October, the month that was over in 10 seconds...

In the twinkling of an eye I was standing on the Greenbrook black top waiting for the Halloween parade to start.  How did this happen?  Ten seconds ago I was half a world a way in Bulgaria touring a ginormous cathedral.  

October has been packed with travel, family, and adventure and somehow, it all happened in 10 seconds?  Time is a mystery.  

Let's look back at the month that was 10/2022.  We are going to go backwards on this one, I hope you will understand.  It is how time makes sense to me:

Halloween, maybe one of the reasons time is so wonky this month is because we had our ward Halloween party very early this year.  Usually the party is over Halloween weekend but we are sharing our building with a few congregations and we drew the "super early" party date.  It was a good excuse to get our costumes in order sooner rather than later.  

In a move I never thought I would have to take, I found myself in a Spirit Halloween pop up store a few nights before the party to get Colter's costume.  I couldn't believe it.  The woman who had labored, toiled, sewed, and sworn over homemade costumes for the last 20 years was in a Spirit Halloween store to BUY a costume?  How?  When?  What happened?  

I have bought costumes in the past.  Even instituting an "make and buy every-other-year" policy to save my sanity.  But never, did I ever, consider crossing the threshold of a Spirit Halloween store.  Never.  

Alas, since October was 10 seconds long I didn't even have time to order a Bowzer costume early on Amazon.  Spirit Halloween was my only option.

With heavy heart Adell and I stepped inside to look around.  If the ghouls and goblins didn't eat us a live all of the gruesome, blood soaked clown masks would.  It was terrifying.  

Bowzer costume secured and our offering on the joint alters of Capitalism and Chinese Merchandise paid we went home to lick our DIY wounds.  Colter loved his costume so the pain was worth it.

The church party was a hit.  Adell decided to abandon her store-bought-costume (Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas) in honor of her own creativity in becoming a mushroom.  She also did an amazing job running the face paint booth all by herself at the party.  

I had planned my costume months in advance and was delighted with the results.  I should dress like Iris Apfel every day.

 

Other Halloween happenings included: my Mom dressing as Eve of the North and tempting dudes with her apple (she is on the right).  She went out with friends who "trick or treated" where the treat had to be small bottles of liquor.  My mom doesn't drink but she went along with the fun and donated all of her collection to friends.  

Lorien had THREE Halloween events and dressed in a different costume for each one.  She was Alice in Wonderland, Tinkerbell and Rapunzel.  I don't have a Rapunzel picture but she nailed it.  She nailed all three costumes, cute as ever.  

                 

Adell revamped her Mushroom Costume with a red beret and white spots.  Learning the top she first wore to the church party was too cold she upgraded to a sweatshirt.  She went to school in her shroom gear and loved it.

    

I have stood out on the Greenbrook black top to watch the Halloween parade every year for 10 years.  We missed the last two years because of COVID, they didn't have it in 2020 and in 2021 parents could not come (fine with me...).  Colter was super happy to see my face this year.  He is the last kid I have at elementary school.  I was robbed of Adell's last Halloween.  And next year will be my last year ever at the parade.  Sigh.  Time...it is weird.  

Halloween night was a hit.  Adell disappeared before I could get a picture.  She went out with friends.  Clare disappeared too but I knew where to find her.  Clare and her friends were the Princesses at a house that goes all out for Halloween every year.  This year they were Disney Land with the Princesses, the Pirates of the Caribbean, and other attractions.  Clare and her friends were the delight of every little girl in the neighborhood.  It was darling.  

Colter wanted to go out with his best friend, Rock.  Rock was dressed as Mario and Colter was Bowzer.  I drove him over to meet up with his friend.  He told me he did not want me to tag along.  I was a little hurt.  With the girls gone, it seemed my days of going out on Halloween were over.  I told Colter I wanted to check in with Rock's mom before I left.  He wanted a drop and go...good thing we did things my way.  When we got there Colter discovered it would be a big group of kids going out.  Moreover, some of the kids were not Colter's friends and kind of rowdy.  As discretely as possible he told me he wanted to leave and not trick or treat with this crowd.  We made our exit!

We went over to the neighborhood Clare was princessing at.  Colter made his way all around the blocks and gathered pounds of candy.  I think this will be the last year I accompany any kids on their scavenge.  I soaked up every chilly second of this night.