Yates Family: Halloween 2012

We had a super fun Halloween this year, and even the days leading up to it. Although Halloween night itself is always a blast with a party at Grandma's, it seems like there are so many other fun things to do and dress up for that are just as fun as the actual day. It's always good to break out those costumes early and get a few uses out of them I think!

Mady had a Halloween party in her classroom the Friday before Halloween, but they don't get to dress up (Catholic schools for ya:) but they did have a party that night in the gym for families to attend where they could dress up. We couldn't go because Joni was visiting from Seattle and us girls had plans to go watch her nephew in the play "Oliver" at the Hale Theatre (so much fun, btw). Lucky for Mady though, she got to go with her friend Brelyn's family and had a really great time dressing up as a lion cub. Or leopard cub. Or whatever she was. The next day was Brelyn's birthday party at the zoo. It was Boo at the Zoo day, and I'm pretty sure we'll make it a family tradition from here on out. It was a blast. Perfect weather, and the kids just go from place to place in their costumes, trick or treating at the zoo. Brelyn's family was so sweet to include all our kiddies, and we such a fun day.

From there we headed up to the U for some tailgating, Halloween style. The kids were still in costumes and went around trick or treating in the tailgate lot. Best day ever for them, and it wasn't even Halloween yet!

Halloween night we got all dressed up again, this time with face paint and all, made a quick stop at the neighbors then headed straight for Grandmas. I love our Halloween tradition at Colleen's. She makes Navajo tacos every year, with homemade root beer (or Witches Brew as the kids call it) and we all bring treats...donuts, sugar cookies...you know, as if we need more junk on Halloween. We take the kids trick-or-treating, but I think they have the most fun just hanging out with cousins. Oh, and they loooove getting all their candy that night, but it's funny...Mady is such a collector, she doesn't want to eat hers, and Sophie and Jack's candy buckets are still sitting in my car untouched (ok, maybe I've had a piece or two whilst driving). But they basically forget about it which works for me.

*WARNING* Picture overload..but here are some pics from all of our Halloween activities. Oh, and we dressed up as a family as the Yates Family Zoo...inspiration wasn't hard this year, it's no secret its a zoo around here most of the time! Usually York and I don't dress up, but after the fun we had this year we might keep doing...at least till the kids think we're dorks and ask us to quit embarrassing them:)

BOO at the ZOO

Trick-or-treat Tailgating

York with a Jazz player

We won "best tailgate" this week!

Introducing...The Yates Family Zoo..

Classic Sophie..she wanted her face painted at first, but after a couple pictures she decided it was too itchy and needed it removed. Immediately. Mady had specific directions as to how her face paint needed to done, and well, I just can't believe Jack kept it on!