Another Major Award!

J. is having a lucky streak right now! Last month the local library held a "scary story contest" and J. decided to enter! He wrote the funniest story that actually has some plot and character development...I was a little shocked. I typed it for him but he did every bit of the writing and editing. We turned in it and crossed our fingers.

Last Monday night we went to the library to hear the winners of the contest announced and guess what?? J. won "honorable mention" for his story in the 6-8 year old category. This honorable mention came with a certificate and $5.00 cash! He thought he had hit the jackpot. So I present to you now, first time award winning author, Big J. and his scary Halloween story....

Once there was a Halloween house. It was scarier than the one you saw on the cover. If you went inside, there was no way out. If you ever tried to get out, you would need one million flashlights. It was because of the Dracula, the mummy, the witch, the ghost, and the bat that lived there. They liked to break the light switch anytime someone came near. Whenever kids came trick or treating, as soon as the kids heard the footsteps coming to the door, they ran away. The footsteps sounded spooky.
The monsters always knew they were nice. One Halloween, they witch said, “We are nice monsters. Why do kids run away from us when they come trick or treating? Is it because of our footsteps? We need to make sure that no kids hear our footsteps this Halloween.”
On Halloween night when kids came trick or treating, they rang the doorbell but they didn’t hear any footsteps so they thought no one lived there anymore. They just walked away.
The next Halloween, the mummy said, “Last Halloween kids rang the doorbell but they didn’t stay for treats. Is it because of the looks outside our house?” On Halloween night, the monsters put made their footsteps sound like human footsteps and made the outside of their house not look so spooky. But the outside of their house did not have enough Halloween decorations so when kids came trick or treating, they thought the monsters weren’t celebrating Halloween. They walked around to the back but the back of the house looked the exact same. So the kids just left.
Next Halloween, the bat said, “Last Halloween kids didn’t come trick or treating. They didn’t even ring our doorbell! Maybe it’s because the doorbell sound is too scary.” So that Halloween night, they made their footsteps sound like humans, decorated their house like anyone else would decorate for Halloween, and made the doorbell sound like a bunch of bats flying out. (It usually sounded like a million monsters growling.) When kids came trick or treating, they rang the doorbell and all they heard was a bunch of bats flying and they got really scared and ran away (a million miles per hour!).
On the next Halloween, Dracula said, “I heard kids ring the doorbell last Halloween but when I answered the door, I didn’t see anyone there! Maybe it is because of the yard, all dirty and trashy.” That Halloween night, they made their footsteps sound like humans, decorated their house like anyone else would decorate for Halloween, made the doorbell sound like a regular doorbell and cleaned up the yard (but they made it look like a bunch of monsters were coming out of the ground). When the kids came trick or treating and they saw the yard, they tried not to think it was real but there was too much stuff and thought it was definitely real so they walked away quietly.
The following Halloween, the ghost said, “Last Halloween I didn’t even hear the doorbell ring. Is it because of the way we look? Dress up like humans everybody!” So that Halloween night, they made their footsteps sound like humans, decorated their house like anyone else would decorate for Halloween, made the doorbell sound like a regular doorbell, cleaned up the yard, and dressed up in human costumes. When kids came trick or treating and they rang the doorbell and the mummy answered the door all dressed up like a human, the kids said, “Trick or Treat!” and took a piece of candy. For all the rest of the Halloweens, the monsters were happy because kids came trick or treating.

THE END.

Halloween 2007...Let The Games Begin

J. and M. dressed up for Halloween parties at school. J. is a "roman citizen" and M. is Peter Pan.

Our neighbors had a friend visiting them from Norway who had brought his little 5-year old boy along. They were here over Halloween and this little boy thought he had won the lottery. He just couldn't get over the fact that in America they have a holiday where you go around and people give out free candy...as much as you want. My friend said that every time someone dropped a piece of candy in his bucket, he would just stare at it with a really stunned, delighted expression. And really...can you beat Halloween? I am delightfully full of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Mound bars, and Butterfingers. I've met my quota and feel like I can face this year with renewed energy and enthusiasm. So here is how we spent our day o' indulgence...

