The Martin Family: Ben's Second Halloween

Ben's second Halloween was quite a busy day and he really had so much fun this year. We had two different get-togethers to attend - a daytime Halloween party at his friend Tyler and Samantha's house and then a trick-or-treating outing with a few friends at night. Ben went to bed two hours late tonight and was on his way to the land of nod by the time we closed his bedroom door after such a fun-filled day!

This year he dressed up as a frog. It was a fight to get him to first put the costume on but once he looked in the mirror and realized that he was the one who looked so silly in a froggie outfit, he found the whole dress up thing quite amusing and actually protested when I went to take it off for a few hours while he napped today.

Ben in frog attire at Tyler and Samantha Kriebel's party this morning.

Tyler the fireman and Samantha the ladybug.
Elaina and her mommy Aimee dressed up in doctor scrubs just like her daddy wears.

Two of the other adorable friends of Tyler and Samantha's - Alyssa and Meghan.

At the party we decorated our own pumpkins with markers, stickers, glue and pompoms. Ben was extremely intense making his work of art but when the glue took a little too long to dry for his liking and he realized he could pull the stickers right off, we ended up going home with a naked pumpkin! At least he had a fun time being creative and the paper-covered table at Ben's spot became beautifully decorated with his artwork instead :).

Ben and Elaina being creative with their pumpkins.

Samantha decorating hers with heart stickers.

Tyler and Samantha's daddy Steve has a tractor with a trailer that attaches to it so he gave everyone hay rides around their property. What a hit, all of the kids loved it! Despite Ben's obsession with tractors, he was a bit nervous to go on it at first but he soon sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Froggie and Mommy.

What a surprise that Daddy was able to make an appearance at the party during lunchtime since he works a few miles from the Kriebel's house. Here, Ben is so happy to see his "dada" in the middle of the day.

Later on, the Kriebel and Saunders families came over for dinner and then we all brought the kids trick-or-treating around our development together. There are lots of kids in our development and the houses are close together so it was a good choice for a bunch of under-three-year-olds.

Here, all four kids eagerly await one of our neighbors to answer their doorbell. Tyler and Elaina had the whole trick-or-treating thing down before we set out for the night and it only took Ben and Samantha a few houses giving them candy to realize that this ain't so bad after all! :)

Walking the neighborhood with Daddy.

Ben was really so good about holding his own pumpkin bag for a good part of our night. It was only when it got pretty heavy that we had to relieve him of the task since he kept spilling the contents. Thanks, Nana and Pop, for such an adorable personalized treat bag - it was a big hit today!

After a while, riding on Daddy's shoulders was much more appealing than walking!

Finally, back at the house afterwards all of the kids got to enjoy some of their goodies...lots of sugar for one day but the sweets did enable us to bribe them all to sit together on the couch for a photo!