How We Do Halloween

Every year it is the same.  The two months leading up to Halloween are soccer, soccer, soccer.  I don't even have time to think about Halloween, let alone do anything about it.  The last weekend of October is always our home field's soccer tournament.  It is a fun weekend with a Halloween theme, but it means a ton of games and our volunteer shifts.  This is how the past four days have gone:

Friday:  School lets out, construction on the drive home means it takes almost an hour, and we have to stop to buy chicken food, too.  Have a few minutes to stop at the farmer's stand down the street for each child to pick out his pumpkin.  I prepare dinner, but we don't get to eat at home.  Two kids have soccer games at 5:45, so the whole family goes to the fields.  Dinner is packed up and taken with us.   

Saturday:  6:00 wake up and get the kids and car ready for the day.  We need food, uniforms, hair and face paint (It is a Halloween tourney!) clothing for all weather, and things to keep the little boys busy.  One parent and 2 kids need to be at the field by 7:30.  Rest of us go at 9:00.  Watch games and work 2 shifts during the day, while all the while trying to keep tabs on Grandma, who is driving in from out of town to watch a few games.  Finally get to come home for a couple of hours at 2:30.  Listen to the two little boys NOT nap for an hour while we clean out the car, do chores, and regroup.  Go back to the field for a game at 5:40, which actually ended up starting half an hour late.  Got home at 7:30. 

Sunday:  Same start as Saturday, but at 10:15 head to church.  Be back for the rest of the games and volunteering.  No one gets to go home until the last game is over at 5:00.  Clean out the car we've been living out of, have some leftovers for dinner, take turns trying to get the "temporary" red hair paint out of 6 blonde kids.  Now we can turn our attention to Halloween.  Roll the pumpkins into the house to carve.  Make a big mess, clean up the big mess, collapse.

Monday:  6:00 get up and get big kids off to school.  Alternate between getting the house back in order and painting the three year old's costume.  Get a bunch of laundry done (including 3 costumes that a few of the children will be wearing tonight) and read lots of books to the little ones to make up for the neglect over the weekend.  2:00 head to school to pick up the big kids.  Stop at the fabric store to buy the material needed for the 10 year old's costume.  Stop at a Halloween store to let the 11 year old pick something out to wear.  Go to the 4:00 dentist appt. for two kids.  (Six months ago I wasn't thinking that Halloween was on Oct. 31!)  Make two appts for follow ups to pull one stubborn baby tooth and seal four deep molars.  Pick up some pizza on the way home for dinner.  5:45 get home, do chores, eat, frantically cut, pin, staple, tie, and throw together six costumes.  Light jack-o-lanterns, take photos, go trick-or-treating. 

When we got home, it was the kids' favorite part.  Throw off the costumes and prepare for "The Big Trade".  The kids organize their candy from favorite to least favorite, then start shouting out things like, "Any one want a Tootsie Roll?  (They always try to get rid of those first.)  "What will you give me for a Reese's?"  No one eats a thing until at least five trades have been made. 

To show their gratitude for all of the work I put into their soccer tournament and Halloween costumes, the children are forced to share their candy with me.  Luckily for them, I only want one type of candy.  I must have their Butterfingers.  Notice anything with the "take" from this year's trick-or-treating?

Not one Butterfinger.  For the first time in 13 years, not one person handed out Butterfingers.  How is this possible?  I don't buy them, because no one comes to our house.  (We learned that our house was known as the haunted house.  Kids dare each other to walk up our long driveway to knock on the door.  No one ever gets farther than halfway up the drive.)  I rely on our neighbors to hook me up.  Granted, they don't know that I rely on them, but still. 

Finally, the candy is put away, the kids drag themselves upstairs to get ready for bed, and the hubby and I get to relax, aka sleep. 

Finally, on Tuesday, I rest.  Ha!

Have a lovely, deadline-free day!