Halloween: Part 2

Halloween was a little different this year. Everything was kind of left to the last minute... including costumes. I just wasn't feeling it for some reason. I enjoyed it yesterday, and today, but that was about the extent of our Halloween fun for this year. And I am ok with that! Let's move on to the good stuff! 

The kids are all very different ages. The older ones are at the end of their trick-or-treating days, while Henry was a little too young for bags of candy. But William is just in his Halloween glory days, with everything full of magic and wonder. It makes things interesting. It worked out fine though. 

I sent the kids over to the trunk-or-treat at the church, where they mingled with friends, and scooped-up loads of candy. We then went down to a fun neighborhood and trick-or-treated around on foot. I was originally going to stay in the van -- which I did for awhile -- but then I heard the kids say, "It's just not the same, I wish daddy were here." My heart broke a little, and I knew it was up to me to get off my bum, and try and make it more fun for them -- despite the pain in my back. 

Luckily, I had a stroller in the van. I buckled Henry in nice and tight, and off we went as a family. The kids were much happier when I got out with them. Our friends that we normally go with were out of town this year, which made it a little lame for the kids. Halloween is more fun with friends. 

Walking around experiencing Halloween made me feel weird. It seemed almost out-of-body. I just kept asking myself, "Is this really my life?" Everything is the same, but painfully different. I know holidays and special events will bring up these feelings, and place them on the surface. I just cannot express how crazy I can feel sometimes. Death does strange things to the brain, that is for sure. We also went to a neighborhood we lived in for a year, and I just felt so strange being there. I could not help but wonder where the time and memories had gone. We had lived life there for a whole year, but now it is just someone else's house. It was so strange to sit there parked in that neighborhood, a flood of memories came to my mind. Time... it is just hastening on at a very concerning rate, don't you think? 

Speaking of hastening time... take a look at these kids! Eek! They are getting so grown-up. Sammi has a little over 4 years left at home with me. Daniel has a little over 6 years. Thank goodness we spaced the kids out like we did, so I will still have some children around for awhile! William has more than 10 years, and Henry, well, he will be with me for a good, long, while. It is all just going by so quickly though. All those people were not joking when they said it goes by fast! My little babies are now teenagers! Crazy! 

This year we did last minute costumes... 

Daniel was Tony Stark (Iron Man). 

It is hard to see in the light, but the Arc Reactor on the shirt lights up. Pretty cool. He is quite the charmer, eh? If this is a glimpse into his future then I am in trouble! ;) 

William was a Hobbit... a happy Hobbit. :-) he was super-excited about everything this year, he made it fun. :) 

Sammi was a cowgirl. This is likely one of her last years to trick-or-treat. She might be able to get away with one more year... maybe. She is my beautiful girl. I put some eye makeup on her, which she wanted at first, but she hated it. She was so happy to take it off. Sammi is lucky, and she is beautiful without any makeup. I love that she hates it. I love that she is comfortable in her own skin. (It was fun to see her in makeup though.) Sammi is my tough princess. She will always be my pretty princess, no matter how old she is.

Henry stuck with me this year. I was so lame I did not even do a costume for him. Next year, I will. Next year he will care! He is so full of life he just does not stay put for one minute. And I was just not into it... next year I will make it special for him. He was happy just to get a few pieces of candy, and to watch the kids trick-or-treat while sitting in the stroller.

Here are a few pictures from Halloween gone by... where does the time go? I mean, really?! 

We sure missed daddy this year. It just wasn't the same without him.