Spook Alley + three toddlers = boo hoo

It starts off sweet with a Halloween carnival...

It was the perfect Saturday to take the kids out to some of the holiday events in Idaho Falls today... After tracking down some costumes, we were ready for adventure. First we hit the Halloween carnival and met up with all of the kids little cousins for candy, and a little harmless fun.

The kids really loved the scary mummy... they all completely freaked out whenever it moved its eyes. They played Halloween games, colored, make pumpkin and ghost crafts and ate too much candy.

The cousins, Gavin, (Power Ranger) Jaxon, (Batman) Eli and Kori (Pumpkins) were there, as were our friends Nikki Hackman and Jackie Dutton's cute little kids. Talk about adorable kids, and fantastic costumes. I think Jackie's little "stinker" the skunk was the winner in my book.

I looooove Halloween. Dressing up cute little kids and feeding them exorbitant amounts of candy? What's not to love?

But, then it goes awry at the terrifying Spook Alley...

Turns out, well maybe I went a bit overboard today. I'm guilty. I have traumatized my kids for my own entertainment. I was thinking that since they like the carnival so much, they would probably love going to a spook alley, too. My last trip to a spook alley was one of my favorite memories. There's just something about being chased through the river bottoms by a bloodied guy in a mask wielding a live chainsaw that makes you feel so alive inside.

However, I'll be the first to admit that mom doesn't always know best.

Check out Aubrey (witch) and Emi, (Blue's Clues) before the spook alley... they look just a little nervous, but still fine. Poor Eli was crying before we even got inside the scary bits.

In my defense, I just wanted to give my kids a taste of the fun they get to have when they get a little older. And, the promoters of the venue said it would be toned down for the little kids for the day.

Sweet! Dr. Slaughter's House of Terror here we come! Hmmm, maybe the name should have tipped me off....?

Aubrey, was being very brave, Emi was scared to death (note her expression in the photo), and poor Ryker (Gorilla) just trying to cope. Towards the end, he was just making this moaning sound and his whole body was shaking. Poor kids, I'm worried they'll have nightmares tonight!

Yes, to credit the DARE crew, they did tone the spook alley down, A LOT. But, somehow the swinging corpses covered with blood that smack into you as you walk, and the suffocation hallway seemed to be too much for my little fraidy cats. They were crying to go home before we weren't even halfway through! And, it was this huge, never-ending spook alley... I even got a little creeped out during the clown section. Thank you Steven King, for that. Stupid clowns. I was having a great time, but I feel a little guilty for taking them. Here come the therapy bills. On Halloween, I think we'll just stick to trick-or-treating. Sugar isn't too scary, right? Insert "oh, hahahahaha" transylvanian evil laugh here. :D