Punching Man + 1 Great Halloween

I've gotta share the back story on how Owen ended up the Everlast Boxer for Halloween.

It began when he thumbed through one of the Halloween Costume catalogs that came in the mail several weeks ago. "Oooh, I wanna be The Punching Man!" he excitedly said to me. After taking a peek at the picture, I realized he was referring to the Boxer costume.

Now with my first child, I would have quickly corrected him and said "Oh, you mean you want to be 'a Boxer'?" But, with your 4th, you are filled with giddy delight to hear such an adorable way to describe something. So..."Punching Man" it was!! :) Owen received the costume as one of his 4th birthday gifts...and man, he had to immediately put it on after getting it out of the box!
Last Thursday was Owen's 1st ELP "Costume Parade"...and this Momma's last. :( After viewing many costume parades through the past 7 years, it was emotional to know this was the finale.

I watched on with complete attention and adoration as my little "Punching Man" prounced around the gym. I had no stroller to push or toddler to hold, it was just me and my boy...and I soaked up every minute of it!

The Night of Halloween

Talk about transition...from our baby having his first (and my last) Costume Parade to our oldest asking to trick or treat without us this year. Will went with his good friends from across the street...and yes, they are boys! Twin boys dressed as cheerleaders! haha :)

Here are my two "Punching Men"!

(Will reluctantly wore the big boy boxing costume...he wanted to wear a brown grocery bag w/ eyes cut out...after I explained that people don't care to give candy to older boys who don't dress up in real costumes, he relented.)

The Whole Gang

Renaissance Flower Princess, Punching Men (a.k.a. Boxers), Masquerade Lady - she forgot her mask for this pic

Truly such a little flower princess...this suited her to a tee!

Aha! Now here's the full get up!

Our traditional pic with the girls' dear friend down the street...then, trick or treating together

Off we go!!! Owen was LOVIN' it!

Found a familiar face on one of our neighbor's porches :)

The highlight of the evening: Homemade Chocolate & M & M covered Caramel Apples! All I have to say is....YUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

Ella broke into a Popcorn Ball about half-way through the evening...

We ran into the "big boys" and the kids pow wowed for a bit about where they'd been and how much candy they'd accumulated

Home SWEET Home

And the Great Candy Exchange began...the kids begged for and traded candy with each other. Then, they were each given a brown paper bag with their names on it - this will be their coveted personal bag that no one else is to touch (VERY important to a kid in a big family). The rest went in the Family Candy Bucket (after I took care of a few dark chocolate morsels). :)

It was a SUPERDELICIOUS, Perfectly Warm-Weather, HALLOWEEN for the Ruley Gang! Grateful for some innocent family fun and good times with neighbors!!