I believe this is the night James Patton waits for his entire year.
The night of loosely regulated candy collection and consumption.
Like any holiday, the anticipation and activities leading up to the actual holiday is when most of the excitement and fun take place.
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| Couldn't ask for a better day |
We had the most gorgeous fall weather this year in the Pacific Northwest. All of our pumpkin patch days were blue skied, sunny and just brilliant.
The colors still excite me, and I'm always quick to point out to the kids the trees and the swirling leaves tumbling around the parking lots.
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| Pumpkin Pow Wow |
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| So helpful. |
I want my kids to appreciate the brilliant miracles in life that quickly get overlooked or become ordinary.
I have been absolutely overwhelmed by thankfulness in my heart this fall. I'm bursting with love and joy and gratefulness.
Recognizing the small miracles in the mundane has become something I'm being intentional about. There are so many things each day we come to expect and take for granted. One is the changing of the seasons, the magnificent display of leaves as we transition into another season. This is one example of something that we've grown used to, something that we pass right by in our busy lives.
It's made me stop to wonder and ask myself, "what else am I missing? What other miracles and blessings am I passing right by as I run around from here to there?"
If I am not careful, these manifestations of God's goodness have the potential to float past me, swirling around and away like the fallen leaves dancing around the vacant parking lot.
So I enjoyed my Super Heros, my Batman, Superman and Spiderman.
I appreciated their antics, flying around the house rescuing stuffed animals and fighting off evil cats.
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| The Justice Squad |
Weeks before the big event, they insisted on wearing them out and about, three whirling dervishes on a mission!
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| Look at those abs! |
I've heard that if parents "speak into what they want their kids to be" their kids will become just that.
This rings true. Upon being called superheros, they have mustered up more confidence at launching off the sides of my couch and creating more havoc in our living environment.
The day before Halloween, Caleb back flipped off my bed while I was bathing James. Evelyn came tearing into the bathroom exclaiming "Mom, there is an emergency! Come quick." Leaving James in the bathroom, I entered my room to Caleb's entire face full of blood. Being the only one home at that moment, I knew I had to remain calm. I grabbed toilet paper and managed to clot the battle wound above his eyebrow.
Superman indeed sported a Paw Patrol band-ade above his right eye during trick or treating the next night. But that only made him seem more tough, and he gained sympathy from neighbors who slipped him an extra piece of candy to sooth his traumatic experience and any lingering pain.
This was the first year John and I could just stand back by the sidewalk and let our kids do the work.
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| Trick or Treat!!! |
They understood this trick or treating game well.
When I was a kid, a king sized candy bar was such a rare treasure in a Halloween bag. In our neighborhood this year however, big sized candy bars were the norm!
Our neighbors were very generous, but the "The Win" had to go to the house who unashamedly gave out boxes of Easter peeps. The kids were very excited to receive this delicacy, and I'm sure the neighbor was equally excited to finally get rid of their stash.
We had to coach our kids on saying "Thank you", and we had to continually remind them not to ask if they could take more than one.
Halloween actually became a great exercise in etiquette.
Evelyn wore out first. A full day of school and a lingering cold had her surrendering to her home after an hour of walking the neighborhood.
The boys, on the other hand, could have made the rounds all night.
And now, my friends, we are left with buckets of sugar and kids who hound me every hour to indulge in one more piece. I know there are different philosophies on what to do with all the loot. This year I think mine is just get it over with. I'm more liberal with my distribution and consumption than I have been in the past.
But as the post Halloween days are wearing on, the candy pile doesn't seem to be shrinking fast enough and I'm slightly panicked on how all this candy is going to disappear.
My kids are becoming obsessed and addicted to it.
It's intoxicating.
It consumes their thoughts constantly.
They monitor it meticulously.
I've decided that my new battle plan is to slyly throw away a few pieces each night.
I just want it gone. I want it gone by Thanksgiving so that we have at least a week before my battle with Christmas sweets begins.
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| Our pumpkin family |
