Halloween 2010

I can't really remember most of my nights spent trick or treating as a child... there are moments carved into my memory. Standing at the front door with my brother for our costume picture (although I think I remember this mostly from seeing the picture of my brother as a rubic cube when I was a ballerina). When we were older I remember my dad driving a group of us around during a rainy Halloween night (weren't they all?), we would sit in the back of the SUV, hatch left open, jumping out to run down the street and hit all the houses, then jump back in and head to the next street. Some of my friends remember counting out their candy and making trades. I don't have a lot of memories from that, just of the big piles of candy. I don't remember whether we had a limit to the amount of candy we could eat, or if my mom finally threw everything away.

It's so fun to begin this journey with our kids. To gather with friends for dinner, and then head out for the loot. To cherish the nights when it's not raining, but know that we will have a back up plan for the wet nights. I'm not so great at getting "the picture", but maybe I will be in the future. Trever and I haven't set a clear guideline for how/when candy will be consumed. Maybe we never will... is it better to binge and then throw it away or give a small allowance each day? I'm thinking I'm going to lean towards the binge and toss... but we'll see.

In the end I just hope our kids get to enjoy memories spent with their friends, and hopefully I will always be prepared with a costume ahead of time! I can totally see myself not being organized and having to come up with something at the last minute, oh I hope that never happens!!! If it does they are lucky to be blessed with a Daddy that is creative with costumes!

An added benefit to any holiday is giving back to the community. This year we found a house in downtown Olympia that carves more than 80 pumpkins with amazing designs. They have loud music, tons of bystanders, and a collection for charity. Next year we're going to start early by donating some pumpkins and candy and then heading back to see their handy work. I am so thankful that there are people in the community that find the opportunities to make a holiday mean a bit more. Trever drooled over this house, this picture stands as a foreshadowing for our future Haunted House!