Halloween, the Extended Version

For us, Halloween started four days (for Sarah) and five days (for Eric) before October 31st. (This is not including Sarah's many, many days of drawing pumpkins, witches, ghosts, and skeletons and taping them all over the house. Our house was very "festive". Eric thought it must be the scariest house in the neighborhood. I intended to take pictures of all the pictures, but I forgot . . .)

They both had school parties, with Sarah's entire day being devoted to Halloween activities. (I felt much sympathy for her teacher - that might be close to my worst nightmare . . . really, not kidding.) On Thursday evening, we attended a PTA sponsored event, where more candy was handed out. On Friday, we went over to Sarah's friends' house (Finley and Riley) for a party. Games were played, pumpkins were decorated and found, and sugar was eaten and more was brought home, along with eyeballs, creepy fingers, and vampire teeth. We had a break on Saturday (thank goodness) and then went trick or treating on Sunday.

We did our best to talk them into giving their candy to the Halloween fairy, in return for a gift, but neither one went for it. Instead, they kept the candy, and I've been eating it ever since. Thankfully, the sugar overload has waned and we're back to normal, at least as close as we can be.

Side note 1 - The eyeballs were a huge hit. Eric kept throwing his against the wall, where it would slowly roll down. And Sarah kept asking Eric, "Where'd you eyeball go?" And Eric would reply, "in my hand" or "on the floor" or "I don't know."

Side note 2 - Dana, Finley and Riley's mom, is the one in the pumpkin costume. She's hilarious and self-deprecating (not to mention kind and thoughtful). Really, think about the confidence and sense of humor it takes to wear that pumpkin. There's no way I could do it, which is why I love that she can.

Side note 3 - Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for coming over to celebrate with us! :)

One final thought - Without intention, we went trick or treating with some of Sarah's school friends. Sarah loved it and ran ahead with them, while Brian, Eric, and I walked behind. It seemed symbolic of the "letting go" process that takes place between a parent and a child. It saddened me a bit, thinking that she'd rather be with her friends than with us, knowing that this was one of many moments to come that we, as parents, will be left behind. These big/little moments always seem to come too soon, don't they?