Halloween

The first of several Halloween parties we're going to this year was tonight, the big Lawlor Halloween Bash.  It's all of Austin's Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, second cousins, Grandmas and Grandpas... one gigantic family.  I snapped a few pictures before I sent the kids off to enjoy the merriment without me (the first one I've missed in years, but I feel icky).  The kids look fabulous!

Fairy Princess - Grace

 Harry Potter - Ben

Newsie - Ember

I also had Halloween costumes for the dogs that I bought on clearance last year.  They hated wearing them, but it was just too funny to skip the torture they went through.  Elphie (the Boston Terrier) picks on Lady (the Chihuahua) CONSTANTLY.  So this year, Lady got to be the boss and put Elphie in her place!  Jail!  (Unfortunately we didn't get to pose them side by side for a picture, dogs are terrible models).

Austin and I didn't dress up this year, we had all our fun vicariously through the kids and dogs.  The next party is Saturday, the church carnival, and then on to Monday's night of trick-or-treating!

Which leads me to this:  I watched an interesting debate / conversation happen on Facebook this week about the necessity of this holiday.  It lasts two hours.  It's expensive, and doesn't mean anything.  It hops your kids up on sugar for weeks, causing tantrums and chaos in it's wake. It obligates you to buy treats for other peoples kids, most of whom you don't even know.  Is it a bad thing to skip it, or boycott it even?  Would that make someone a terrible parent, if they refused to buy costumes and pass out candy?

I for one am letting my kids dress up and go to the parties, without me, and trick-or-treat on Monday.  I don't decorate my house or make a big deal out of anything, but I usually buy candy and sit on the front porch to pass it out so my doorbell doesn't give my dogs a heart attack every 30 seconds.  This year I'm sending the kids out with dad to collect their diabetes in a bucket, and I'm turning off the lights and watching movies in my bedroom.  I'm not being a scrooge, that title is reserved for Christmas only, thankyouverymuch.  I just think it's ok to scale this one back sometimes.