At J.'s charter school they made all the kids write a report on a historical character they wanted to be in order to get permission to dress up. They keep it all very educational and a little over the edge but J. didn't seem to mind. He decided he wanted to be a "roman citizen" (not a roman soldier, not Caesar, just a roman citizen...not sure where the idea came from!) so he wrote what I thought was a very intelligent report and got permission for his costume. Chris made an amazing toga like contraption out of a white sheet and fashioned a real laurel leaf wreath for his head. I thought J. looked rather sophisticated and "romanesque"! The kids and I went over to his school for the Halloween assembly where J. marched in the costume parade and then won an award for his report that he wrote! We were so, so, so proud! A major award! :>)

J. marching in his Halloween parade at school.





J. receiving his award during the assembly.




When we got home, M. was disturbed that I hadn't carved a pumpkin yet. Now I have to admit something here...please don't think that I'm unpatriotic or un-American but I really don't like carving pumpkins (or dyeing easter eggs for that matter). I find it slimy and messy and I don't have a lick of artistic talent so my pumpkins never look very interesting. Chris always carves pumpkins with the kids and I am always THERE but just not sticking my hand or knife in to any pumpkins. So in order to put my son's mind at ease, I went and got our box of Mr. and Mrs. Potato accessories and went to town on the pumpkins outside and I have to say, I was rather pleased by the results. I may have found my pumpkin niche!






























That afternoon we did a little costume changing and headed over to Chris' work for some pre-trick or treating. It was fabulous! People were handing premium candy and I literally ate my way silly through the experience! The kids walked out with pounds and pounds of candy and I was ready to just sit on the couch rubbing my buddha belly and watch a scary movie but the kids were not to be deterred from their real Halloween experience. So...we got home, emptied all the buckets from round 1 and prepared for round 2. J. had chosen to be Spiderman for Halloween, H. was Snow White, and M. went through a different costume every time we had an occasion to dress up. At one party he was a knight, the next party he was Peter Pan, school party he was a dragon, and on Halloween Eve he walked out as a vampire. (We do have an impressive dress-up box if you ever want to come and play!) Like I said, H. was a beautiful Snow White until moments before we were supposed to go out trick or treating and instead of wearing her amazing Snow White dress with the ruffle socks, black patent leather mary janes, and gorgeous golden curls tied in a charming red bow, she took it all off and decided she wanted to wear the dirty, dingy, matted purple fur unicorn costume that I bought at DI and can't quite get that funky smell out of. (Serves me right for buying a purple unicorn costume...it just seemed like such a good idea at the time! I hate unicorns!) After a meltdown, a temper tantrum, and a battle out on the front porch, Chris managed to convince her to be Snow White and the kids took off with their father and grandfather for some trick or treating.










The kids ready for some trick or treating!










The kids with their grandpa...I'm starting to see where my husband gets his artistic talent!


Todd and Carrie (Elvis)...isn't she fabulous?

I stayed behind with grandma and Elvis (Carrie) to fix a fall feast. We had acorn squash filled with a long grain, wild rice mixture, pasta alfredo with hot dogs cut on top to look like an octopus (for the kids), assorted veggies and dip, salsa and chips, gummy worm ice-cubes floating in the drink and a lovely apple-caramel cake for dessert. I was proud of the feast. I don't do feasts very often.

Well, the kids were out LOTS longer than I thought they would be. Chris commented that once you kind of find your trick-or-treating groove, it is hard to stop. They came back with tons more candy and deliriously happy grins. We ate, we purged, we ate some more. Everything you could ever want from a holiday...

It was a delightful day. I love Halloween...not so much the actual holiday but the arrival of autumn. The crisp weather, the gorgeous leaves, the decorations and chunky sweaters and new jeans. It is my favorite time of year.







P.S. If you are an Oscarson or suffer from mild to severe OCD then you will appreciate this postscript. M. came home from trick or treating and immediately organized all his candy in to specific piles and groups. He then placed each pile in an individual snack size baggie and rearranged them back in to his spider container. I couldn't have been more proud!