tizimatt.info

Since we were in Italy, we had to concentrate all our Halloween activities in two weeks, but I can honestly say that Keegan has not been deprived. We began the day after we got back from our trip, by decorating the house, inside and out. We hung bats and banners inside, made door hangers in the sleepless mornings in which jet lag was waking Keegan up well before dawn, and created fun foam pumpkins. We added window decals and attached large spiders to our wall. And of course, we hung our ghosts from the tree in front of our house.

The first major event, thought, was Kenzie’s Halloween Party. Keegan had been looking forward to it since we were in Italy. Kenzie actually moved the party to October 20 so Keegan could be there. How sweet! Some of Keegan’s friends from school were there: Elliott, Van, Julia, Rozelin, and even Keegan’s old teacher in the infant room, Ms. Georgia. All the kids were showing off their costumes. The masks only lasted a couple of minutes, though.

There was a bouncie and many game stations set up for the kids to play and win prizes.

Event the food was spooky.

At the end of the party, Keegan was full, exhausted and carrying a bucket full of prizes. What more can you ask for?

The following week, we went to the Pumpkin Patch. This year I prepared in advanced, and got a coupon for 50% off the rides. Julia came with us, with her mom and her little brother Ivan. Keegan was happy to have a friend with him. He immediately went to the giant slide, his favorite since when he was 3. He is now the perfect size for it, and he still enjoys it a lot.

The little train ride, however, is now passe’. Good thing it was a free ride.

The petting zoo was a big hit this year, and all the kids enjoyed petting the animals — mainly goats and chickens — and feeding them. Man, it is true what they say about goat eating anything. One of them tried to eat Julia’s mom’s skirt.

After the rides, we actually looked at the patch and picked out our pumpkins.

We have learned our lesson: this year, we did not carve it too soon, since, in San Diego, a carved pumpkin lasts only a couple of days before molding…at least at our house. So, instead, we bought some pumpkin stickers and decorated it this way, till it was time to carve it. This also allowed us to add three faces to the same pumpkin.

We actually carved it only on Sunday night, three day before Halloween. It was the perfect timing: by November 1, white mold was forming, and turned into massive black mold by November 2.

Keegan’s school had a carnival, and for the first time in two years, they held it at night. All the kids were dressed up, and there were various games set up in every room.

with his new teacher, Ms.Jill

Keegan and his friends, however, were more interested into running around and playing with each other. It was quite a site, as they were all dressed like some sort of super hero: Batman, Iron Man, Captain America, Ninja, Darth Vader (well not really a super hero).

It was a fun event. The weekend went by quickly, and we made sure to keep the Halloween theme going with spooky hamburger and themed plates and napkins.

Halloween finally came. Keegan went to school all dressed up, and all the kids got to run around for most of the morning in their costumes.

I met him at 10.30 for the annual Halloween Parade around the block. Even if only 2 establishments gave them candies, the kids had a blast. Some of the houses in the neighborhood have pretty elaborate decoration, so it is always fun to check them out. No masks allowed for the parade, out of safety concerns.

After the parade, the kids played outside for a while, then they got inside, read a book and got ready for lunch. Some of the parents helped out setting up the potluck meal.

The lunch included “hair and eyeballs” (=spaghetti and meatballs), bread, fruit and spooky desserts.

With some other parents, I stayed though lunch to help out and to serve out food and sweets. I loved the little witch’s hats.

I picked up Keegan in the afternoon, and we went home to get ready. Kenzie and her family came Trick or Treating with us, and we also met up with Jada and a couple of other kids from the neighborhood.

I am ready to get some candy!

This year the kids were really independent, and were running from house to house. It also felt like the number of children going around the neighborhood exploded since last year. I am not sure where all these kids were coming from, but I know I run out of candy for the first time ever since I lived here. I remember years when we did not even have 1 single trick or treater. It is nice to see the change. Both Matt and I went around with Keegan, so we left a bowl with candy outside the house. We were obviously not the only ones.

I really like Dante’s quote on the door, quite appropriate for the occasion, even though I doubt it was meant to be a literary reference, as demonstrated by the pirate flag below it: All Hope Abandon, Ye Who Enter Here” (lasciate ogni speranza o voi ch’entrate).

We saw some amazing decoration and effects, but my favorite was the pumpkin representing Jack from The Nightmare Before Christmas that our neighbor had out. Maybe we should try to do it next year.

Once again, the kids were exhausted and were begging to go back home. The buckets were heavy and when it was all said and done we netted more than 4lb (2kg) of candy. Keegan immediately categorized them and grouped them, and then picked his favorite ones to eat in the following days — we always put a limit on the number of candies he can keep.

This year, however, we have found the perfect solution for all this excess candy, which usually ends up either in our belly or thrown away. We brought all our booty to our local dentist, who offers a Candy Buy Back program: the candy get sent to the troops, and the dentist will give you $1 per pound as long as you bring in also a non perishable food item for the Food Bank. It is a win-win-win solution. Keegan made $4 for his piggie bank. He was pretty excited about that.

It was a great Halloween for all of us, and  now we are gearing up for the crazy end of the year time: Thanksgiving, Keegan’s Birthday and Christmas. As always, I promise myself I will not get stressed out, and I will be done with my shopping by the end of November. Will I succeed? It never happened before, but there is always a first time. And if it does happen, then, maybe this is really the year the world will come to an end. (-:

Comments are off for this post