Yesterday may have gotten off to a rough start but we ended up having a great Halloween. The Island King went to the store, got more fabric and remade the Island Girl's costume for her. He's such a good dad. He got it cut out and pieced together while I was at the Youngest Island Boy's class Halloween party and then I sewed it all together when I got home. I got the seam right this time so it wasn't inside out LOL We finished just as her school was letting out and since she was riding the bus home with her friend the Island King drove the costume over to her. He said she was so happy and really loved it. I think we did a great job on it especially since neither one of us has ever done that before. While he was delivering the costume the Oldest Island Boy and I made chili, moved our pumpkins outside and finished our last minute decorating details. He is an excellent helper! The boys were so excited that they were ready to go trick or treating long before dark but we managed to hold them off until just after sunset. My MIL came over and her and the Island King walked the boys around the block for trick or treating while I stayed home to give out candy. We always set up chairs and tables in the front yard and spend the evening outside so I was sitting there with my traditional Halloween rum and coke, yard decorated, scary music playing and no one came. We had 3 groups with about 4 kids in each group and that was it. We live on a circle and when we moved into this house 14 years ago this neighborhood had so many trick or treaters that you literally couldn't buy enough candy for them all. Families would come by the carload to our street and we always set up tables and chairs in the yard and had coolers with drinks and tables of cookies and cakes and snacks and since we live in a small town we knew everyone and people would come and go all evening. We had a pumpkin carving contest that everyone in the neighborhood participated in and the Island King won every year - hands down He carves the biggest, scariest pumpkins you've ever seen LOL 
He would rig up something scary every year in a different part of the yard and people would hesitate when they got to our driveway because they knew something was going to jump out and scare them from somewhere. We noticed that things changed the year of 911. Very few people were out that Halloween night and most of our local churches offered a party or gathering instead. We didn't have half as many trick or treaters that night and we've had less every year since. I have even quit setting up tables of food because no one comes any more. Last night I was sitting out there thinking that I really miss the big Halloween party days and that next year I'm going to throw an official, invitations sent out kind of party. There seems to be a movement discouraging Halloween all together in our town and I absolutely hate it. I don't see anything wrong with the childhood tradition of kids dressing up scary and trick or treating. We aren't worshipping the devil or practising witchcraft in the moonlight and I refuse to let Halloween die at my house!
I read in the newspaper about a haunted house three blocks over from us so when they got back from trick or treating we drove over to check it out. This place was awesome! This lady has turned her entire yard into a giant haunted house. She had so many things in there that we had to go through several times to see it all and I'm sure there is stuff we missed. It was scary but still kid friendly and the place was packed. She didn't charge any admission or ask for donations and when we talked to her she told us that she loves Halloween and doesn't want to see it die so she created this haunted house for everyone who still wants to enjoy the holiday. The Island King, who had been bemoaning the fact that our annual Halloween party seems to have petered out, immediately got this look in his eyes and I knew before he said it that we'd be having something like this at our house next year too LOL
We stayed there for quite a while just looking at everything. As we were leaving we went to the house across the street and this witch was on the gate 
My kids and another group of kids all got to the gate at the same time and this one little girl pushed the gate open and the witch started screaming "Go Away - Get Out Get Out!" and I thought that whole group of kids were going to stampede each other trying to get away from that gate. The homeowner was sitting on the porch laughing so hard. My MIL said "Your witch got those kids good" and the woman told her that it's been hysterical watching that happen all night LOL
It was finally time to go home where we ate chili dogs and Halloween cake. After the kids were tucked in the Island King and I watched a scary movie and talked about our plans for next year. I'm pretty sure we're going all out because the Island King says he wants Halloween back and if the woman with the haunted house can do it so can he. Next year aught to be interesting.Labels: Done
We stayed there for quite a while just looking at everything. As we were leaving we went to the house across the street and this witch was on the gate 
My kids and another group of kids all got to the gate at the same time and this one little girl pushed the gate open and the witch started screaming "Go Away - Get Out Get Out!" and I thought that whole group of kids were going to stampede each other trying to get away from that gate. The homeowner was sitting on the porch laughing so hard. My MIL said "Your witch got those kids good" and the woman told her that it's been hysterical watching that happen all night LOL