Trick or treating festivities

For my daughter, Halloween seemed to take forever for its arrival. On the 31st, I must have heard, "is it time to go yet?" about 500 times. With my repeated response being, "not until it's dark outside." Halloween is actually her second favorite holiday, next to Christmas of course, but more important than her birthday.

This Halloween went off without a hitch. My son dressed in Superman costume, despite his initial love for Rapunzel and my daughter was the Ninja Warrior that she desperately wants to become.

The night was a 2 hour walk-fest, complete with lovely warmer temperatures. The developments were lit up with friendly neighbors, eager to see all the trick or treaters dressed head to toe in their favorite characters. Both of my kids ran door to door, thrashing through the scattered fall leaves, as they received candy. My daughter sang some songs (mostly, Let it Go) and said, "thank you so much" to everyone as she left their porch. While, my son grabbed handfuls of candy from the bowls, the families laughed, but I had to gently remove his hand as my almost 2 year old was carried out -screaming. It was his first year trick or treating and he didn't quite understand the etiquette of taking the candy. By the time we were 5 houses in, he understood and kindly took 4 pieces each time (two for each hand), also saying thank you as he followed his sister off the porch.

The night progressed just as it was supposed to, with my husband, my parents, and myself walking door to door with both kids in a hyper-chocolate-induced state.

With the clock seconds from striking 8:00, and one more house in view, my daughter turned to us and said, "can we go home now?" My son heard the question and reached for his daddy to put him in the car -He was done too. My daughter ended up finishing that final house, my son didn't, his arms were tightly grasped around his daddy's neck. 

We said our goodbyes to my parents, then loaded both kids into their carseats.

My daughter thanked us a thousand times in 20 seconds for taking her trick or treating. "This was the best Halloween yet!" She yelled out. 

We drove about 2 miles...

...My daughter was already asleep.

My son was snuggled with his doggy, blanket, and plastic orange candy filled pumpkin (he was beyond excited to have that filled with candy and he wasn't letting go of it) -he never sleeps in the car. Not even for a second. But he was completely quiet, as he gazed out the window at all the shimmering lights.

Upon arrival home, I carried my daughter into her bedroom, she asked to see her candy as I lowered her into her bed, I laughed and said, "go back to sleep baby, you'll see everything in the morning." She didn't bat an eye, just went back to sleep. I then carried my son into his room and put him in his crib, with his doggy, blanket, and a empty plastic orange pumpkin. He rolled over, clenching his little fist around the black handle, and closed his eyes.

I dropped back onto the couch, with my boots and coat still on, exhausted from all the walking that just took place. My husband and I were talking about how great the night was and how lucky we are to have two great kids to embrace Halloween with. 

Holidays are a huge deal for our family. We celebrate every one of them to their fullest extend, because I will never stop loving the excitement on their faces...

...My son's shocked look when he realized all he had to do was knock on a door and someone handed him candy. Or my daughter's ear to ear smile as she said, "trick or treat" to her first house...

...Because Holidays are and always will be about the joys of the children, never about the parents.