HALLOWEEN GRINCH
Yes, I am the Halloween Grinch here in the flesh. Since it is October I feel I have the right to dedicate one post to ranting about how I hate Halloween. Then I will go back to pretending... I am in no way trying to convince anyone to hate Halloween like I do in fact almost everyone I know not only likes the holiday, they love it so I obviously hold no ill-will against those who enjoy this holiday, but as for me I HATE it. Oh, and please don't confuse my Halloween hatred for Fall hatred. I love fall. There are two things I don't like about fall- Halloween and the fact that we just don't get enough fall weather where we live, it goes to winter too fast.
Okay, so why do I hate Halloween? You are probably wondering. I will tell you my first memory of Halloween. I was about three (Mom, Dad, Holly?). It is sketchy and vague as you might imagine. I just remember being carried across the street by my dad to the neighbor's house (one I played with pretty much daily). I was balling. I didn't want to go. I don't remember any specifics like why I didn't want to go or what made me go hysterical but there you go- my first Halloween memory.
The memories don't improve much. Sure, it was fun to dress up (How could someone do drama for four years and not like dressing up?) I generally chose to be something very girly. But who likes to see scary masks or painted faces? I remember (another vague memory) watching "The Boogie Man" in elementary school on Halloween day when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. I think that is what the movie was called. I don't remember. I just remember being scared.
I guess I am pointing out that it started off just plain being scared of the holiday. Eventually I grew out of that and I still have continued to hate it. Let's think about this. Trick-or-Treating is what? Oh, kids begging candy off of people and for what purpose? Have these kids done anything worthy of a reward? No, in fact there is the dumb saying that goes something like this, "Trick or Treat, Smell my feet, give me something good to eat." WHAT?!!! You are going to make me smell your feet and give you candy?! I don't think so.
As I got older and became a teenager my hatred was easier to hide. No one thinks anything of a teenager that doesn't want to go trick-or-treating. Although teenage years brings up another point I hate about Halloween. For children I see it as a way to beg for candy for no good reason, for teenagers it is an excuse to cause mischief. Please tell me you agree that Halloween brings out the immaturity in teenagers and their pranks-big and small.
Now I'm a mom. This will be Vance's third Halloween. Do I want my prejudice against Halloween to be past on? No, I don't at all. Last year Vance and I decorated cookies and we also colored on a pumpkin. I put the boys in Halloween shirts. That was enough for me. My kids are young enough, they don't know the difference. Do I plan on taking my two year old and one year old trick or treating? Definitely not, they won't eat the candy anyway. Do I plan on taking them anywhere else that day? Nope, I won't have a car that day anyway. So I ask you, what is the point of putting them in a costume? I see none. Therefore, we will probably be sticking to something like we did last year and every year until Vance knows the difference (which may be next year and it may not be for 3 more years).
I get tired of October. Growing up it was, "What are you going to be for Halloween?" from your best friend to a complete stranger. Now, it is "What are your kids going to be for Halloween?" Trust me people you don't want to open that can of worms!
I tried all morning to get a good picture of the boys, but they just weren't on the same wave length as me so this is what you get. I realize that bloggers all over will be posting pictures of their kids in their costumes and here are my boys in their shirts. I would say sorry, but I'm not so I won't. :)
Did you know that if you wait until a few weeks before Halloween you can get Old Navy shirts for 50% off? Pretty good deal when they only start at $5. I'm always up for a good deal! 
Vance loves his spider shirt. We made spider headbands the other day and he loved them. He didn't ruin them for about two days and that is saying something for him. His other favorite Halloweenish thing would have to be pumpkins! (Just not sticking his hand in one).
And here is a picture of the boys from last Halloween. Just because. They both had mummy shirts (If you can't tell).
Of course, Tanner hosed his first outfit in spit up, but it worked out since Grandma Jeppson had given him the cute ghost hat,bib, and mittens. So here is my little ghost. 
