Spooktacular

Our Halloween season began just a day after we got back from vacation. We went to the pumpkin farm with some friends. This was before Nicco's field trip and he didn't especially want to go with our friends because he didn't want to spoil the school sponsored excursion. We didn't especially want to go because we just got back from our trip and still had unpacking and laundry to do.

 

But, our friend has a very unpredictable schedule and we knew this might be the best chance for fun together so off we went.

The kiddos climbed to the top of the huge and giant Straw Mountain. 

USA! USA! USA!

They bet on blue in the piglet races.

They tried to feed the animals at the petting zoo, but for some reason, the animals just weren't all that hungry.

I'm sure it had nothing to do with the never ending stream of people shoving cups full of food in their faces.

They bounced on the bouncy pillow.

They raced around the hay track in these carts. We tried to discourage Nicco because it looked like work and I had this funny feeling that he would get frustrated and mad. And, sure enough, after his foot slipped off the pedal twice and it was hard to get going again, I had to push him around the track. Irritating. Oh well.

 

The Daddies showed the kids how it's done:

We rode a big truck out to the dusty pumpkin fields and found our perfect pumpkins.

The kids were dusty, tired, and satisfied. Success.

 

There was also a zip line...Nicco couldn't resist. His review? Not as fun as the Monkey Jungle. I guess we'll have to go back! (To the monkey jungle, I mean. Not the pumpkin farm.)

That child of mine loves all holidays. He loves all celebrations. He counts down from one to the next and is always looking forward to whatever is coming up. So, in spite of my natural minimalist tendencies, I try my best to do fun and exciting things for my kid around holidays.

 

I made mummies for dinner:



 And ghosts in the graveyard for dessert.

 I thought these spooky treats were clever and fun. Nicco was not impressed. "Mom," he said, "Those are just hot dogs in bread with ketchup. They are not mummies and blood and bandages."

I brought out dessert and told him it is spoooOOOoooky...GhooooOOOooosts in the graveyard...ooooOOOOoooh. He said, "Mom, you're not scaring me at all." I was tempted to turn off all the lights and set him in front of the Michael Meyers Halloween movie marathon. You want scary, buddy, I'll give you scary. I chose not to traumatize my sassy little boy after all. But I wanted to.

We walked around the neighborhood trick-or-treating. I love Halloween in Arizona. We were in shorts and t-shirts, and many of the neighbors were out on their patios or in their driveways greeting the kids. So fun and friendly.

My little Mario was a hit again. At one house a couple of teenage boys told him "Awesome Mario costume, Dude." Nicco whispered to me, "I can't believe teenagers called me dude!" I think he was a little bit proud.

Speaking of teenagers, we went to Burger King for lunch the other day. We had the play place all to ourselves, which I think is great. Nicco wished for someone to play with. Then we saw a family with two older kids walking towards the play place...slowly approaching...Nicco quickly hid behind a slide. When they sat down at the table just on the other side of the door, my boy came out and said, "Phew! That was close." I said I thought he wanted someone to play with. He said, "Not teenagers Mom. Teenagers."

 

This morning as we walked along the sidewalk to school Nicco told me that 6th grade is when it starts getting bossy. Kindergarten, first grade, and the lower grades are pretty good, but the older grades are bad.

 

Why, I asked.

 

You guessed it, Teenagers.

 

ooooOOOOoooo....Spooky.

 

Happy Halloween!