H.alloween finish line...

I love Halloween... I really do!

But, this year, I found myself crawling across the H.alloween finish line at month's end. Moving into our new house at the beginning of the month probably had a significant impact on my exhaustion level. But, I found myself not being able to keep up with all of the various Halloween related events and volunteer situations that go hand-in-hand with having 2 kids in elementary school and one in preschool.

The H.alloween to-do list included:
* Decide costumes and actually purchase them. I know this doesn't sound like a big item, but it becomes an issue when you're so tired from unpacking that every night you forget to ask your kids what they want to be. And, when you finally remember to ask them... you then have to find time to actually place the order online. When you're exhausted at the end of every day from unpacking and organizing and your husband is traveling 4 days a week... the last thing you think to do before bed every night is ordering costumes. So, of course I end up placing a rush-delivery costume order at the 11th hour! Ugh!

* H.arvest Festival event at elementary school. It's one of the school's biggest fundraisers. So, you know... parents are asked to either donate items in the weeks prior and/or your time at the event. And, the day before the event... you find out your kindergartner is supposed to perform at the event. Oh, and the kids are supposed to wear their costumes (you know... the costumes that haven't arrived yet because you suck and just ordered them last night). And, then you go spend loads of money on games and sugar and other crap food that just makes your kids get all fired up and crazy and you come home exhausted and looking at the clock in disbelief that it is SO FAR from bedtime (the kids going to bed, that is)... because you just need TWO MINUTES to chill on the sofa without having to provide butler service to anyone.

* H.arvest Festival at the preschool. Oh yeah... this is the one you so generously sign up to assist at the pumpkin painting station, thinking how wonderful it will be to participate in the fun. And, when you arrive 5 minutes prior to your scheduled volunteer shift... you realize that nobody told you (being the new mom & child at the school)  you should have arrived a half hour prior to that. Why? Well, because you missed the two darling H.alloween songs that all the children sang to the parents! Oh, and when the teachers told all the preschoolers to "go find their parent"... you were the only parent (or set of parents) not there to participate in your child's fun Ha.rvest Festival. Seriously... I think I won the mom of the year award (again!). Thankfully, Giuliana seemed unphased. Granted, I am still reeling with guilt. Ugh!

* Pumpkin Carving! Yay! No... actually, no... it was not fun! Dan chose to do this on his birthday - the day before Halloween... which also happens to be a school night. Oy! It exhausted us and I think we actually only carved three pumpkins that night! We had crying and fighting and drama over not liking the design chosen to be carved, and pumpkin guts everywhere (and I mean EVERY where!), etc. And, to put the exclamation point on how un-fun it was... we were scrambling on H.alloween day to carve the 4 other pumpkins in between dropping kids off and picking them up and watching the Halloween parade, and karate and dance... all prior to trick-or-treating. Jeesh! (Poor Dan!! I felt awful for HIM because his birthday was just pure chaos. Next year... I am hiring a babysitter and we are going out to dinner.... just him & I.)

* Hall.oween preschool party. Yay! I remembered to send Giuliana to school in costume and she loved it! Super fun to see her so excited about another opportunity to wear her costume. And, I was able to see the look on her face when she saw her friends in costume too... so fun! Oh, and I remembered to take home her decorated pumpkin from the Ha.rvest Fe.stival.

* H.alloween costume parades. Extremely important event as your child WILL LOOK for you in the crowd. Oh, and you MUST REMEMBER to dress your child in costume for school that day... and not allow them to bring their weapons (which, for all little boys... this seems to be THE most important/favorite part of their costume). Your little boy will insist it is ok to bring their pirate sword. You will insist it is not ok. Repeat x100. Finally, you win (just before passing out from explanation exhaustion).

* Ha.lloween kindergarten party. SO proud of myself for remembering to bring in the package of 36 string cheese, as assigned by the teachers. Woot! I was feeling a tad bit guilty for not jumping at the chance to volunteer, when asked 458 times... but turns out that on party day, my husband allowed me to go the parade while he watched the two little kids. So, I snuck into the class party...to get a peak before the festivities started... and it looked SO FUN! So, I of course got suckered into helping at one of the activity tables. Oh, and of course it is the art table! So, I actually have to pay attention, clean up, and help the children make ghost skeletons. (Ugh! I mean... ghosts don't even HAVE skeletons! What are they teaching kids these days!). All the while, I am hoping Dan isn't supposed to be jumping on a super important conference call, and instead he has two children pulling on his legs and begging him for drinks and snacks and attention. Oy! I was so stressed while helping out that Dan was going to be so upset with me for being away longer than I had planned... that finally when another mother offered to help at the art table, I passed the ball to her and took off running home!

* Ha.lloween 2nd grade party. I really wish I could have popped in to Gabby's party too... but I couldn't! And, who even knows what time her party started and/or if I was supposed to send her to school with any supplies for the class party. I think I was in the clear. But, ignorance is bliss, right?!

* And finally TRIC.K or T.REATING!! Ok... WHY is Halloween not on a Saturday every year? Why? After school pickup, we had karate, hip hop dance class... then I had to rush children home to feed them and get them in costumes. The kids get SO EXCITED for trick-or-t.reating... and it truly is SO fun. I love watching them go from door to door with such excitement and hearing them say "tri.ck or tre.at". I love being out for an evening walk and seeing the streets so busy with people, and checking out all the costumes. It is just SO FUN! But, in all honesty, I was honestly probably lucky to still be standing by the end of the night! Gabby tuckered out first... saying she was cold and tired of walking. Rocco could have gone another hour at least. Giuliana went strong for the first 40 minutes, and then attempted to revive herself by having Dan hold her between houses. Marco was in my arms and just loved all the people watching. 

This year, I got to the point where I was SO EXCITED to just make it through Halloween trick-or-treating and wake up the morning of November 1st knowing I didn't have to do one more Halloween related errand or event. (

Bring on N.ovember!!