Spooky 'an Sweet

Dear Friends,

The Halloween-y part of this day began with a spooky craft- not witchy craft- a crafty-craft, a sweet craft.

It had to be sweet. It started with ice cream buckets.

Ironic that in house full of baskets my kids wanted to decorate plastic buckets to carry while they went Trick-or-Treating. Very, very ironic.

But ironic or not, I have to admit they were cute. And my children loved their handy work so a little irony made not difference.

On the other hand, my costume did not get such rave reviews from those same children. When I came out dressed as a wizard I was rewarded by my son laughing and saying I looked weird. Maybe I'm too old to dress up. But I love it. Maybe my children are too old for me to dress up. Maybe I embarrassed them. But I love that too. It's funny to see their little faces with their amusing show of changing characters and expressions. Thinking your parents are a bit odd is a normal part of growing up. I just didn't think it would happen so soon. I don't love that.

I wasn't too strange to be called upon to pull together their costumes and face-paint. This year was a very last-minute sort of Halloween year. The kids didn't decide what they were going to be until the day before. They vacillated back and forth, pulling multiple items out of the dress-up box, laying out different combinations depending on the day.

Finally the discovery of a pair of Halloween tights in the Winter clothes box fulfilled Lissie's Spooky-Day dreams.

She was  Halloween-a-Ballerina.

And he was a GI-Joe, moose-hunting, camo guy. At least that's what he said.

I said he was a hoodlum. How unusual. Ha!

The most challenging part was this.

Have you any idea how hard it is to paint a face on a little wiggly scarecrow?

At least he's as cute as he is wiggly.

At least I think so.

Oh, yeah. Totally biased.

Mother's are like that.

***

I was working in my house late one night

When my eyes beheld an eerie sight

For my daughter from my make-up chair began to rise

Suddenly to my surprise

She did The Mash

She did the Monster Mash

The Monster Mash

It was a household smash

She did The Mash

I caught it all with my flash

She did The Mash

She did The Monster Mash

From my costumery, that I was about to cease

To the kitchen where the hooligans feast

Many little ghouls came by from their humble abodes

We said, "Grab a treat, we have loads!"

She did The Mash

She did the Monster Mash

The Monster Mash

It was a household smash

She did The Mash

I caught it all with my flash

She did The Mash

She did the Dune-ster Mash

***

So here they are. My baby's, my turkeys, my monsters.

 

She was cold but much too vain to wear a coat over her costume. Silly girl! We saw many a princess, several fairies, a mermaid who were warmly ensconced in bulky coats over their finery and hats instead of tiaras. But not my daughter. She did give in and wear mittens.

He was luckier, his costume included a sweatshirt, stocking-cap and long pants.

Moose-hunters have all the gear.

Ballerinas have the moves.

But the baby, the baby gots all the goods. The looks, the moves and the gear. He's got it all... My heart, my soul, my wishes, all of my love, my hugs, my kisses...

Oops, I'm singing again.

That's just the kinda gal I am.

 

The rest of the evening was a blur.

Trunk-or-Treat event at the Methodist church down the block

Cookies and cocoa

 

Trick-or-Treating

 

Two monkeys skittering down the driveways of our small town

Lots of lights on

Candy galore

Scary masks

Comic facades

A Halloween sprite prancing her way along the sidewalks.
Caramel apples.

Eating a several very suspicious looking Almond Joys.

Two friendly bums to hand out candy to lots of Trick-or-Treaters.

Halloween 2010 was sweet and spooky. I loved it.

***



Now it's November. My month. I had two mini (too many) Snickers bars for breakfast and half a leftover caramel apple to round it out. There is a space-heater warming my tootsies under my desk as the Autumn breeze has turned very chilly today. It was the perfect day for breaking out the sock-monkey socks. My hands have been warmed by a steamy mug. 

I am a happy, happy girl.

Love,

Sweetened Up in Nebraska