A Halloween Weekend of Pumpkins and Costumes, 2009

Halloween in 2009 started with the essentials: pumpkin carving. We spread out a plastic sheet on the patio on a bright, sunny afternoon. Our daughter, looking very serious in her red dress, got to work scooping out the pulp and seeds. She managed two pumpkins, and seemed pretty pleased with the results.

That evening, friends came over. The award for best costume definitely went to the baby dressed as a piece of sushi, complete with a green wasabi hat, strapped into a carrier on her dad's chest. He and his wife dressed as sushi chefs to complete the look. It was a perfect family costume.

Once it got dark, we headed out into the neighborhood for trick-or-treating. Our little crew included a pilot with a homemade plane and a light-up torch, and a friend dressed as a garden gnome in a pointy red hat. They made the rounds on the dark streets, holding out their bags at each doorway, completely focused on the candy.