Halloween season 2008

If anybody were to ask my son what his favorite holiday is, they would get a VERY emphatic "HALLOWEEN"!! To be honest, it's never been mine, but thanks to the miracle of parenting, I'm seeing it in a completely different light.

Neil starts planning the decorating and the partying in June/July. So this year I had to tell him early that we were probably not going to host a Halloween party for him. Maybe just have "the cousins" come over to go to the Pumpkin Walk at the Benson Grist Mill. He was okay with that, since it would still mean a gathering and time with "the Cousins". We have to say it that way, because he adores them all: Sophie, Xavier, Xanna, and Jessa, and "cousins" is MUCH easier to get out of the mouth. But, we had a pleasant, though be it, later than we planned get together. We had quite the full house (our house is small, so that's not saying too much). Emails started fairly early that day. "Would it be okay if we bring a couple more?" "SURE" "Be there around 6ish" "Okay" then one I did not see, but was told about "We're bringing two more" All I could say to that was, glad I got extra hot dogs. It turned out that Xavier has two friends Alex and Tony, who also enjoy Neil. And that's not a problem, because they are fun kids. So, around 7:30, when everybody arrived we headed over to the Pumpkin Walk for about an hour. Got in a dress rehearsal for the trick or treating to come the following Friday. Ran through a straw maze, a few times, and followed the spooky light, that turned out to be not really very spooky...at all. And viewed the pumpkins decorated by kids at the Kids Park (Neil's daycare). Then, it was home for some social time, dinner, and goodies. I had bought little pumpkins to decorate, but we ran out of time. The night was a BLAST!! And, honestly the more the merrier on a night like that!! So, Neil got that Halloween party afterall.

The following night the three of us got dressed up and went to Abravanel Hall for the annual Utah Symphony "Halloween Hi-Jinks". They joined up with the Utah Opera for some music from Act III of Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel". It was Incredible!!! I was a bit nervous about Neil when it came to the singing, but I think it made it that much more magical. He grabbed my hand as the lights when down and asked me in an excited whisper "Are you scared? I'm scared". It was the first concert that he sat absolutely completely still for, no wanting to go shortly after intermission, no squirming in his seat, just a boy completely rivetted by the story being played out for him. Wonderful.

The rest of the week brought Monday and Tuesday out of school, excitement to be going back to school on Wednesday, as well as a violin lesson that he was actually looking forward to and he enjoyed. Then on Friday "the BIG day" dressing up for the Kid's Park Halloween party, dressing down for the kindergarten Halloween party, and dressing back up for trick or treating with Dad (it was his turn this year). About an hour later, they were home, and watching Hocus Pocus and Casper with me. With Neil handing out the candy to the late coming trick or treaters. He's so good about taking only one piece while he's going door to door, that he's just as good at only giving one piece. So, we have tons of the stuff left over. Hiding somewhere in the house, so I don't eat the rest of it.

Then on Saturday it was the Halloween recital for violin. Another chance to wear a cape and vampire teeth! I got a picture of Neil before we left the house, and I remembered to take my camera to the recital hall, but when it was his turn to play, I couldn't take the picture. I got the camera out and looked through the window, but didn't take it. I'm telling myself it's because the chandelier was directly over his head. But, I could've had Gary take the picture, I don't know why I didn't. Nerves I guess. I think that was a night that I was more nervous than Neil was. Neil did great. No stage fright, right down the aisle and up on the stage for "Old McDonald arranged by Hall" Very well done.

Now, I just need to finish cleaning up the Halloween decorations, and find some way to either ration or get rid of the rest of Neil's trick or treat candy. He had a full scale sugar induced tantrum last night during violin practice. Tears, screaming, "I didn't have too much sugar" the works! A big hug, and a there's nothing wrong with you, you just ate more candy than usual talk and things were fine.