Halloween?

I don't remember really celebrating Halloween as a child.  We Trick or Treated once or twice when I was very young, but mostly just stayed home eating pizza, drinking root beer floats, and having as many of the really good candy bars as we wanted.  This was always an extremely acceptable solution: who cared about being in the cold, wet and dark for two hours while gleaning only Tootsie Rolls and Dum Dums, when we could stay warm and dry at home watching movies and eating Milky Way and Reese's? 

This has pretty much been what my husband and I have followed in parenting our own children, except that we bring them to my parent's house for the evening to experience the same food fest. 

My children all dressed up this year: a first, I believe.

Boy One was thrilled to go as Captain Picard from The Next Generation.  The costume was one that his Daddy used to wear - I really had to take it in so it would fit him (it almost would have fit ME).  His daddy also let him borrow a Tribble (it looks like a toupee) that purrs and jiggles and a, um, scanner-thing (that Spok would use on new planets) that lights up and has recorded sounds.  Boy One was very responsible with these "not toys" and very proud to show them off, even though Daddy noted that the props were 'from the Original series' and wouldn't 'go' with the uniform.  Oh, well.

Boy Two loves to dress-up (although you can't tell) as a pirate, but broke his sword before the day even started.  However, are friend Jimmy at church also dressed in pirate fatigues and Boy Two was in awe.

Girl and Mama had matching Mother/Daughter dresses that I made over the last two weeks: not as difficult as I would have thought, but certainly more effort that I had sewn before.  Who knew sleeves would be so hard to fit right?

I was pretty happy with how well they turned out.  Now I can make some more!

That evening we waited at my parent's house to give out candy to neighborhood kids, but none came.  So my dad taught my kids how to Trick or Treat for themselves.  He sent them outside, one at a time, to ring the bell and say 'Trick or Treat'!  Then he would act surprised and let them choose a piece of candy.  This was excessively well received with the kids and they repeated the fun as many times as they could get away with!