Halloween and Frank the Tank

Halloween was a BLAST this year! The kids were both stoked.

We went to my mom's office after nap. They invited all the kids of the employee's families to come trick or treat from desk to desk. It was really cool. Ben refused to wear his coat and hat, so we kept saying he was an "off duty" fireman. Brooklyn showed her brother the ropes "see Ben, you say trick or treat, and they give you candy". Ben heard candy and was fully on board!

Ben sang songs to people, Brooklyn pointed out how good she looked, they chased each other around, they loved seeing the other kids there all dressed up; it was a lot of fun. We ended up leaving after lot's of oohhing and aaahhing with two huge bags filled with candy. Score! So, it's 4pm and they have both already had at least two pieces of candy. I could feel the energy level rising in the car as we scooted off to Kristin and Gary's for dinner and trick or treating with the girls. Matt met us there...where it was revealed I had forgotten to bring his change of clothes (that he reminded me of at least 3x). So he borrowed some clothes from Gary. Matt walked out and Kris and I started laughing because he looked just like Gary. I wish I had made them stand next to each other for a picture.

We ate dinner and then hit the pavement. Brooklyn was yelling as we ran out the door "come on! Let's go steal some kids candy!!" She said it twice and I said Brooklyn, why do you keep saying that? Did you hear that on a show? She responded "No Gary said it!". Hahahaha, he said to the girls (joking) as they let "go steal some kids candy". It gave us a really good laugh.

this is what "done posing for pictures" looks like :)

Everyone had a blast, even Ben and Kinley. Ben had a sucker in his hand 90% of the trip, so he would reach his sticky little fingers into each person's bowl and grab a piece. Well, if I'm being totally honest, most of the time he would grab one, then speak Benny gibberish to the lovely home owner, they would smile and then he'd go in for another 1,2,3 pieces and not one person said no. In fact, it was as though they were suddenly under his little spell offering this cute, sticky little fireman all the candy he could grab. Con artist baby :)

We were all the way up the street in a really nice neighborhood (about an hour in) when Ben decided enough was enough. He threw his bucket of candy on the floor, took his fireman coat off, helicoptered it above his head, threw it on the ground and then quickly ripped his suspenders down and proceeded to walk to the next house with his pants around his ankle, baring his stomach as well. This boy!! A pack of dad's with beers in hand walked by as I was furiously trying to coax him back into his pants and they started cracking up. One yelled out "Frank the tank! Frank the tank" and then another one said "come on buddy! we're going streaking through the quad". Ben was just laughing and running in circles while his harried mama (ME!) chased him like a greased pig.

I realized we wouldn't be making it home without a ride, so I called Matt to drive up and grab us. We packed in like a clown car and headed home.

The girls had a blast! They did so good. Manners, hand holding, lots of compliments to one another. It was a pure success.

Such great memories. Now if only I could keep pants and diaper on this son of mine. He would really, truly, genuinely be naked all day, every day, at home or in public if it was socially acceptable and not hygienically un-cool.

Happy Halloween from the Feenstra Four!