The Ray's Days: trick or treating on the square and on the haunted ship

I made a list of chores for the girls this morning and let them pick, and then we got to work! the girls did some piano and we did it all in a leisurely and slow manner.

we had plans to be down to Leonardtown square for trick or treating at 3:00 sharp!

after some beautiful summer feeling days, today was chilly and super blustery.

it was a tough day to be a little witch. they had hands on their hats the whole day.

addie didn't want to open her umbrella at all because right after this pic, the wind blew it out the wrong way and we were worried that it might break.

we got there right at 3 and met up with the aina's. and all the rest of Leonardtown.

Delaney put her ensemble together. she wanted the dress, cape, and hat with a boa wrapped around it. done, done, done.

this was the most crowded trick or treat on the square day in our 8 years of going. it was nuts!

Delaney walked around smiling the whole time. it was so cute!

addie's Morton salt girl dress flipped and swirled just like the girl on the canisters. pretty perfect.

it was cold. addie was bargaining to leave, but lucky for her, trick or treating in l-town doesn't take long.

2 little witches bargaining with a big witch. and sweet girls, even indoors they couldn't let go of their hats. ptsd.

see that silly smile? the.whole.time.

poor franks was so cold. she'd say "i have goosebumps!" and I would rub her arms to try and warm her up.

2 witches, Morton salt girl, and a half-pirate.

"take a picture of me over here!"

and our last stop, the yellow door.

3 ray's, 3 aina's. addie was posing exactly like the Morton salt girl, head down and walking.

and the jump shot.

after trick or treating we headed to mcd's for dinner before our next round of trick or treating.

we haven't played at mcd's in a looong time.

future models of America.

matt had been texting updates of where he was, and he was leaving hendersons right around the time we were prepping to leave mcd's. so he met us there and we all headed down to st. Mary's city.

I had told matt he could go home and have a quiet evening after being on a campout all weekend, but then I really wanted him to come, and he happily agreed.

about 2 cars ahead of us as we were pulling in to trick or treat on the haunted ship were the schoeny's.

so we hung out with them all evening. again, we got there right when it started, at 5:30, and there was already a huge line to go down to the ship. this fortune teller was entertaining the kids in line and giving them candy for being brave.

d was not impressed.

they had "moll dyers rock" there and gave kids candy for being brave enough to put their hand on it.

my girls, moll dyer aficianados, were all like, "ummmm, that's plastic. that's not the real rock." the girl working it was even like, "come on girls, give me a break!" all in fun. :)

matt offered to hold our spot in the very long line while we took the kids to do crafts. spiderwebs!

and ghost lollipops! and goofy eyes.

the little witch enjoyed t-or-t'ing here too.

almost time to head down to the ship!

the sun was setting and it was just beautiful! and it was all decorated so cutely! Loved all the attention to detail.

the scariest costume we saw, by far. he was so funny too, totally hamming it up.

heading down!

the sunset was gorgeous and with the ship, it was pretty magical.

rays!

gahhhh! just look at that!

they had some carnival games down there too.

the medium witch stirring the captains brew.

and feeling creepy things like eye of newt and maggots.

this little witch wasn't into the creepy things.

they had spots to trick or treat on the ship every few feet.

I think she's got the best hair of all 4 sisters.

gorgeousness.

and a windy pic with my love. glad he was able to come with us!

bargaining. he was trying to hit them up for some indentured service but they declined.

this guy said to Delaney "hey, come over here! you have just the right hair color that I need, can I have some of your hair?" and she was all "ok, sure," and went right over to him.

addie had gone on ahead with the schoeny's.

so fun!

there's the salt girl!

she finally decided to stir the brew.

addie and I ran to the bathroom and decided to pop into "the shop." I love their super cute little shop.

we stopped at moll dyer's rock on the way back to the crew.

so scary!

next up was face painting. and rats in cages.

little bit of heaven.

d agreed to take a pic with me outside.

there was quite the line for face painting, but everyone waited patiently.

frankie went on and all by herself got going by getting a butterfly.

she wanted more detail, complete with painted lips, but we opted against it.

addie vacillated between full white face (I discouraged) and... anything else. in the end she decided on Morton Salt Girl. creative, right?

lanes didn't know what she wanted either, so after I threw out a few bum ideas, sister naluai suggested a cat to go with lanes witch, and she was sold.

she was so happy all day.

salt girl!

sister naluai is seriously professional.

I hated that we were heading home after the face paint and would have to wash it off.

she was sad because when she brushed her teeth some of her makeup washed off. she couldn't even smile.

we got home to an exciting piece of mail for me! a few weeks ago I sent a little to sister linda k. burton - the general relief society president. I love sister beck, the former general rs pres. I have listened to all of her interviews on Mormon channel and I quote her regularly. but I have felt guilty that I don't do the same with sister burton. I started thinking about it and realized it's because I don't feel like I know her as well as I know sis. beck. so I wrote to her suggesting she consider doing some interviews so we could get to know her better. an everyday discussion tells you a lot more about a person - her family, life experiences, thoughts, and feelings - than a general conference talk, for sure.