Trick or Treat.

Trick or Treat came up on us pretty quicly this year it seemed.  I had told the kids they could be what they wanted....but it had to be easy and cheap.  I always tend to want the kids to all match and have cute outfits that coordinate....and then I end up spending (wasting) WAY too much money on something they wear one night.  I am trying to do a better job about not wasting money on silly things and halloween costumes is definetly a waste of money!  

I had a really cute clown costume for emmie from last halloween. I had bought it for her to wear and ended up getting her the sheep costume.....of course so she could match with Josie's little bo peep! (see my problem., lol)

so thankfully it still fit her this year and looked adorable.  

Josie has talked about wanting to be a peacock for weeks...but every peacock costuem I saw was nearly 30 dollars, which I was not spending on a costume.  So we were walking through the party store one day and I told her to look around for something she liked.  Suddenly she comes running and says, "I found it, this is what I want to be!"  I look down and see in her hand a $5 cat ears and tail.  She says, " i can wear my black dance outfit and black pants"  And I ran with it....."Yes Josie, that is a great idea!!"  

Joe painted her face up and she was thrilled with her 5 dollar costume!  

Owen wanted to be Si from Duck Dynasty.  So I pulled out his camo pants, his duck dynasty shirt and hat and bought the beard from Walmart...

He looked so funny!  Which is always what Owen is going for.  

And Maggie decided to go as "Super Maggie" this year.  

Simple but she looked so cute and loved it!  

All ready to head to church to Trunk or Treat

Si, Super Maggie, clown, and black cat...

Josie was quite into the part of being a cat...

everytime I would pull out my camera this is the pose I would get! 

I love this girl....she is such the individual.  :)

And this is Emmie Jayne's classic trick she always shows people.  

So when I asked her if she knew any clown tricks this is what I got...

She took a ball with her and kept telling us she was going to juggle. 

but I am pretty sure she lost the ball before we ever got into the church. 

All ready to go get some candy!

We got to church early so thankfully we didn't have to wait in the line that we would have had to if we had gone later.  

And waiting in lines with friends is not so bad anyways.  

Emmie and her friend Gillian taking a break and eating some candy.  

Emmie ate the majority of her candy while still at church..

Maggie being silly with Bella..

Molly and Josie were running that place all evening...we couldn't keep tabs on them the whole time!

I have seen so much latley about the "dark" side of trick or treating and how Christians shouldn't participate in any form of trick or trunk or treat.  I have thought alot about this this year wondering if I am in the wrong for letting my kids each year.  I have never had a conviction about it....and always trick or treated as a child.  And I have never even really been aware about the "dark" side of trick or treat.  I understand that some people are strongly convicted about it, and respect their choice to not participate....I have strong convictions on things as well that others don't agree with (movies and TV being my HUGE one that so many christians don't seem to have a problem with....I don't get it but they are my convictions... and it seems we all have different ones that are stronger than others)  I guess I view it the same as buying my kids gifts at Christmas and an easter basket at Easter....I don't know that we really should do those things at all...I mean those days have nothing to do with my kids being given gifts if you really think about it. 

And at the end of the evening....when my kids had a bag of candy, had played with friends, got to dress up in cute fun costumes (I am NOT a fan of dressing up scary/goulish, etc)....and my kids have a prop that says this to have thier picture taken behind.... 

I don't see us as really participating in halloween at all...... More of a costume carnival at church where my kids had fun. :)