Halloween 2008

Last year we had 3 kids show up for trick-or-treating at the apartment complex, so it was nice to return to the huge crowds of kids at my mom's house. Gavin was 3 the last time we walked the neighborhood with cousin Chris, now he is nearly 6 (how? We were only gone one year!). It used to take 20 minutes to wear the kids out and come home with a half-full bucket of candy, but now the boys can power up and down the street for an hour. We saw a haunted miniature village, Gavin accidentally dumped his candy on the sidewalk, the boys squawked "pencils!?" at one house, and they both avoided the fog-machines and plastic corpses. I left Mike to finish trick-or-treating with the boys and went home after an hour, loaded down with sleeping infant and costume accessories that they didn't want to carry. Two Halloweens ago, in the middle of our divorce, Mike had decided to dress up as V. When you have just found out that your husband has been leading an adulterous double life, you do not want to see him in a stupid wig and creepy leering mask. I was dressed up as Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, and really wanted to kick him in the nuggets. Last year was a bit quiet and uncomfortable, and this year was mostly okay again. I still didn't feel like dressing up, though. My mom jammed Gavin's old mouse ears onto my head and stuck Mike in a novelty tattoo shirt, and that was it for us. Still, it was better than the last couple of Halloweens.