Photojourna.list Blitz: Halloween! 2012

No one wants to trick-or-treat with Darth Vader.
Poor guy. But this year our treat-or-treating was lots of fun as we participated in the annual block parade (a lazy stroll down the block with all manner of chaos ensuing as older kids can't wait to get their clammy little hands on C.A.N.D.Y. and little kids have no idea what is going on.) A St. Louis tradition is to tell jokes before getting candy - something that didn't even extend 2 hours west were I grew up - but my mom enforces the tradition now that she's a part-time St. Louisian and most of the kids come ready. The Tin Man needed a little help from Glenda this year, but it all got sorted out and Dorothy was happy. Most jokes have a spooky twist, like, "Why did the skeleton cross the road?" By far the weirdest set of jokes we heard were from a group of kids that all came to a nonsensical punchline of "Get a job!" (And, no, they weren't dressed as political pundits.)
Indio and I went as Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story, while Alyse and Ruby were a pirate and a butterfly. While Indio kept his eyes on (and distance from) Darth Vader all night, Ruby was trying to figure out just what was going on. Daniel carved an awesome pumpkin to look like Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro; Mom doled out the candy, making sure to get a joke and not hand out seconds; Joe was our resident photographer for the evening. We were all in the spirit, making big plans for more candy and all out theatrics for next year's Halloween - except for Ruby and Indio who were still on the lookout for Darth Vader.