Its a different world

I think back to even 3 or 4 years ago, and halloween was such a different event. It entailed picking out or helping pick out cute costumes for the boys. They went as things like Power Rangers or pirates. The ex and I had to take turns watching the door for kids coming to get candy while the other walked with the boys as they went door to door looting candy. I would watch patiently from the road as they would walk up to the door, costumes worn awkwardly over warm clothes (hey.. halloween is cold in WI), to get the candy. They would be chilled to the bone, but the thought of free candy outweighed the discomfort and they often begged to keep going as long as there was room left in whatever container they were using that year.

Halloween this year is going to be much different. I was in charge of costumes this year. So I started talking to the boys about what they wanted to do and what I got was this conversation:

Me: So what do you guys think you are going to want to do for costumes this year?

B: Oh.. I have to have a Barney Rubble costume.

Me: Barney Rubble? Why Barney Rubble? Do you even know who he is?

B: I know he is from the Flintstones and that is what our group is going to go as. Kimmy is going as Betty and .... (i tuned out a bit here I have to admit as he listed who in his group was going as who) .. and I got stuck with Barney Rubble.

Me: Ok.. we'll see what we can do for a Barney Rubble costume if thats what you want to do. So you have made plans to trick-or-treat with friends then?

B: Yeah. We are all going to meet up at someones house and go from there.

Me: How about you Gabe? Any thoughts on what you want to go as this year?

G: Oh I am going with MarMar (knickname.. don't ask.. I don't know) and Karen and we are all going to be hippies we decided already.

Me: Hippies? Do you even know what a hippy is?

G: I know they wear wierd clothes, had big hair with headbands and huge sunglasses.

Me: Ok then. Hippy it is. We'll see what we can find. You can wear your big green clown wig as a psychedelic 'fro.



You notice how Dad was not included in any of those plans other than making sure they got the costumes they wanted? I see how its going to be from now on. So we went to the costume store on Monday night. The store on the west side of Madison is great as they have pictures and descriptions and available sizes for all the costumes on these cards that are all displayed on the back wall. You go pick what you want, have the employees standing there write down the number and they call it in for you and you go to the window and pick it up to try on. No fighting with people to find sizes or have stuff all over the shelves and floor etc. Great system.

We found a hippy outfit for Gabe. They only had adult sizes which is fine anyway, kid sizes are really getting too small and they wear them over warm clothes so they need to be big. Just have to pin the legs up so he doesn't trip. They had a Barney Rubble costume as well and I was about to point it out to B when I noticed him staring at the weapon rack. All manner of swords and axes, sicles and knives and other instruments of destruction were there. I looked at him and asked him if he REALLY wanted to be BR for halloween this year. He shook his head and said no, that he would rather wear the mask he had with the long black hooded robe he has from last year, but could he get some cool weapons to go with it?

You bet! Lame BR costume or dual wield some badass cleavers? Far cooler to look like you could maim someone in my opinon. So he spent a few minutes browsing the assortment to pick out his perfect weapon combo while Gabe and I went to find his costume to try on. He comes over to where we are carrying two of these:



Me: Wow.. those are actually very cool. So you are going to dual wield those?

B: Yeah.. they are awesome.

Me: How are you going to carry your candy? Do you think maybe just one would be better so you have a free hand?

B: (thinks a minute) No .. I will find a container I can put over my wrist some how so I can still have two axes.. I think it looks much better if I have one in each hand.

Me: Fair enough .. you go ahead and get both.

B: SWEET!

Gabe came out with the pants on his outfit about a foot and a half too long and everything a little big, but we'll make it work. So off we go. Quick stop at Target to pick up a few things and then the kids are complaining about being hungry. So across the street is a place we seldom eat as there isn't one close to us. Taco Bell. We grabbed dinner quick with the kids taunting each other on how much and what level of hot sauce they were willing to put on their food.

We drive home and I ask Gabe to get the mail while B and I unload. He finds letters from Nana and Grandad in the mail. They open the cards with halloween jokes in them. My mom had made up and additional joke as well. Something about where ghosts go to eat and the answer? "TaaaaaCoooOOOooo BeeellLLLLlll" (say it in a spooky ghost voice).

See many years ago.. and for the life of me I can't even remember why now, Gabe would say that he wanted to go eat at TaaaaCooooOooo BeeeellLLLll in a ghost voice when it was around halloween. I don't know how it started or where it came from, but he did it so often that season.. every time he would see one, or hear a commercial or anything. It stuck. My mom thought it was the funniest thing and to this day.. years later, it sticks with her still. Thus the joke to mention it again in his card.

Gabe just HAD to call Nana right away. He thought it was the coolest thing ever that he got the card after we had just eaten there for the first time in probably over a year. Funny coincidence, but to G it was imperative to call Nana right then to tell her about the experience. After Gabe talked for a bit, I actually got a chance to talk to my parents as well.

Convo with my Dad:

Dad: So is it snowing there yet?

Me: Actually.. it did snow today. Just some big flakes. Light flurries and nothing stuck.

Dad: Yeah.. umm.. it was 147 here today.

Ok.. maybe he said "93" and not "147" .. but really, it's almost November. 93 is as absurd as 147 at this point! Oh how I don't miss the desert. I miss being closer to my family for sure, but I sooooo don't miss Phoenix.