Saturday, October 30, 2010

Keeping Up With the Joneses... or Not


It seems that every year around this time, every family we know with little kids are taking and posting pictures from their trip to the pumpkin patch.

My kids looked at me really funny when I said that we should get some pictures out in our own pumpkin patch.

Like, "huh? why would you want pictures of us with the old rotten leaves, mud, and dirty pumpkins?"

My kids who have grown up with me sticking a camera in their face at every possible moment, and they are puzzled by my request?

They obviously aren't under the influence of peer pressure just yet.

They also have no clue yet that they are missing out on tons of candy tomorrow evening. All they know is that the decorations in the stores are scary and creepy and they don't like Halloween. My funny oldest child a few days ago commented in the store, "Mama, its like it isn't even a grocery store anymore, its a Halloween store", and he wasn't excited about it. At all.

I, being the terrible Mama that I am, have not tried to convince them otherwise. Living waaaaaay off of the road is pretty convenient, in my opinion. No being stuck by the door all evening handing out candy or traipsing around someone else's neighborhood, knocking on strangers' doors, when I would rather be home where its warm.

I'll be glad when the commercialism of this holiday is over for the year, and I no longer have to soothe the nervousness of my kids whenever we go to town and see the decorations and displays.

Instead, we will be spending the evening with a few family members who also want to escape being taken hostage by a bunch of kids in costume. We will be warm and cozy, laughing by the fire with a pot of chili and pumpkin cake.

Because that's how we roll.

Please don't be offended by my attitude about Halloween. I have no problem with you and your kids getting out there and enjoying yourselves; I can totally understand why most people get excited about the festivity. Dressing up, eating candy; I get it... Its just that for us homebodies, living on the outskirts, and with the kids being so young, it would be way more trouble and hassle to take part in the traditions than this Mama wants to undertake.

7 comments:

Patti said...

Love your pumpkin patch! You grew all of those pumpkins?! Wow!

I think your chidren will have treasured memories of their own pumpkin patch and their own special Halloween :)

Enjoy some pumpkin cake for me!

Blessings, Patti

Aunt Polly's Attic said...

Offended??? I'm wishing I could be your neighbor and join you!!!!

Teresa

Catherine said...

Can I come join too??

Sandra said...

Why couldn't you have lived near me when my kids were little? My daughter, Hollis and her husband, just went to the pumpkin patch and even did the hayride. Some things never change no matter how old you are.
You are making wonderful memories too.

Enjoy every minute!
Sandra
Homespun Elegance
plainfancymerchant.blogspot

Nan ~ Threadwork Primitives said...

Your pumpkin patch is a beautiful thing. Something I'm sure your children will always remember. Enjoy your warm and cozy Halloween.

Dora said...

What a beautiful display of pumpkins. I'd join your group, too, if I lived closer! Enjoy!

Lorraine B said...

Love the memories you are creating and the beautiful harvest you have received. Those memories are very similar to ours when our children were young. People can make their own choices, but when $6.9 billion is spent on this holiday which is way above what is spent on Christmas ....it just seems so wrong to me. That is just my opinion only. Even with Christmas, I cherish the items that are handmade or given from the heart. I think "old", I guess, I always have. I have been blessed to have always lived out in the country on that long road away from crowds or surrounded by farms where it's not worth visiting when you can go to large neighborhoods. It's been such a blessing. Love your bountiful harvest!!!