Halloween Come and Gone

I always have mixed emotions when Halloween comes around. I am thrilled that the holiday season has finally arrived, but I have so many preconceived notions about what each holiday is supposed to be like. And nothing ever goes as planned. I've learned to live with it, but I can't help but feel let down. And it's my own darn fault! :-)

I have to say, though, I don't like the direction that Halloween has taken. It's so difficult these days to find a decent costume, without making it, or having to modify it some way. Meri was Raggedy Anne, a costume we got a few years ago for Sarah, so she was covered head to toe, including a red yarn wig. (By the way, it was nice, for the first time in years, not to have to buy a costume this year. The most expensive purchase I had to make this year was $1.99. Yea!) I was looking at the adorable pictures of one of my neices that was dressed as Ariel. She had to wear a complete set of clothing under her costume just to keep covered, though. And I had a talk with my neighbor as we passed trick or treating. It was even harder for them to find something that wasn't designed to make an 8 year old look like a tart. Isn't it bad enough that everyday clothing is made to make little girls dress like a hoochie mama? Do we have to do it for Halloween, too?

So on the theme of no purchases for Halloween costumes, Sarah, at twelve, was off at her best friend's Halloween/birthday party, and was 'too old' to trick or treat, even though they did as a party. Andrew wore the costume size cowboy hat and a vest that Peter wore in second grade, and Benji wore a clown costume I bought last year for Andrew.

The best costume was Peter's, though. For a buck ninety-nine bottle of green tempera paint, we turned him into the Incredible Hulk. I painted him all over: belly, back, legs, even his hair. We also got to shred some clothes that were already destined for the garbage. Kendall did do some filming of the painting process, maybe I'll figure out how to post it at some point.

So we finally get everyone out the door, and mentally I'm thinking, 'Do we take a stroller, not take one? Hmmm....' But ultimately decide not to take it. Big mistake. We are only half way around the block and Andrew is done. I mean laying face down on the sidewalk, refusing to move, done. So in the end, Kendall carried him, I carried Benji, and Meri kept asking to go to one more house. I don't know why I keep expecting Norman Rockwell when I SO don't live there.

Now the serious partying begins....Christmas Shopping!!! (Got a real love/hate relationship with that, but that's another post.)