The Ghost of Halloween's Past!

Sweet Sweet October

As I walk thought the cold nights of the October

I see the kids walking, and running in their costumes 

oh Sweet Sweet October will you always haunt me so will I never feel the love of the dark

The dark fills my heart as if my life depends on it

When my Sweet Sweet October goes away my heart fills with a dark dark dream 

~ Alexandra S ~ 

Well you know what happens when you turn 50 don't you?  You have to start dwelling in the past :).   Well...I got a head start on doing that because I am constantly reminiscing about the good old days.   This Halloween is no exception, and I got to thinking that I should write down some of those memories.   

My first Halloween memory was probably October 1968 or 1969.   I think it was the first time I went trick- or-treating.  We had moved back to the States from Germany and into our house on Morrison Drive.   I don't remember my brother's going with me, but I remember that my sister and I dressed like gypsies.   I had on a German dirndl , so I'm not sure why I thought I was a gypsy....probably just copying my sister :).   I do remember that my brother took a pillow case to get candy in, but I carried a little pumpkin.  I thought that was cool until Jeff came home with WAY more candy that I did!   In following years, I took a pillow case too.    I was always a hobo or a gypsy because that was the easiest costume to come up with when you had no money or creativity. :).   

Mama bought us a decoration like
this when I was little and put a blinking
light in it.  We called him "Blinky" and it was
always a big deal to get Blinky out and put him on the
front porch!  

When I had children, Halloween really became fun!   I loved the idea of dressing them up in cute little outfits and taking them trick or treating.   As the world got meaner, we started to going to the Halloween alternatives that are held at many churches these days.   The kids loved planning their costumes every year and carving their pumpkins.   

Michael's first Halloween 1987

Mandy's first Halloween 1990

Christy's first Halloween 1995

Michael is an "Army Man".  We are in Hawaii 1990 and
he is a little disgusted because the pumpkin had started to rot and
had little insects flying around it.
This was my favorite costume of his through the years.

Mandy on Halloween 1992.   She was always
Minnie Mouse crazy, so this was a dream come true
for her!   This was my favorite costume of hers.

Here is Christy on Halloween 2000.   We had just gotten Cibolo
and 1001 Dalmations had just come out.   She loved playing doggie with
Sandy and Cibolo. This is my favorite costume of Christy's.   What a cutie pie!

Pumpkin carving time!
 I love that little girl "yuck" expression on Mandy's face and
the "I love to get messy" expression on Christy's.  

Scary Daddy!  Halloween 2000

Mike scared all three kids crazy Halloween 2000. Mike saw the mask at Target and began his evil plan. He cracked himself up just planning how he would get them, and I was trying to get him to go easy on them so we wouldn't have three kids in the bed with us that night. After he "got" them we would lay in the bed laughing every time with thought about their reactions.  

Happy Halloween!  

"You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth." Ecclesiastes 11:9a