Halloween

I adore Halloween. It's right up there with Thanksgiving and birthdays. I love the creativity involved in putting together a costume and decorating the house. This year I didn't really get in to it the same way I normally do. I think it mostly has to do with the online math course I am currently taking that it completely kicking my butt. My life has been hectic and filled with algebraic expressions.

Normally I spend a nice chunk of change on halloween costumes. I told the kids that their costumes had to be under $10 this year. Amelia decided on an ebay bought fairy costume and a sleeping beauty ensemble that she already owned (she insisted on donning not one, but two, different costumes. One for the halloween fun night at school and one for trick or treating. No self respecting girl can be seen in the same costume twice!). Jake was a rock star. Andrew was a snake charmer only he didn't end up wearing any snakes but instead wore his own clothes and a brown hat. He drew on a beard that later faded. Basically he was a preteen with an attitude problem wearing a brown hat.

I allowed Andrew and Jake along with their friend Jackson to roam the neighborhood unsupervised this year. As a kid, I began this practice in the first grade so I figured at 8-nearly 9 and 10 it was time for them to have some freedom. Also we live in a 2 mile long cul-de-sac. There isn't traffic and it's well lite. They left home with a cell phone and pillow cases for their candy. They felt very grown up and mature leaving without the adults. I am hoping that their first independent Halloween will be a memory that sticks with them.

When the boys returned from thier night of trick-or-treating, they dressed in scary costumes and headed outside.  They hid in the bushes near our house to scare unsupecting teenagers.  I think scaring people turned out to be far more enjoyable for them than the 5 pounds of candy they collected.