“A person should choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality,” states Lucy in the 1966 TV classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Your friendly, neighborhood Spider-Man is excited about the prospect of filling his bag w/ lots of yummy candy.

Ignoring her advice, we went for costumes that embraced our children’s quirky natures and hopeful spirits. And what could represent the wonderment of this anything-is-possible stage of their lives more than super heroes?!

Daddy, Granny and I took out all the boys for “tricks or treats,” as the Peanuts kids call the Halloween custom, while “Grumpy Ghose” (what Houston named Grumps in his spooky attire) handed out candy at our house. The twins lasted for about a 1/2 hour of fun, and Houston and all his pals begged for candy just shy of two hours.

“I still don’t get why Mommy keeps putting this crazy outfit on me,” thinks Gabriel the Hulk.

Our neighborhood was packed with children and families, and we visited many festive houses, including one that featured a homemade graveyard with a real, live Grim Reaper guarding the dead and pointing kids toward the door. After getting used to Grumps in costume earlier in the evening, Houston wasn’t frightened by any of our neighbors scare tactics.

What he did have trouble with was keeping up with his candy bag. He kept inadvertently leaving it in people’s yards or on their sidewalks or in the road or in Mr. Trey’s wagon. Houston was having such a ball just being Spider-Man and hanging out with friends that, honestly, candy was his last concern. It took a team effort by everyone in our posse to help that boy retain possession of his bag.

“I’m just starting to walk, but w/ the help of my trusty Super Man cape, one day I’ll fly,” says Zeke.

And being that Houston’s diet doesn’t include much candy and that it takes him about 30 minutes to methodically eat one fun-size chocolate bar, I suppose it wouldn’t have been a big deal if he had returned home from trick-or-treating completely empty-handed.

He only consumed a pittance of the yummy edibles once we arrived home and did so at an extremely leisurely pace … what a contrasting attitude to most other kids (and adults) on Halloween. Like Daddy and I say, he is one unique little dude!

This 4-year-old Dorothy guides & instructs Houston in the proper ways of trick-or-treating.

Click the above photo of a serious and attentive Spidey and his pal, Maddie, to view all the cute pics from Halloween 2009.

Twin walking update: Daddy and I agree that 11/13 is the date that Zeke officially started walking. And yesterday, Gabriel took 4-5 consecutive steps toward Daddy — the greatest solo distance he has completed thus far. Keep up the good work, boys!