A few Halloweens stick out in my mind: the year I dressed as Cheer Bear. It was monumental because I wore a store-bought costume. It had to break my mom's heart. But she let me do it. And that's why she's awesome (among other things). I had a pink plastic suit with furry mittens (made by mom).
There was the year my best friend and I went as punk rockers with pink hair and crazy big t-shirts. We were 11, and that night boys from our class came to trick or treat her house. My ear drums never quite recovered from the shrieking we did that night. (Love you Angie).
There was the year that I finally knew I was too old to trick or treat. I wasn't too old, but I felt overgrown.
I've embraced Halloween again. I managed to unearth my decorations:
And, I added to my Halloween memory list. Because this Halloween was the best ever. We did it right this year. Lots of treats (I will be wearing sweat pants for the next week while I waddle off the Twix bars.).
We started with the Storybook Forest, where all of your favorite childhood fairy tales (and nightmares) come to life. RJ was Batman. GiGi was a bear. A baby bear. Because it was too cold for Tinkerbell.
For just $7 we met the Big Bad Wolf, the Three Little Pigs, and the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. We rocked the baby in the treetop and hummed along to lullabies piped over the treetops.
It was by far the creepiest thing I have ever seen. Until we met up with Snow White:
This is in fact the creepiest thing I have ever seen. RJ was scared to have his picture taken. Do you blame him? A plexiglass casket in the woods? That was NOT in the storybook. Even GiGi was concerned:
But RJ recovered:
We let RJ eat candy in the van (we have embraced the Swagger Wagon). He was supremely happy with the idea.
The next morning we headed to church. This isn't really a costume, but doesn't she look like a secretary from "Mad Men?"
Later that day, we went to our Little Lutheran School's fall festival. RJ went as Batman (Again. I asked him in September what he wanted to be. His immediate response was "Batman." And we've gotten the good out of that suit.). GiGi went as herself--an Oreo lover--just like her Daddy:
On Monday, we carved a pumpkin. RJ, being a four year old boy, was all in. That is, he was all in until the gagging, dry heaving, and demands for latex gloves to clean out the pumpkin. (I do not think this is normal. But, it's who he is. The drama is strong with this one.).
Tuesday was GiGi's parade day at our Little Lutheran School. She Tinked. You'd never know that she had a trick up her sleeve.
Later that day, I left her in her crib to nap. She likes her alone time after a morning at school. I watched her play via her monitor. Such a sweet baby with that little bottom in the air, resting. She played again, and I went upstairs to check on her. There she was, in all her glory. Bare bottom. Huggie in the floor. Pee? Everywhere. The crib, the floor, the blanket. Everywhere.
Trick or Treat? Trick's on you Mommy.
Wednesday was RJ's parade and party. He Batmanned.
And after the party, we celebrated, because sometimes the best treats are the little celebrations. In our family, celebrations often involve fries. (Don't judge. They're delicious). RJ and GiGi celebrated Halloween. I was celebrating that I found the week-old milk sippy spill before it made it to the carpet of the Swagger Wagon. Now that was a treat.
And then, the finale. The biggest treat of all. Tinkerbell trick-or-treated:
So did Batman:
He felt pretty tough. Until we got to the haunted house up the street. Our neighbor joked, "The first room must be filled with Band-Aids." (RJ is terrified of Band-Aids. Really. It's weird. You can judge.).
Our neighborhood does it right. Hayrides. Lighted go-carts (the drivers might have been a little lit up too). Haunted houses. A circus. Hundreds of kids. One house gave out Ring-Pops. That's serious candy. We walked with new friends. Lots of treats. A few tricks:
Mommy: "RJ, What do you say?" ("Trick or treat" and "thank you" are the acceptable answers.).
RJ: (to the neighbor opening her door a bit slowly) "Where were you? We was about to leave."
Mommy: "RJ, Do NOT jump out and scare anymore of our neighbors." [After he had hidden behind the porch post and nearly scared the pants off an 80-year old man].
Neighbor lady to RJ: "Who are you supposed to be?" (We had long since lost the mask and cape).
RJ: "I'm RJ. I live up the street."
Lots of treats. Quite a few little tricks.
We arrived home for "The Great Pumpkin" and snuggles. GiGi helped clear out RJ's candy pail, and we discovered that she likes Skittles.
Clearly, she's a genius:
Another Halloween. Another memory for our books. Trick or Treat!
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