Mark and I are not Halloween people. I enjoyed it as a kid (I mean, candy and costumes- it’s perfect for kids!) but was never into it as an adult. I didn’t have the self-confidence to wear any “sexy” Halloween costumes in my twenties- prime sexy costume years- and just couldn’t work up any real enthusiasm for the holiday. Mark was even less into it than I was. Frankly, I have a hard time imagining him enjoying it even as a kid. His dislike for Halloween intensified in university, when his roommates were celebrating loudly when he was trying to study. He actually tried to thwart their celebration by cutting off the power to the living room where the party was happening. And so, for us, every year, the candy typically gets bought and the pumpkin carved around October 30th- at the earliest. That’s why on Sunday, a full five days before Halloween, I was shocked to discover him doing this with Charlotte:
Decorating the house for Halloween
Halloween is different when you have an enthusiastic four year old with whom to enjoy the holiday. We went out to a pumpkin patch on Sunday and even carved our pumpkin the same day. (Charlotte apparently didn’t think much of our pumpkin-picking skills, though- later in the day she said, “When I’m a grown up, I will pick the biggest pumpkin ever and it won’t have any dirt on it!”). Mark is looking forward to going out trick-or-treating with Charlotte on Friday. He has even acquired a knight costume to go along with Charlotte’s dragon costume, which means that his disdain for Halloween has waned considerably. I am looking forward to handing out candy to all the Elsas and Anas that will come to our door (and setting aside a few pieces of candy for myself). I can’t wait to see how excited Charlotte will be on Halloween- there’s the costume parade at her school, and of course, trick-or-treating with Vera (her human friend, not the spider). And who knows, maybe in a few years, under Charlotte’s influence, we will be THAT house on the street with all the spooky Haunted House decorations. Ok, probably not, but I have to admit to having more fun with Halloween this year than I have in a very long time.
Charlotte is ready to pick a pumpkin
Penelope wasn’t exactly thrilled with this photo op
Hanging out with my girls in the pumpkin patch
It’s carving time!
The artists with their masterpiece
A Mom of Steel 
I have a confession, I am a really bad aunt. I read some of your blogs and even the ones where you are stressed they make me laugh just the way you tell them. I mean really who tries calking for the first time on a day they have two appointments!!! I am with you,, I hate Halloween, even when I was a kid I hated it. As a mother I hated have to try and figure out costumes. I hate when people where costumes to work and I think the event should be banned. I am happy that you and Mark are coming to terms with it.
Keep up the great writing. And while we are on about company’s ripping people off how come chocolate milk comes in 750ML cartons now but the price is the same as a litre.
Have a great week
Love Anne Marie