This year I ventured out for the first time in almost 5 years with our crew!

Yes-you heard me right.  We have not been trick or treating in FIVE YEARS!

I should probably preface this post by letting you know that when our oldest was about 3, he had a terrible and super scary experience trick or treating which has resulted in our 5 year trick or treat hiatus!

The poor kid was so afraid he wouldn’t even set foot in the costume store for a few years.

So, as a family-especially a family of 5- we have never really done the whole trick or treating thing.

To us it  has always just been another night at home….of course we bought goodies for our kids and put them in buckets but we never really had the effect of a full night of trick or treating.

But this year it happened-OH did it happen 🙂

Our oldest was finally brave enough to go into the costume store and not act like we were strangers trying to  abduct him by running for the nearest exit!

He was even brave enough to pick a scary costume this year and for the school parade/party both he and his brother let me do their makeup- zombie style!

I was beyond thrilled-my kids were finally enjoying Halloween and doing it in total boy fashion with blood, guts, and gore!

My #momofboys heart was over the moon!

I finally felt like we hit the point of no return. We were past the scared point and heading in the direction of so.much.FUN!

So Halloween came… I picked up our youngest from Preschool and my oldest two from after care and we headed for our house to prepare for a night of trick or treating!

Honestly I was still a little unsure if they were going to follow through on our plan of trick or treating-but I tried my best to not to let me apprehension show and let the night unfold as it did…

and honestly it could not have gone more perfectly!

Thankfully my aunt and uncle (really these two are my saviors! I wouldn’t be able to do half of what I actually do without them!) wanted to join in the fun so they met us at our house and came along for trick or treat.

Once everyone had eaten dinner, dressed in their costumes, and decided on more last minute zombie makeup rather than the actual masks that went with their costumes, and one more quick potty trip (of course!) we were on the road to our trick or treating adventure.

I must say…most days of being a mom are tiring, thankless days for sure but nights like our trick or treat make all those sticky, slimy, yukky, thankless moments WORTHWHILE!

Halloween night we had so much fun!!

ALL OF US!

In fact, I may have had more fun than the boys did!

They all did so good!

They’re boys so of course they were a little bouncy, runny, and jumpy-but for the most part it was a really great time-and thankfully I had extra hands to help me wrangle them.

No one let their fears take away their fun. They truly, truly enjoyed themselves…and as a mom you don’t want anything more for your kids than joy.

Since we haven’t ever really been trick or treating before this year I wasn’t too sure of the neighborhood and totally had this picture in my head of dark streets, dark houses, and my kids coming home with not one piece of candy!

Boy was I wrong!

Almost every other house on the street we were on participated and they were amazing!

From the lawn ornaments, to the lights and music, and the adults who were passing out candy-even in costumes too-it really made for a GREAT night!

The weather was extra chilly for Halloween and that combined with the excitement of my kids brought me right back to all of my chilly years trick or treating as a child.

I know, as a mom, life is crazy as all heck most times and getting three kids ready for trick or treat was certainly no picnic…

but seeing the looks and smiles on their faces and the pure JOY all.night.long made every single stressful second so worth it!

…and of course our kids came home with bags and bags of overflowing candy!

How was your family’s trick or treating??

I would LOVE to hear!