Oíche Shamhna.......long since gone!!!

I actually welcome every season... I love spring.....when the new growth begins to show itself, the buds and new leaves on the trees and weather begins to get warmer and equally I love when the long winter nights begin to close in... the evenings are dark enough to lock the cold out, put on the fire, light candles and chill (figuratively speaking of course.... our heating is working well!!!)

Winter has truly arrived in Ireland.... It is cold, very wet and we had frost this morning.... had to defrost the windscreen before driving the kids to school...Elena and Alex got a Christmas CD from their cousins and so it is already Christmas season in our car everytime I switch on the engine... and do you know.... you do begin to feel the Christmas spirit begin to invade your senses!!!!!

But just before we hit the cold wintry month of November we celebrated Hallowe'en...so here is a snapshot of our night...better late than never!!

Elena getting in the swing...Stage 1

Darrelle & Lauren consider themselves too old for 'trick or treat' but were quite willing to assist the little ones get ready, face & body paint!! sort them out with luminous bracelets and necklaces etc....What great 'sleeves' Lauren added to Elena!.

Mean Face!!!!

Our first house call... Moya's Grandma was delighted to see us... We think! The little devil that could see through 'closed eyes'!!!!Even the adults got into the swing of it!!!!!!Alex said he was 'a pirate, a wizard, and a skeleton'!!!!! Seen here below with the 'cute witch' who was enjoying the strangeness of it all!! Alex loved Hallowe'en this year once he got to dress up... Prior to that he was still scared of anything 'spooky' and especially of masks.... I remember Elena being equally scared at the same age and earlier and Darrelle appearing round corners in supermarkets wearing a mask and scaring the life out of her... This year Elena was doing the same to Alex......so I guess it is a rite of passage... Cruel older siblings 'n all that!!....This day 31st October 3 years ago  Declan and I left for Ust-Kamenogorsk in Kazakhstan and Maureen and Odhrán came down to stay with Elena and bring her 'trick or treating' in the neighbourhood... She had just turned 4 and was all excited about dressing up and heading out but really was quite scared of going up to peoples' doors and knocking ... except for one neighbour whom she knew very well and confidently made for their front door... Little did she know that the 'daddy/grandad' in that house has his own Hallowe'en costume and when this scary guy answered the door instead of the kindly 'Mrs Sully!' she nearly died on the spot and took off at speed, ran right across their lawn onto the road (Their house is on a corner!) and luckily there was no car coming as we could have been called back mid flight as we flew over Azerbaijan.... poor little girl recovered from her fright, but still talks about it every Hallowe'en and is proud to say she is a lot braver now!!!!  No doubt even by next year Alex won't be running to his Mommy looking for a safe haven from all goblins, ghouls and spectres!!! Trying to set the scene outside......Even the tailights got in on the act..... as did Cinderella's '2 ugly sisters'!!!!! 

Why did I ever think I wanted eye laser surgery???!!!!

Everyone looked better the next day!!!!!

.....Especially the older ones!!!!!!!!

Hope your night was good wherever you celebrated.....