Family Time: Halloween 2019

Halloween is over! If I sound excited about it, it’s because I am! I love Halloween, but like any holiday, a lot of work goes into it and when it’s done it feels like you can finally take a breath and relax…until the next holiday.

We spent this Halloween – James’ first real Halloween – with Jake’s family again at his mom’s house. It’s great having family so close by, and the Bozza clan seems to get a little bigger every year! James has a cousin Bastian, who’s 4 months older than him, and a new baby cousin Lily, who’s only a wee 3 weeks! And Darcy (Bash’s mom) is pregnant again so we have another new baby to look forward to!

My concept worked! I wanted James to be "flying" the mommy plane. (the hat lasted about 5 seconds, what's with kids and hats?)

We saw this dog last year too! I had to get a picture this time. The owner is so nice.

Jake’s mom’s house is in Downtown Fredericksburg, so she always has a parade of kids and families coming past her door. It makes for a really fun night, seeing all the different costumes and making a kid’s night when you say “take as much as you want!” The best part was seeing this tiny dog inside someone’s candy bucket!

The weather called for a totally washed out evening, predicting rain all day and night, but it held out just long enough for us to have a dry trick-or-treating experience. Shout out to the woman who was passing out “adult treats” in addition to candy! I’ll take a dixie cup of mystery booze any day!

So just like we planned, we were a Coast Guard family this year. James was our pilot, I was his plane, and Jake was our seaman. As predicted, my wings got in the way several times and poked a few unsuspecting people, but I got a lot of compliments on them, too! For a last minute, handmade costume, it turned out pretty well.

If you judge our night by James' facial expressions, we must have had a terrible time.

Cousin Bash was a super cute Olaf snowman, and little Lily was adorned in her spooky finest. I have to admit, having a new baby around is making my ovaries ache, but it’s just not time for another Bozza baby yet. I’ll leave the baby-making to Darcy for now!

Bash was the cutest Olaf! He loved going to people's doors for candy. And baby Lily wins cutest costume just because she's a baby!

Seeing Jake back in his Coast Guard uniform was nostalgic and honestly a turn on (TMI?). Who doesn’t love a man in uniform? Even after years of not wearing it, it still fit him like new! He was worried about whether or not it was disrespectful to wear his uniform as a veteran, and the fact that he has a beard now (he had to shave EVERY day when he was enlisted). Google told him he was good so we went with it.

Jake was on door duty with James while I took pictures. He looked so handsome in his uniform.

Unfortunately James’ Nonna (Jake’s mom) was busy prepping for a cooking event she was hired for the next day, so she couldn’t go door to door with us, but PopPop and Nana Jenny (Jake’s dad and his wife) were able to make it and join in on the trick-or-treating fun. Pop was a Jets fan with a chip on his shoulder. My guess is they haven’t been performing well this season.

So happy we get to share these fun memories with our family!

After hitting a few houses and bringing in a modest candy haul, we had a tasty dinner to finish off the night. Nonna’s house is always teeming with delicious food since she’s a professional chef, so it’s impossible to leave her house hungry. Miraculously I didn’t overload on candy like in years past, but I made sure to indulge in some well-deserved mom juice, aka red wine. If Halloween had fallen on a Friday this year I think I would’ve indulged a little more knowing I could sleep in the next day.

My face is clearly saying "oh god, please don't fall off my shoulders!"

It’s exciting to imagine the Halloweens to come as James gets older and our family gets bigger. I think we’ll continue the tradition of DIY family costumes and start a new tradition of passing out adult treats. Thanks again awesome neighbor woman! Now it’s time to relax for a day or two, and then on to the next holiday! This time of year is a marathon of family, food, and revolving decorations, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Until next time!

xo Miche

#family #seasonal #halloween #diy #costumes #kids