Trick or Treat Time!

Tonight is Halloween! Every kid is hanging from the ceiling in anticipation of the excitement of trick or treating. Kids absolutely love to dress up in costumes. But, to have a day when Mom gives them permission to actually go out in their costumes, knock on strangers doors and come back with arm loads of candy, well...that's almost more than a kid can bare.

I got the pleasure of helping get Austin ready for the kid candy stampede. We decided to dress him as a cowboy this year because with the cool temperature, he would at least be covered up. Kayla brought over Austin's jeans, western shirt, cowboy hat and boots. She had gone all over town looking for a place that sold a holster with pistols that would be fit for a wild west shoot out. Evidently cowboy guns are not politically correct any more and they were harder to find than expected. She finally tracked them down at a Tractor Supply store of all places. What we do for our kids! I found some old rope that was perfect for a lasso and we attached it to Austin's belt. Then we borrowed one of Pappy's bandanas and tied it around his neck for that authentic western flair. Last but not least, this little cow poke needed a handlebar mustache. It is not easy to draw a mustache with eye liner on a upper lip, that is talking and turning in every direction, but we got'er done and we were ready to join the posse in search of candy.

We loaded up the pick up truck and off we went. Greg, Kayla, Austin and me were in one truck and Amber, her friend Jason and his 6 year old son Jody, were in his truck. We live out in the country and the houses are an acre or two apart, so it's not conducive to rapid candy collecting.

Therefore we headed to a nearby residential neighborhood, along with half the town that had the same idea. We parked the trucks, with the other hundred or so vehicles lining the street, and we took off walking. There was almost a full moon out and Austin was enthralled with staring at it. He kept pointing and saying "I see the moon", then 5 minutes later he would catch a glimpse of the moon again and say "Look there's a nudder moon!" Is he precious, or is it just me?

It was so much fun to watch Austin go up to the doors holding his jack o lantern bucket. Kayla had been working with him, practicing to say "Howdy Pad'na" and "Trick or Treat". We weren't very confident he was going to say anything, but that little bronc buster would march right up there and do his thang! He caused a scene everywhere we went, he was so cute. At one door, he told the lady thank you, blew her a kiss and said "Love you" as he toddled off. She just stood there with her mouth open saying "Awwwww...." Forget the candy, we'll just eat him up he's so sweet!

When we got back to the house, I had the fire pit ready and waiting so we could made S'mores.

We sat around the fire, ate Baked Potato Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. We made some S'mores, but had more fun just catching the marshmallows on fire and blowing them out. We were letting Austin hold one of the roasting forks by himself (don't worry we were right there, please don't call the fire marshall!) and he was so funny because he was so intent on watching the marshmallows dangling over the fire. I asked him, "Austin, what are you doing?" he very seriously said, "I cookin'..." Now..., forget the S'mores, we'll just eat him up again.

Everyone had a spooktacular Halloween. We had so much fun we were wiped out. Our tummies were full, we smelled of smoke and still had sticky marshmallow residue over 80 percent of our bodies. We couldn't ask for more... Happy Halloween!