Traditions

If you've been reading this blog for more than a year, you know that we don't celebrate Halloween in the traditional manner. We don't have neighbors to speak of, so going door to door for candy is a hassle. A few years ago, together with the Farmboy's sister and her family, we started a new tradition that has made our kids completely over-the-moon-happy.

It starts as you would expect, with costumes.

If I thought my girl's costume choice was great last year, then this year was the most incredible, proud-Mom worthy costume of all time. Laura Ingalls, complete with braids, a basket for gathering eggs, and some old school books. Be still my beating heart. The eleven year old couldn't decide on a specific character, but fell in love with a couple of plastic things from Goodwill, and therefore became Gladiator Warrior Guy.

And that is where the similarities to a traditional Halloween celebration stop. This being our Fifth Annual Halloween Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt and Pinata Party, it now feels totally normal and we have to remind ourselves that this isn't the way it's supposed to be. But we shrug our shoulders and carry on, because our way is amazing and fun and memorable in all the best ways. I hope my kids carry on with this tradition when they have kids, because that would be a true parenting success. :D

Gladiator Warrior Guy and Laura Ingalls were happy to find Pokemon Storm Trooper and Fashion Diva at their Aunt and Uncle's house when we arrived. The weather wasn't rainy for the first time in a couple of years, so the egg hunt ranged all over the dark yard, with the pinata strike zone safely held under the porch roof where there was plenty of light and a concrete floor for easy scooping up of candy.

But the highlight this year was probably the addition of watching Thriller. What we thought was a music video, the one we remember from our teen years, was actually the full version, including a young Michael transforming into a werewolf, much to the horror of our poor children, who thought we were intentionally giving them nightmares. I don't think I've laughed that hard in a really, really long time.