I survived Halloween Weekend!!!

Barely. I survived but I am exhausted. So excuse me for not including pictures with this post. Look on my Facebook profile for pics or chances are you got my snapfish album emailed to you already. (if you didn't and you want pics, let me know)

Thursday's carving extravaganza was fun. I went into Lainey's class in the morning and carved a giant pumpkin. The kids were amazed. Most of them had never carved a pumpkin before so they were so enthralled. They all had turns feeling the "guts" and carving. I was a big hit with the kids according to the parents. Some of the comments from the little ones were: "Lainey's mom made us a giant pumpkin with a face!", and "I love Lainey's mom! She's fun!" One of the little boys in her class really thinks I'm cool because he thinks Gymboree is our house (after Lainey's birthday party). He told his mom that he wants to have a playdate with "Lainey and her mom at her fun house with all the toys!" I'm a cool kid in EY1! The kids also liked trying pumpkin seeds, the 3 teachers hadn't tasted them before either. Brits just don't know what they're missing!

I spent the afternoon in Aidan's class doing more carving. We had 6 pumpkins, 6 adults, and 16 kids. They all had a great time and enjoyed some fresh baked seeds too. This year, there are just 3 Americans in Aidan's class so it was a pretty novel experience for most of the first graders too. Sometimes, it's so easy to make kids happy!

Friday was the parties. 3 of them! Lainey's class did a performance that could not have been any cuter. 15 little kids dressed in costume singing songs and doing dances about scarecrows and pumpkins. ADORABLE! I video taped the whole thing (of course) but it's way too long to post. Then we had our apero. Cookies and juice for kids, cookies and prosecco for parents. I love this school.

Lainey and I then headed back to the "big school" to decorate for the school party that night. She sat in the middle of the half-done haunted house watching Halloween movies and coloring while I dripped blood all over the pumpkin her class carved the day before. She is such a good girl. The other parents were commenting on how good she is at entertaining herself. She wasn't acting up or getting in the way. When she did want to help, she really was helpful! She helped me set up the snack and drink tables and put cobwebs all over everything. I popped out to check on Aidan's party and drop off some eyeball and candy corn cookies for just a bit.

I took the kids home right after school and even got Lainey to take a nap! Then we headed back for the big event at 5. Jason met us up at school and saved the day by picking up 9 pizzas at Migros on his way. There was a bit of a snafu with the pizza order and we'd have run out of food if not for my sweet husband who will do anything for me, except put on a decent Halloween costume. (Seriously, next year I'm getting him something and making him wear it. I will never leave it to him to take care of again. Lame. Glasses with big nose and moustache is NOT a costume, my dear.) We all had fun getting candy and checking out the eerily decorated trunks. After the candy collecting, I went on duty making sure things were running smoothly and Jason took the kids to do crafts and watch, what else, a Scooby-Doo movie. He took the kids home around 8 and I stayed to clean up till 9:30.

Saturday was another party day! 2 more parties, one at Lainey's friend's house and one at our friends' house. I decided Jason needed a better costume so I made him go to the mall with me. He is hopeless though, and came home with a pirate head scarf and a vampire medallion. WHAT are you going to make of that?? 45 minutes before the party he is standing there with 3 lame bits of accessory but no costume. I gave up. Whatever. I however, had hit the jackpot at Claire's that morning. 1984 must have came to Claire's and dropped off all it's left over neon. I bought neon leg warmers, necklaces, hair barrette, fingerless gloves and earrings all for 10chf! Black leggings and a cut neck t-shirt a la Flashdance and I was ready to go! (I was a black cat the night before, not nearly as much fun!) Finally, Jason threw on his tuxedo and vampire medallion 2 minutes before we had to leave. He wouldn't even let me do any white make up or anything. But, at least the tux saw some action outside of the closet! We were finally off!

The party was unbelievable. This was an example of how weird it is for us here sometimes. I mean, I think we are doing quite fine these days, but then we go to a party at a house of another school family and we think "wow, this is how the other half (well 1%) live". I've been to weddings that were less extravagant. There was a huge heated tent that I'm not exaggerating was bigger than our apartment, a clown/magician show, a bouncy slide, and more candy than I have ever seen in one place! They had tons of food ranging from bratwursts to sushi and everything in between. It was amazing. The kids are still talking about how much candy they got and how much fun they had. Jason compared it to the kids' birthday party in the movie "Old School". Pretty dead on comparison, minus the tranquilizer dart in the neck!

After that shindig, we went to a party at our friends' house. Kids were welcome, but it was more of an adult party. Everyone there, for the most part, was British. And, in Britain, they don't really do Halloween much but if they do they only dress as scary stuff. So I go to this party as an 80's girl and am surrounded by witches, vampires and the like. I don't think most of them "got" me. Oh well, at least I was original. We had a great time with great friends. The kids tried bobbing for apples for the first time and just ran wild from sugar. All in all a great time was had by all!

Today, we topped off the weekend with breakfast before church (which is more surprising that we made it to church today or that our breakfast of one order of pancakes, one omelette, and one basic bacon and egg plate cost us 80chf?) and then swimming at the pool. Jason and I even both squeezed in a short run before dinner and putting the kids to bed. So much for my plan of staying in my pajamas all day today.