Halloween 2013

"Cookie Monster is at large, but we caught the Hamburgler."

-Random dude in car to us

We have a tradition. Each Halloween for the past five years, we go trick-or-treating with friends in the most popular neighborhood in town. The main group has stayed the same except for those over achievers who left and went to college.

This year was no different. I am probably too old for Halloween, but I don't care!

We're heading out to the party!

Before we were allowed to go out for candy, we had to take group pictures. Last year we took them downtown, but this year, just used the backyard.

Photo by Mike Minuto 

I am always a pumpkin. Austin is always something deadly. We have a tradition where he always kills me.

After wandering aimlessly down the road for a few minutes, friend Austin made the executive decision that we needed to find the children so that we didn't look like a bunch of college kids. We found them and rang a few doorbells before leaving to meet up with the rest of our group. Once we got to the main location we no longer needed them because it's mostly big kids.

We've been freed from photos! Candy time! 

Austin was carrying air soft guns as part of his costume. Earlier that evening, air pellets (aka nothing) had been shooting out of them. Jacob was singing in a hick accent and Austin gave Hannah the gun. She shot Jacob not knowing that Austin had loaded it with BB's!

"She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she OUCH!!"

Kacie carried that bow for the group picture and forgot to leave it at the house when we left. She carried it around her torso all night.

Kacie was Katniss. She borrowed Caitlyn's bow and carried it for several hours through a hilly neighborhood. Matthew (The Night) creeped up on her.

Every year, we have to stop by Mrs. Reggie's house for a bathroom break and nourishment. They gave us a lot of candy!

Yes, we went inside someone's home. 

This wasn't supposed to look like I was being attacked, but it did. Amanda is scary as Harley Quinn. 

We stopped by Reggie's house again on the way back to our HQ to visit more people. We said hello to Jeff, Shannon, Cici, Peyton (the Great) and a few more people. Kacie took a piece of bread (without asking) and claimed some boy named "Pita" gave it to her. She isn't supposed to be talking to boys.

It's Katniss.

After that, we HAD to stop by the scary house. It wasn't as scary once we realized Ms. Nona was in charge! She took a group picture of us by Michael Myers. It was a real person!

We almost died. He kept moving and being scary.

On the way back, we were also chased by a trash bag. That was scary. We all screamed and ran.

A lot of the houses were starting to run out or shut down, so we journeyed back through driveways and ditches to get back to the house. I convinced everyone to run up a huge hill. #crossfit

When we returned to the house, we all sat in the living room and dumped our candy for the annual Candy Exchange. Since I can't have gluten, I was intently watching the middle pile for Tootsie Rolls and M&Ms. I had made a deal with Matthew to trade Twizzlers for Sweet Tarts, but I didn't get any! Everyone stayed after to watch scary movies, but I left to get sleep since I'm not a scary movie person.

I'm already ready for next year!

The whole crew
Photo by Mike Minuto