Happy Halloween!
 |
| Jr. and Zu--on their way to Trunk-or-Treat. |
Dust off your Thriller CD/MP3 people because it's party time:
Halloween is FINALLY here.
Heck yeah!
We had a kind of "dress rehearsal" for Halloween last night and attended our ward's/congregation's annual *Trunk-or-Treat Party. It was AWESOME. We had soup and pie for dinner, a children's costume parade, and then the traditional "trunk-or-treat." It was tons of fun! (Though we missed Papaya because she was at her team's Volleyball Championships. They came in 4th overall. Yehoo!)
(*For non-Mormon peeps = Mormons like to decorate our cars, park them in the church parking lot, pop the trunk, and have the kids trick-or-treat from car to car. I think in many areas this began as a way to give kids access to lots of candy without making them canvas large, aka spooky, neighborhoods. It's really fun.)
 |
| Lu as a Native American hunter. (She got the bow and arrow first--because she loved archery/Hunger Games/Catniss. Then we built a costume around the prop.) |
 |
| Our family with our ward's set of missionaries (these young me/women are from other areas and assigned as service missionaries in our area). We heart them. They remind us of Elder Meehan--and they are also just great people. |
 | |||
| Dave-man, our ward Bishop, and Jr. PS: Dave is bacon; I went as eggs. We're a combo. The Bishop's costume was hilarious. He had these wooden sandals on that rocked. Jr. is going as a horse for Halloween, but didn't want to use that costume the night before--you know, it's bad luck to show your costume the night before. Hahaha. Anyway, so we just threw some white hairspray on him, a mustache and called it a night. |
 |
| Dinner before the costume parade and trunk-or-treating. |
 |
| More dinner photos. |
 |
| This little guy was the best Captain Hook ever. We love him. He has a wig, mustache and awesome hook. So cute. |
 |
| Bam and Zu greeted the kids in the parade. (They were bystanders. Too old for the parade part.) |
 |
| We love our ward. Such great people. |
 |
| Horrible photo-quality, but I wanted to at least show what the trunk-or-treat part looks like. See, the kids circle around the cars. The parking lot is blocked off--no traffic--so it's safe. |
**********
Journal Entry/Note For Our Kids:
(I'm adding this primarily for our kids--because I want them to know this about their mom.)
I don't remember really loving Halloween as a kid.
I mean, I'm sure I loved parts of it (candy, etc.). But overall, I remember being kind of afraid of it. (Who visit "strangers" and asks for candy? Isn't that typically a bad thing? Hello Stranger Danger.)
I also remember thinking what a pain it was to find "THE" best costume to wear each year. In school it seemed there was always "that one person" who had a costume or classroom treat that one-upped everyone else.
So, my point!
As I've gotten older and thought more about some of the lessons that Halloween CAN teach, I think it's a pretty incredible holiday.
In fact, I began liking it SO much, we actually painted the "pumpkin house" to look like a pumpkin. Like on purpose. (And to this day it was one of my favorite decisions: pumpkin base, army green accents.)
 |
| Zee Pumpkin House, circa 2006. |
So I've come full-circle on Halloween now that I'm 43, and here are some of the reasons I love the holiday now:
1.) Halloween gives you permission to dream.
Want to be a doctor? Dress up like one. Wonder what it's like to be a jelly bean for a day? Dress up like one. Wish you had black hair? Do it for Halloween! Halloween gives you permission to put yourself in places, spaces, roles, you often only dream about.
2.) Halloween is an inclusive Halloween.
At least in contemporary American society, this is one holiday that is open-invite. We can all participate. I love that.
3.) Most people are kind.
Trick or Treating helps us meet our neighbors--and in doing so we learn that, for the most part, people are good and kind. (Like that family that gives our FULL-SIZED candy bars. They're super kind. Ha.)
4.) Too much of a good thing = not a good thing.
I rarely worry about you kids eating too much candy. That doesn't mean I don't set limits or make strong recommendations about how much you can/can't eat. (I just know that the experience of eating too much candy will teach you a much better lesson than my warnings ever will.)
5.) Halloween teaches you to face your fears.
As a kid I used to HATE haunted houses, weird masks, zombies and witches, and all of the BOO of Halloween.
But as an adult I realize that real-life really does present us with some scary crap! So, it seems like Halloween is a great, somewhat safe way/place, to teach children to learn to face their fears.
I think Halloween's motto is "Fear Not." And that's a profound Life Lesson.
So with that big background, here are some of the things I hope you will learn as you face your fears on/around Halloween (in my mind):
a. Some fears are justified. Listen to that internal warning sign. Be familiar with it. You are right to heed certain fears. (AKA, the creepy house at the end of the cul-de-sac.)
b. Some fears "aren't so scary afterall." (For example, turns out I like heights! Or Bam really does like being with zombies in small confined places. Oh, wait! She doesn't.)
c. Sometimes our imagination runs wild. Whenever you find yourself really WORRYING about something, consider whether there's any truth to the situation. Or is your brain just looking for a tennis ball to chase, a cross-word puzzle to keep it entertained? Proceed with caution. Always keep perspective.
d. You have the ability to face all fears.
I promise.
In the Big Picture, you will be the victor over all of life's MONSTERS. Remember, you know how the story ends.
(And if you've forgotten, I'm just gonna remind you.)
Your story has a happy ending.
I believe this with all of my being: your story has a happy ending BECAUSE you're writing it.
And while you may not like the plot points your story includes, you get to choose how you interpret and respond to those events/experiences.
And yes, you
Promise.
I love you each with all of my heart. I care so much about you. I'm so thankful that God gave me the chance to be your mom--and to share this experience with Dad. He's an awesome dad. Parenting and being with you all is truly the most incredible life-experience. Dad and I are different people because of you six kids. (Hopefully improved versions.)
Happy Halloween. I love you. Now, go out and face your fears.
And get lots of candy!
