We no longer can avoid...

...going Trick-or-Treating! I know this is a hot topic for many or at least it seems to be around here...I'm not sure if the debate comes from the New England area's witchcraft roots and presence that still exists today or just a strong conviction that people hold against Halloween. Whatever your conviction and view is on Halloween, here is ours...

Since having our kids, Nathan and I have somewhat struggled with this "holiday" but have always been able to avoid making a decision on it as our kids were too little until this year as Ivy fully understands that Halloween is here, that she can dress up like a princess, and that she could get candy. (We never did see the point in taking a baby Trick-or-Treating when you know that the parents will be the ones to eat the candy and NOT the baby.) We have, however, always bought a bag of candy to hand out to any trick-or-treaters that would stop by our house.

When we were little growing up, we always "celebrated" Halloween by going door to door in our respective towns getting candy! That was all Halloween meant to us...FREE CANDY!!! There was NEVER (that I recall) any mention to Halloween being evil or being the "Devil's holiday"...it was always a fun, sometimes scary, and tasty "holiday".


This year, we have decided that we would allow Ivy to go Trick-or-Treating to the few houses around the neighborhood and to her "adopted grandparents'" house, but we would not allow her to dress up in evil-looking costumes (not that she would want to anyways at this point); however, a few days prior to the "big day," Ivy had come down with a bad cold but was now on the mend. Today, we did not mention "Halloween" or "Trick-or-Treating" to Ivy at all as to possibly avoid the whole thing yet another year. Like many holidays, Nathan seems to ALWAYS have to work and miss out - this year was no exception - so I would have to take both kids and do it all. Well, in the afternoon, Ivy was on the couch for her rest time as I was doing some chores when Ivy turned to me and said, "Today is Halloween! I get to dress up like a princess and get candy!" (Wow, these kids do not miss a thing!!!) Ivy then spent the afternoon reciting what she was going to say when she got to our neighbors' doors which included..."Happy Halloween! Smell my feet!" AND "Trick or Treat! Give me something good to eat (please)!" :-) SO now, we can no longer avoid going Trick-or-Treating.


As Ivy had gotten all dressed up in her princess outfit and I was getting both kids and myself all bundled up and ready to walk around the neighborhood, it had started to sprinkle and then pour-down rain. Much to our surprise, Daddy came and drove us around to the neighbors! I must say Ivy's first time Trick-or-Treating turned out to be a fun, memorable, and special night as she got to dress up as a princess; she got LOTS of candy (Since Ivy was the ONLY trick-or-treater our neighbors got, they just kept filling her bucket up with candy, candy, and more candy! The bucket was getting too heavy for her to carry!); she got to spend the time with her Mommy, Owen, AND DADDY; and she got a "special ride" around the neighborhood! (Owen even had a lot of fun "helping" Daddy drive the "special ride.") I'm so thankful that we were able to spend the little bit of time that evening together as a family for another one of Ivy's "firsts"!

Happy Halloween! Smell my feet!