Happy Halloween

Trick or Treating, just in time, because our candy box looks like this:

A handful of those hot gob-stoppers, a broken candy cane and lots of empty wrappers.

Mama needs some chocolate!

All The Above

I've never been a fan of the time change. Since children I've come to really not like them, at all.

Fall is the worse. They say we can sleep an extra hour, but my children haven't read the memo, and they don't care.

Though we were supposed to gain an hour of sleep I'm feeling as if I lost an hour, or two of sleep.

Then again, I could be on a sugar crash.

Take your pick: Time Change, Hubby's cheesecake or the mound of Halloween candy sitting in our kitchen cupboard. Or, all the above.

I Have a Confession

I like Halloween.


There I said it. This Christian, God-fearing woman, likes Halloween.


Understand, this does not mean I decorate my house in a haunted house theme (not that there is anything wrong with that.) Or, that I dress up (not that there is anything wrong with that.) The kid's costumes are kept to kid-friendly themes.


Apparently I still have issues with admitting my like for Halloween. I find it necessary to categorize this confession in a certain manner.



OK, let me start over. Let's see, how can I explain this?

I'm completely in like with the commercialism of Halloween (oh yeah, that sounds better.) The candy free-for-all, the (appropriate) costumes for kids, and hanging out with the neighbors while we trick-or-treat around the neighborhood.


You see, with Christmas and Easter we face a constant balancing act in keeping the true meaning, while enjoying some of the "fun" aspects of these holidays, and wondering if we are scarring our children by not participating in the Santa Claus and Easter Bunny myths.



Even with the 4th of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays comes a bit of lecturing. I feel slightly guilty for enjoying my cheese burger, by the pool, when I'm hearing "don't forget the meaning behind this day." Yes, but the fireworks are awfully pretty.


Really, I just love the candy. And the dressing up. My kids love to dress up. Halloween is the only day of the year you can venture outside of your house with a Cinderella, Transformer, or Tony Stewart wannabe without raising any one's eyebrows.


I also love a reused costume. This pumpkin costume got 4 Halloween's out of it, and it was bought second hand, and then I sold it.


Now, could someone please pass the candy bowl.

Dueling It Out In The Aisles

This is a repeat, first posted last year, October 1st, and it is still true this year. Hence the repeat. Plus, I'm nursing a rather nasty cold/cough and I do not have much energy, which has lead to the piling up of laundry, dirty floors, and general clutter. Thankfully Hubby is a saint and has taken care of the dishes the past two nights.

Anywho, the mixing of the holidays continues as we near the end of 2009. Have no fear, we may be in the Great Recession, but materialism is alive and well.

---------------------------------------------
Have you recently walked into a Walmart or Target? Halloween and Christmas decorations are fighting over display space.

At the beginning of September they were just unpacking Halloween and fall items in our local Target. By mid-September the aisles of Michael's were filled with evil cackles and harmonious Christmas carols.

SEPTEMBER!?! Could they at least clear away the Back-to-School displays before unpacking Christmas? Maybe, even refrain from unpacking that first wreath until the first of October?

Really it is rather silly of them to pull Christmas out so soon. There is no hurry since most of us probably don't shop for Christmas cards or decorations until AFTER Christmas. Sing with me "I'm dreaming of a 75% off Christmas ...."

Decisions

It's that time of year again when the same question is being asked around the country, "what do you want to be for Halloween?"

EM was easy, "a princess ballerina." Score! We have that costume in the dress-up box. JT and ED, well their costume dreams required a trip to the store. Now there are moms out there who can make the most amazing costumes out of cardboard boxes, duct tape, string and a sheet. I am not that mom.

After a stroll down the Target Halloween aisle our budget for October was not looking happy. Two costumes would cost us $50 to $60. Um, NO! But, how to tell the boys that their Halloween dreams are limited to the dress-up box (with many costumes that have never seen the light of Halloween) or the use of their own creativity (read: cardboard box, duct tape, string and a sheet)?

This became one of those teachable moments, a lesson on budgeting our money and making choices. We explained that two costumes were pricey, the equivalent of a family fun activity or two.

It is amazing how well kids accept and understand the facts, it is all in the delivery. Had we simply no, they would have argued, we would have said no and deal with it, and they would have been miserable. (OK, a little bribery helps, they heard family fun ... well, more specifically going out to eat, and were sold on the budget conscious plan, and how that isn't budget conscious is for another blog post.)

ED already has a costume picked out, yep from the dress-up box, and this one was worn Halloween, several years ago. JT is talking about being a race car driver, with a few creative changes to his football helmet ... and some other things (see above about not being that mom.)

Stay tuned for pictures.