A Different Halloween

This year I can honestly say was a very different Halloween than any other. Some things were the same while others had changed. Let's just say it was a transitional holiday for our family--let me explain:

Our Halloweens have consisted of ALL the kids dressing up. The Elementary kids taking their costumes to school for the parties and the parade. The family attending the Fall Festival at church, again ALL dressing up to participate in the parade and such. The week of Halloween found us all carving pumpkins for FHE. Then on that hallowed night, dressing up again and going as a family to the church Trunk of Treat, with a bit of Trick or treating after for the bigger kids. Pretty simple-everyone together in pretty much the same place. Well, the scenario has changed and I know that it will never be the same again. My kids are growing up (I hate it when they do that) and they have different ideas on what they want to do now. I guess I can't keep them to myself anymore.

We had our great Fall Festival and the little girls decided to be witches. We have done witches in the past, but this year we added black lips, black fingernails and black streaks in the hair. T didn't want to dress up at all. I guess that is not the thing to do once you are in high school. M decided to go the scary route this year by being a vampire (I wonder if that has anything to do with Twilight???) The little girls were the only ones to carve pumpkins this year, so the other 2 we bought are now part of my Thanksgiving display on the front porch.

Halloween night found us all going in many different directions. T had to be at the high school at 4:30 to set up his booth and would be there most of the night. I took the little girls Trunk or Treating at the church. M actually went too and handed out the candy while I got a chance to visit with friends I don't get to see very often anymore. Right after that, we dropped M off at a friend's for a party and to spend the night. I took the little ones to the high school for games, spook alleys, more Trunk of Treating, bouncy slides and yummy smores we cooked ourselves over a fire pit. T was working the mini golf for his ROTC and was having a great time. He was so cute with his sisters. He told all his friends who they were and to be extra nice to them. What a good big brother!! Anyway, they had a good time with that and by the time we got home, Daddy was there and he turned around and took them out to T&T the neighborhood. They were gone for a couple of hours, which is longer than normal. In the meantime, T came home and had to be at a Seminary party. So I picked up a few of his friends (girls) and dropped them off at the teacher's house. I got home and actually had some time to enjoy the quiet of the house before the little ones came home. They had a good time, just them and their dad.

Everyone seemed to have a great time and I will get over the lose of family time on Halloween. It is not my favorite holiday anyway, but I did look forward to the time we were together as a family. That is gone now, but I do enjoy seeing the kids doing other things that make them happy. So as a mother, I mourn the old Halloween traditions of being together, but bask in the new ones that find my children growing up and becoming their own person.

I am sure that next year will be even different still!