dahlia, on the other hand, rejected the two costumes that her mom prepared for her (Tigger and a ladybug). She decided to create an original costume, one that would turn heads. She combined a pink leotard, a stylish tutu, and her beloved green frog boots to become the world's most unconventional ballerina:

Back in Texas, parents always worry that it will be too hot for a Halloween costume. Dahlia and Jonah's parents no longer have to worry about that! In Minnesota, it's far more common for kids to wear coats over their costumes. Thankfully, it was an unseasonably warm Halloween this year so the ballerina got to show off her costume:

When you trick-or-treat twice, you wind up with a lot of delicious loot. Dahlia was especially fond of her extensive Tootsie Roll collection:

Jonah did his part, too, flashing that winning smile and collecting plenty of candy even though he was too young to eat it. Once he returned home, Daddy thanked Jonah for a job well done. Isn't that how it always works? The kids do the hard work of collecting the candy, and the parents get to eat it!

Happy Halloween, everybody!