This is how we do Halloween!

I don't remember the last time I took my kids trick or treating for Halloween.  For so many years we have been helping out at church events instead of going door-to-door.  When we lived at our previous home I had been a Youth Leader and so we worked at the Community Halloween Party.  Since moving here we've participated in our new church's Annual Trunk or Treat.  Last year I dressed up and worked the registration table (it's not really to register, just to keep a head count) while Matthew manned the van. This year Matthew took photos while I handed out candy.  

 Decorating the van was really a last second thing.  I told the boys to toss the pumpkins and headstones into the van just before we left the house.  We had glowsticks in the plastic pumpkins.  

 The reindeer nose and antlers were a result of me mentioning that I had them stored under the seat since Christmas.  Andrew decided we should dress the van as a reindeer for Halloween.  The van had an identity crisis when it came to what holiday we were celebrating and we almost took a few people's eyes out with the antler.  That's okay, we had people giggling and that's always my goal.

 Eagerly anticipating the onslaught of trick or treaters.  We were ready for them.

 The box was filled with candy and it only took two partial refills to keep us stocked.

 Poor Mandi had an accident on the way over.  I told them to stop fighting but you know how kids are these days.  They just don't listen.

 Our Beloved Leader, Pastor Bob, and his beautiful bride, CJ.  We've been blessed to have had three of the coolest ministers in our last churches.

 The Good Witch, India whose official position was deliverer of all food stuff to the starving peasants who were passing food to the short-statured hoards. 

 It was often very busy and we barely had time to look up and really enjoy the costumes.

 Some people had been doing this for so long that they had the whole decorating the car (and themselves) concept down to a science.

 Angry Birds.  How cute!!  What more can I say?  

 Deep breath.  And the thundering herd gains momentum. 

 Wait! What?  There is food??  Yessiree. We had hot dogs, chips, juice bottles, cider.  All free for the taking.  Heck, we even brought some hot dogs home afterward.  (I'll let you in on a secret: I sent the Good Witch India into the kitchen to get me some cocoa.  Shhh... don't tell anyone.)

 Bounce houses.  Can't forget bounce houses.  

 What children's event is complete without bounce houses? We had three, with the big one weighing in at 350 pounds. Matthew and the other men had fun bringing that in the front doors and rolling it to the gym in the back afterward.

 As the evening wore on, the worry over the candy stock was in the back of everyone's mind but we made it with almost a dozen pieces left and only four other cars besides us still open. There were many trick or treaters who came in unnoticed through the back entrance or who walked past the table.  Our official total was 986.  Not bad for a cold-drizzly Halloween night. 

Some of us, like William, gorged themselves on the hot dogs. While others, like Jerome - in the back seat in an earlier photo, ate so much candy that he said he felt a bit queasy.  In the end we were exhausted but happy.