Way Late Halloween

I'm a bit past due but time just hasn't allowed for a moment to post these.

Halloween.

Our sixth with kids.

Our first time taking them out.

Their first time actually understanding what it entails.

Explaining it to them was quite comical and I tried to take it from the perspective that they truly had no idea what it was about. I compare it to those exercises in Jr High when you have to write down a step-by-step explanation of how to make a PB & Jam sandwich. Never had to do that one? It can be tough if you actually process each and every step - as if a person had no clue. Anyway, that's what it was like. Tabula Rasa perhaps defines our situation.

What changed this year? We didn't feel it fair, for the eldest to go to school Monday morning only to have his friends excitedly sharing about (and eating from) their night before. There are few things we feel we need to "justify" or "make fair" in life, for our kids...because as the old adage goes: nothing's fair. But allowing them to feel left out, when taking them out was just as easy and fun, didn't seem right. And in case you are concerned, there are strict strategic rules outlining the very minute amount of refined goods to be consumed.

So, a party was all the motivation we needed to get them dressed up, (Spiderman and Superman made an appearance for the umpteenth time this year) and take them out to share in this sugar-filled evening. It was such a fun way to enjoy more than just the rat race into which this night can often morph.

It was confirmed that they had no clue what to expect or what "trick or treating" is, until we tried to explain it in full.

You go out in your costume and knock on peoples' doors. They open them, and give you candy which you put in your bag. Repeat.

This was the Coles' Notes version. After an initial explanation, Tait exclaimed that he had the perfect Mator bag. I assumed he meant a much loved, heavy duty plastic Cars bag which often doubles as a library book bag.

Wrong.

He proceeds to head into the kitchen, pull out the third drawer down and extract a snack sized Mator ziplock.

Uh yeah bud, that ain't gonna cut it.

If you don't know our kids, you may not fully comprehend the look of sheer awe and joy when we explained that they would be given far more sugar than would ever fit in a snack sized Mator ziplock.

And, in his short little life Tait has never led the pack at such a rapid pace as he did on Sunday night. It was an evening for the books. And, topping off the Road Runner pace of his little legs and he hauled the ever growing bag from one house to the next was the phrase yelled to us in reassurance after he stepped off each front porch landing:

Isaidthankyou! Isaidthankyou! Isaidthankyou!

{end of the night verdict}

{morning-after verdict...his version of "thumbs up"...notice the choice piece in his hand}

It was sweet and naive and I loved it.