October 31st- Halloween Night with the girlies

We started Halloween off with a parade at Taryn's school.  Taryn's "job" this week in class was line leader. It worked out perfectly for her because she got to lead her class in the parade with her teacher by her side. She loved it! Haddie & I walked along side the Kindergarten class and helped keep the kids going in the parade, then we stayed for "snack" and finished watching "The Great Pumpkin" movie with the class. 

Haddie loves going to visit Taryn at school and she was more than happy to join in the costume fun and put on her Rapunzel dress, which has been on repeat over here for the last month :)

We ate dinner and anxiously waited for it to get dark enough to trick or treat. The girls couldn't wait!!! 

Taking this picture was a miracle. The girls didn't want to stop moving and wanted to just go and trick or treat. Can you see Taryn's face? It says it all. "My mom is making me sit down and take a picture while all I want to do is get CANDY!" 

Oh the things we make our kids do. 

The candy haul was great and the girls got to pick 4 candies to eat. We combine the age of the girls and take the median number, and that's how much they can eat on Halloween night. It was just a quick idea we had this year and I think it will stick. We've gotten rid of a lot of candy- throwing away what the girls (and we) didn't want to eat, bringing extra candy to parties, and us helping the girls eat their collection, maybe while they were sleeping.... shh! 

I actually don't mind the candy being around. It's been a great motivator for the girls to finish their dinner, clean up toys, get them to leave a park etc... 

But it's been bad because I've been eating it. I was doing a Healthy Living Challenge for 11 weeks and loved it. It ended the day before Halloween so candy was now OK (in a sense- though eating it did make me feel a little sick) 

It's also a really great idea to plan your biannual dentist appointment the day after Halloween, like I did (on accident) so you don't eat a lot of candy. Though I probably should have eaten more, because what better way to get rid of all the sugar coating on your teeth than a visit to the dentist?!!??

It was a great Halloween this year. Taryn has declared she wants to be a dog for next year and I am determined to incorporate a family themed costume in somehow. It will be done (one of these years!)