Halloween

Happy Halloween!!   Yes, I know Halloween was over 2 weeks ago, but it never hurts to look back.  This year we had lots of fun, with all the parties and trick-or-treating.  There was always an opportunity to dress up in costume. 

This year Alex decided over a month in advance that he wanted to be a policeman.  Good thing too, because then we had enough time to order his costume online and have it shipped here.  He wore it (and still wears it) almost every day.  If you look closely, you'll see that the original buttons are missing (Alex tore them off) and the remnants are colored in with permanent marker.  Also, the badge clip broke, so you can tell we had to tape it to his shirt.  Alex's silly pose is his attempt at imitiating Katya, who is always a diva for the camera (as you can tell in her photo).  Speaking of Katya, her costume changed for each party or trick-or-treating event.  This is what she wore to the first party.  You'll have to tell me what you think she's dressed as becasue I'm not exactly sure.

And of course, who could forget little Mark.  Yes, he's a frog. 

We had a blast trick-or-treating.  I pulled Alex and Katya in the wagon (so spoiled, I know) and went to as many homes as humanly possible.  And now we have way too much candy in the house.  The Japanese people really get in to the holiday too, even selling pumpkins and costumes in local shops.  On Halloween, droves of Japanese children dress up and come on base to take advantage of all that free candy, because as you know, Halloween is not normally celebrated here in Japan.  It's only because of us Americans and our strange tradtions that Halloween is so big here.   Gotta go now, Mark just woke up and Lyana and the older kids are out.

Robert