When did I get so lazy?

I used to love Halloween. My mom often sewed a costumes for me. Though I don't remember all of my costumes, one I remember was a Panda bear. The reason I remember was that I was sick that year so my mother said I had to go trick-or-treating while it was still light outside. This was not acceptable but it was that or nothing And since I couldn't go by myself my brother Brian and friend Geri were roped into going early.  Many people asked what we were doing out so early and they weren't sure what I was so I was embarrassed. It's funny how being embarrassed makes seemingly unmemorable events move to the forefront of our cluttered brains. At the Elementary school I attended they used to have a great carnival with spook alleys and cake walks and carnival games. I loved it. As I got older we started going to all spook alleys in town. Now they of course have corn mazes, but back then it was just spook alleys. The best one was at the Utah State "Mental" Hospital (the white house on the hill). It was more frightening than others because you weren't quite certain that the guy with the chain saw and a bloody corpse wasn't an actual murderer. Fun! Later I got to participate in this spook alley for a few years in a row--no I wasn't a patient--but a volunteer. Proceeds went to the March of Dimes. Being a spook and scaring the daylights out of people was more fun that being spooked.

When my own kids were little I didn't like them to eat candy. I know, somehow the mother in me pervaded the magic of Halloween. Eventually I got over it, but when they were little I only let them got to a few houses in the neighborhood. But I always loved dressing up that is until I somehow got lazy about the whole thing. About the last time I had to take my daughter trick-or-treating I quit bothering. My daughter was hugely into Halloween and had to have a different outfit each year. Our son seemed content with Dracula teeth and garbage bags for capes--poor kid, but our daughter was a jester, a Tigger, a clown, and so forth. I sewed the Jester outfit and was supremely proud of it since I am not a seamstress and because it was beautiful. We even made a matching hat and collar for Pickle the dog. He however did not like trick or treating. While looking for a picture of Halloween I didn't find the one of the Jester--so you'll have to take my word for it. It was fantabulous!!!

He's filled with a hamburger and rice etc. casserole.

The bowl of candy waiting by the door. By bedtime it was still the same.

Okay this Halloween, the highlight was stopping Sunday to see the grandkids and our son and his wife. Thanks to my daughter-in-law Halloween is always going to be fun. I hope they send me a picture because their outfits were great. Now back to our tradition. My husband and I started making dinner in a pumpkin many years back. So this year we kicked back, made our dinner in a sweetmeat squash, had strawberry shake for dessert, ate popcorn and watched Charade. It was great. We've done similarly the last few years and then listen for the doorbell to see the creative costumes when treaters come to the door. However this year, we watched the whole move with no interruptions and no trick-or-treaters. Sad!

Our Halloween meal--yummy.

I found a few pictures from Halloweens past.

Grouse Creek School about 1988