It's Halloween!

He does not like wearing costumes so we resort to face painting.  He is Rintoo from Kai Lan, a tiger.

I remember when I was growing up in New Jersey how the streets would become flooded with kids on Halloween.  It was such an amazing night for us kids.  We usually had to rely on our imagination for our costumes.  I remember once I was a gypsy woman.  We found an old, long skirt in someone's closet, I had a bandana around my head and really red lipstick.  That is probably my most memorable Holloween because it snowed about a foot of snow that night and I got separated from my group which was really scary for me at the time.  I was no more than two blocks from my house, but I did not speak English, this celebration was new to me and it was dark outside.  We were reunited and all was well.

I sit here writing because things are really slow in my neighborhood.  Part of the fun is decorating the house and the yard, carving pumpkins with neat patterns, seeing all the creative costumes on the happy little children and giving away all the candy and toys in my basket. We used to sit outside and just wait for the crowds to come from the neighboring communities.

She is a Gothic Princess.

Tonight is very quiet.  My oldest is away at college and he was the one who used to sit by and scare the older kids by making believe he was a statue.  My teen girl is at a concert with friends - she's all dressed up and having a great time I'm sure.  My 7 year old is out having fun with a few of the teens from the neighborhood and the toddler is here trying to eat the candy and blow out the candles from the jack-o-lantern.  Since I sat here, about an hour ago, we've seen a total of 5 families.

Needless to say, that leaves me staring at the weary moon and listening to spooky music so I decided to share this time with everyone out there.

Most of the houses are very dark around here tonight but we will continue to have a great time until the last child has come by.  I hope everyone out there has a great time tonight.  Stay safe!!

This is my teen daughters intricate creation, which is a little hard to see but on the back side she carved out the words Trick or Treat with a pumpkin and on the front side there are two hearts.  If you put it against a wall you see the reflection of the back side on the wall.  Very detailed.