Halloween..Will We Ever Grow Up?

Zombie Beth

Halloween this year was rather low-key since I had been battling a cold. I didn't want to put the time or energy into a crazy costume, so nothing dead or gory (sorry, James!).

In case you don't know my family history, Halloween is my favorite holiday! Growing up my Dad was the best Dad on the block because he would take us trick-or-treating to our heart's content! Sometimes a bit more so, since I have a few memories of aching hands from the overflowing, cheap plastic pumpkin candy holder, and of crying because my feet hurt or I was tired. But as a young soldier learning my craft, these were important lessons of endurance and the eventual Payoff. One year (we were older, probably too old, but oh well!) we each sacked up to 14 lbs. of candy! The other great thing about my parents is that they let us eat as MUCH candy as we wanted, when we wanted. Thank you Mom and Dad for not being lame health freaks! I remember gorging and feeling full, happy, and cramped from all the overeating on Halloween night. Of course Dad always took his finder's fee in the form of chocolate, though we tried to pass off those orange- and black-wrapped taffies that no one liked, but it never worked.

That being said, James and I try hard to follow my Dad's philosophy of never fully growing up, and of being child-like but not necessarily childish. This ethos manifests itself on Halloween, when we do our best to go in creative costumes!

Big Pimpkin

"Book Characters" was the theme for the Early Childhood section, and I went as a respectable Sherlock Holmes even though the kids were clueless and had never heard of him. Walking around with a pipe on school campus was fun, though! ha!

Sir Conan Arthur Doyle would have been proud!

Evening Party Explanation...

One of the main problems we have at out school is encouraging students to take responsibility for themselves, their actions, and hardest of all, their things. Many students at school have their own maid ("muchacha") who takes responsibility for the student, often acting in lieu of a parent, too often in lieu of the student! When I watch students get picked up from school by their maids, it's hard to watch, because I see these full-grown, able-bodied teenage boys (and everyone younger, obviously) become helpless as a toddler. They immediately hand off their lunchbox (usually the size of a small suitcase), backpack, jacket, and any school projects or posters to their muchacha.

We ain't looked so purdy since our wedd'n day!

So for the actual Halloween adult party we went to, James and I went as a CAG kid and his maid. Notice how proud and empty handed James is? And how I'm following behind carrying everything? Well, it might not be quite as hilarious to someone outside the school, but for us CAG teachers it was a riot! And the uni-brows? Just for fun, just for fun! Kids and maids don't really have them....We had to add something ridiculous to the costumes, right?! James had all the details, including the iPod earbuds, pubescent mustache, and Euro-faux-hawk!

Action Shot!
This is more what it looks like in real life...
A scared, overwhelmed muchacha trailing a confident kid

There were some other fun moments surrounding Halloween this year, too!

A Rocky Picture Horror Show viewing (our first!)

Charlotte

Kris
(does his outfit look familiar?)

A Halloween Kitty


A Pumpkin Carving Party