It's Halloween!!

Well, it's been quite the Halloween for us at the Coggins' house! All the festivities started about 2 weeks ago when we went to Crossroads Village. Then our friends, Matt & Desiree, had a Halloween party last weekend, there was the trunk-or-treat at church last weekend, also. Then there was the kids' Halloween parties at school and FINALLY, Halloween! I would have to say that we got the most use out of the costumes this year than any other year in my ENTIRE LIFE! LOL

The parties were so much fun! The trunk-or-treat was a blast as well. There was a contest for "best dressed car"...and we won! Emma was Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and Bradlee was Toto, so I dressed up as Glinda and we had all kinds of things from the movie to decorate our car. Here's the final product (you may have to click on the picture to see it magnified!):

On Friday, Bradlee had tubes put in his ears, so he didn't have his party at school. We're hoping this will solve all the ear problems he's been having. His surgery was about 30 minutes from the time he went into the room to the time he was out of recovery. He was so good! Once he god some glucose (sugar) water in him, he was his old self again! We were concerned that they wouldn't do the surgery, because he had a fever when we went in, but it was because he had ANOTHER ear infection that they just drained before inserting the tubes. Whew! I'm glad it's over and I'm anxious to see how they help. He's been great now that his appetite is back! :) So Friday afternoon, I picked Emma up from school and took her over to the bank I work at to show them her costume. She got to play the "cupcake walk" and won a cupcake with M&M's on it! Then we went to Kroger over in Flushing and she played musical chairs and won a prize, "throw a bag through the pumpkin's nose" and won, a ring toss and won (a 2-liter of pop!), putt-putt golf and won, and hockey shoot and won! We walked out of Kroger with a TON of goodies and didn't have to pay for any of it! :) LOL She was really proud of herself! We were in the card section and I said, "Hey Emma, let me take your picture!" and this is what I got:

So on Saturday morning, we carved our pumpkins! Since Bradlee was only 3 months old last year, he didn't get to carve pumpkins...he wasn't too interested this year, but I let him check it out on the table just the same. Emma was interested until she realized just how much "guts" can actually fit into a pumpkin! So I finished scraping out her pumpkin, and then carved it for her...she wanted Ariel (from "The Little Mermaid"), so that's what I did! I think it turned out pretty well! Then I did a face on mine. Tony went his own creative way and did an "H" for Holly!!

So it was finally time to put the costumes on (AGAIN) and go trick-or-treating! We went to my parents' house first, then headed out to Tony's parents' and then we met up with some friends and walked around a part of Flushing. The kids (all 6 of them that were with us!) only lasted about an hour or so before the whining and complaining started...so it was a quick night! It was pretty cold out, plus I just think everyone was so tired! We still had a nice Halloween....now only a week until I turn the "BIG" 3-0!!! :)