ANNALISE’S HALLOWEENS

Annalise LOVED Halloween. We would have the “costume discussion” at least a dozen times in every season throughout the year. She liked having both a school costume, and a “whole family” costume theme, which we’d use to compete in the annual Moorestown costume parade & contest. She always had great ideas, especially for the group costume. It was her idea that landed us a 2nd place finish in the BEST FAMILY COSTUME category in 2016.

2010 - LADYBUG

2011 - STRAWBERRY

2012 - CHEER BEAR from THE CARE BEARS

2013 - IZZY FROM JAKE & THE NEVERLAND PIRATES

2014 - JESSIE from TOY STORY 2

One of my favorite memories is when she 5 years old – we were Trick-or-Treating and came upon a house decorated with one of those giant fake spiders hanging on a web that covered the entire porch. She saw it, froze, and said, “Uh….no.” Then walked to the next house. She could always make me laugh.

2015 - SUPERGIRL

2016 - REY from STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS
(School Costume)

2016 - HILLARY CLINTON & DONALD TRUMP with SECRET SERVICE DETAIL
(2nd Place Contest Winner)
This was all HER idea. This was not our lawn sign, either.

2017 - MAL from Disney’s THE DESCENDANTS

2018 - PANDA

2019 - HARRY POTTER and THE CORNY FAMILY

Last year’s Halloween was a hopeful time – Annalise was feeling good and she was so excited to Trick-or-Treat with her school friends. This was the beginning of Annalise’s Harry Potter obsession. Originally, she was going to be a pandacorn and we were all going to be ‘corns of some sort – Jen was a unicorn, I was a cornicorn (obviously), and Sebastian was a Triceratops with an extra unicorn horn, so a quadricorn – I had actually sewed a unicorn horn on his triceratops head, but ultimately removed it when Annalise pivoted to Harry Potter. Can you blame her? She loved magic, reading, and she certainly was a very cute wizard.

I wonder who she would’ve dressed up as this year – Willy Wonka with Sebastian as Charlie Bucket and Mom & Dad as Oopa Loompas (her idea)? The Mario Brothers, Yoshi and Princess Peach? Funko Pops? The We Bare Bears? Pandas… again? It’s hard to guess. She was always thinking about it and changed her mind whenever she had a great idea. Those ideas came often. I miss them. Most of all, I’m going to miss holding her hand and being her flashlight and candy bag holder. Still, I’m grateful for the 9 Halloweens we had with her. I just wish there were more.