Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Halloween 2010

Halloween 2010 was no doubt a memorable event. It was the first time that Emmerson really got into the holiday and so mommy and I were also pulled into the excitement. This was also Cole's first Halloween so we of course were excited about dressing him up for the special events. Halloween happened to fall on a Sunday this year which was great. There were no one and done Trick-or-Treating or getting all dressed up for that one night event. No sir we started our activities the Thursday before.

Outside of Millington is the famous Jones Orchard. As always they hosted their annual corn maze and trail of terror mazes. We obviously did not want to take the kids to the trail of terror maze but were excited to take them to the corn maze. We met for dinner at McAlister's (where kids eat free on Thursday nights) with our friends Timmy, Liza, and Ava Grace Hendren. Afterwards we took off to the corn maze. Now it was much cooler than most nights that week but we were all properly bundled up. Cole was the only one who had challenging transportation. I put him in one of those baby backpack things and was able to carry him like a little Indian baby...that is until he puked on me twice from all of the bumping and walking. After the second puke it was time to retrieve his "all-terrain" stroller, laid him down all bundled up and made our way through the maze. Timmy acted as our guide as he turned and stopped, stopped and turned and somehow we made it alive celebrating with a nice cup of hot chocolate and funnel cake.

Friday night we were invited to a family costume party at our friends the Dunaguns. Now in order for me to purchase costumes for Shannon and myself I had to justify the use we would get out of said costumes. The invite to the costume party sealed the deal since we got to wear them three days in a row. Emmerson had her costume picked out since the Summer and wanted to go as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Shannon and I, after much conversation, decided to go as Popeye and Olive Oyl. Cole would've made the perfect Sweet Pea, but Shannon did not want to leave Emmerson out given the three of us would complete a theme and Emmerson would be outside of this theme. I laughed over her observation because she doesn't even know who Popeye was much less Sweet Pea....I didn't even know who Sweet Pea was. Nevertheless Cole went as Superman!

The party was a great success full of families and lots and lots of kids. The highlight of the evening was the self made haunted house. The Dunagun's have an unfinished upstairs and with a lot of black plastic and strobe lights they had formed it into a haunted house. Miles Dunagan, operating the special effects stepped through his ceiling not once but twice. That was one expensive Halloween party to say the least.

Since Halloween fell on a Sunday there was much debate on whether to Trick-or-Treat on Saturday night or Sunday night. So with mass confusion each town picked their own days to do it. Brighton, for instance chose Sunday night where Munford chose Saturday night. So again the plan was to regroup with our friends the Hendrens and go Trick-or-Treating in Munford. However Halloween ended up playing a trick on us and Cole got sick right before we headed out the door, ruining his awesome little Superman costume. Shannon decided to stay home with him since we did not want to deprive Emmerson of trick-or-treating. Emmerson and Ava Grace rode around the neighborhood in a little red wagon going from house to house getting as much candy as possible. It was a great night and much fun was had.

Once we got home Cole had worsened and we were advised by his pediatrician to take him to the ER since he was so young. So we took the little guy to Lebonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis where test were run and to make sure he wasn't dehydrated. We were released around 4:00 am Halloween morning at which time we went home, crashed on the bed and got a whopping four hours of sleep before starting the day over again. Cole had picked up a 12 hour no fever stomach bug. He never got dehydrated and all the labs came back perfect, Praise God!

Sunday Halloween night, our church hosted their annual Family Fall Festival. Still feeling a little sick, Shannon again stayed home with Cole and I took Emmerson to the festival. She had so much fun playing the games and feeling her candy bag. She most enjoyed her little friends. They would run around the fields, dance, twirl around, and laugh laugh laugh. It was so much fun watching her with her little friends.

After spending a couple of hours at the festival I brought Emmerson home so her mommy could take her on one last Trick-or Treating in our neighborhood. Shannon had missed a lot of the magic of watching Emmerson have fun so I am so glad she was able to take her out. After it was all said and done we were a very exhausted lil' family. We definitely got the most out of the holiday even with a trip to the hospital.
All in all it was one memorable weekend.

- Steve