pumpkin party weekend

While Kent was gone, we escaped one weekend to go to my parents' house.

It was the weekend of the family Halloween Party, 

and the Pumpkin Walk. 

Plus, the weather was incredible. We just couldn't stay home.

The Pumpkin Walk is a sort of fair put on by my hometown--families and groups volunteer and set up scenes, typically movie character scenes, made entirely or mostly out of pumpkins and other produce. 

 This year there was a Lego Movie scene! Huge hit.

 And my little Captain America had to pose in front of pumpkin Captain America

 How awesome is this pumpkin feast from the Christmas Carol scene?

 And my amazing cousin, Emily, always helps with a scene. This year she and her friends did a Snow White and Disney scene.  
I love hers the best every year because they work really hard to make sure every single part is truly made from pumpkins and other gourds. 

 So creative!

Friday night was the Family Halloween Party.  It's been a tradition since the year before my brother Jonah was born, so the past 16 years!

 Ellie was not excited about putting on her "Princess Superhero" costume. It was scratchy. But we finally got it on, and I took pictures right away in case it didn't last.
I've learned a few things as a mom.
We bribed her with marshmallows.

 At the party!
I was a detective.
And I could only just barely fit that trench coat over my belly.
Another few weeks and I would have had to pick a different costume!

As for my parents and brothers?
Once again, my mom rocked the costumes: (remember last year?)

Yep. She made those costumes. The only things she bought were the weapons and the helmets.
Oh, and my dad's beard.

 She actually hand molded the spikes on his shoulders out of model magic, then painted them.
My mom is the costume queen.

 And my darling Grandma, even she dresses up every year!

 It was so great this year to see Ellie actually having fun and playing the games.  
She doesn't usually like parties, but I think she's slowly growing out of that fear.
This party? She played. And ran. And ate donuts and candy and ice cream until she crashed.

The next day we raked leaves into a pile to jump into, helped Grandma plant daffodil bulbs, and went to the most beautiful park, where we threw sticks into the river, pretended to sail our boat (the playground) to Treasure Island, and collected armfuls of golden leaves.

Perfection.