Halloween...Just Another Day

Normally Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love everything about Halloween. All the little kids dressed up, grown ups getting in touch with their inner child dressing up along with the kids, the decorations, pumpkin carving, festivals, and of course candy. Of course I still loved all of that this year, but something was different. Very different. For one we just left Texas where the kids and I were surrounded by my family and Blue all the time to come back to our home where we have no family or friends. Second Paul had to work this year. I don't complain or mind the 24 hour shifts, I actually welcome them, but not having Paul around to take the kids trick or treating just seemed so wrong. With all the drama that has been going on here with our group of so called friends, I literally had no friends I could meet up with, without more drama happening. I didn't feel comfortable taking to kids around the neighborhood by myself, our mall didn't offer indoor trick or treating like back home, and to go all the way on base to walk up and down the streets alone with the kids just seemed super overwhelming. I know I know everyone keeps telling me how much safer the base is, but for me being alone out with my kids at night roaming around up and down the streets up to countless houses and people everywhere just didn't seem like much fun. But, I sucked it up for the kid's sakes. Got them all dressed up and ready to go. Of course once I had everyone situated and ready I couldn't locate their bags I had bought while in Abilene. So we made what I was hoping would be a quick trip to the Walgreens by our house to get a bag. Naturally it was packed and they were pretty much out of Halloween bags. The kids aren't much into the plastic pumpkin containers. I managed to find one yellow pumpkin bag and once yellow witch bag. Easy peasy I thought. Wrong again. Kailee wasn't feeling the witch bag so even though there were two witch bags and the kids could have had the same she was against it. Justin wanted the pumpkin and so did Kailee. Grrrr. People everywhere, creepy music in the background, sales associates trying to be helpful, kids bumping into me and my kids...a tap on the shoulder. I turned around super irritated because I just wanted out of there and back into my quiet car where my kids where safe and away from everyone. So this Walgreens associcate comments on how adorable the kids are. Did I choose Justin's hairstyle because he has to be the cutest little boy ever, and wow Kailee had the most beautiful green eyes she'd ever seen. I'm still looking at her like are you kidding me? Can't you tell I just want to run to the nearest exit and not be stuck standing in the middle of the walk way with my kids getting bumped into? Luckily she got to the point and explained because it was Halloween the kids could have their pictures taken and I could get a free 4X6 of each of the kids. Well, why didn't you say so in the first place. I never ever turn down an oppertunity to have my kid's pictures taken or free pictures for that matter. So off we went to have the kids stand in front of their Halloween backdrop. Justin is nervouse as always because he's not attatched to my hip and he's a while step away from me, and of course Kailee's poses it up. I swear that girl of mine is picture ready at all times. :) Now off to the register to pay and get the heck out of there.
We made it on base really quickly found a place to park and started making our way up the new base housing section. We ran into Bri and her two girls and ended up trick or treating with them for a few houses until her 5 year old kept pulling Kailee with her to houses before I could get JP back down the drive way. I was done by that point. I know i'm over protective in some people's eyes, but I don't care. My kids know they are not to go anywhere without me or to even walk without holding my hand, so for her to just grab Kailee and take off with her. I was hot. Kailee freaked out because she realized I wasn't right there and I see my poor kitty standing at the end of a drive way two houses down biting her finger nails and frantically looking for Justin and me. We caught up and Kailee couldn't stop appologizing. She was so upset when she realized I wasn't behind her and just couldn't unjderstand why her friend wouldn't slow down and wait for her. I just told her you know what stick with me and JP and you'll have just as much fun. So the kids and I slowly made our way up and down the streets collecting tons of candy. Justin's little feet don't move quite as fast as I would like. We were practically always getting knocked into or pushed to the end either because of how slow he was or because my two would let every other person go in front on them because as Kailee kept putting it to JP we have to wait our turn and be polite LOL. I got the biggest kick out of hearing Justin's little voice saying thank you every time he got candy, the aticipation on his face when someone would open the door, the smile he would get when someone would compliment him on his hair or costume, and the way he would duck his face into his bag after each candy was dropped into it. With this new hair cut I sometimes forget he's still two since he looks so much older now. And, Kailee. What can't I say about her? I mean she still makes my heart swell with pride at how mature she is. Always quick with the tick or treat and thank you. Holding on tightly to Justin's hand and making sure others didn't move him when it was their turn to get candy. Making sure he was ok when he would step down wrong and lose his footing on the curb, and always telling him it's ok little superman we don't need candy when they would come to a house that had a bowl set out with candy only to find it empty. We managed to make it almost half way back before Kailee was done. I kept trying to coax her into holding off the moodiness just a little longer by telling her how much more candy she and Justin would get. Again always with a comeback she looks at me, stops dead in her tracks, puts that hand on her hip, and as other kids and grown ups are walking around us looks me straight in the face and says "Ugh I do not want or need anymore candy. I have enough and besides it's not like I get to eat any of it anyway. You always make me hand all my candy over to daddy. So mommy once again I am done. Done walking, done going up to the houses. DONE!" Woa...I swear I just saw what the teemage years had in store for me with her. So I calmly looked at her and said honey. I cannot carry you because then Justin will want to be carried and I am not walking the half a mile we have left carrying the two of you and both of y'alls overfilled candy bags. So she suked it up and managed to be pleasant the remainder of the time. Justin cracked me up. He stayed quiet taking in all the lights, decorations and costumes but there was a point where he leaned his head on my arm as he was holding onto my hand and actually shut his eyes and was dosing off. Leson learned. A mile and a half with no stroller and two kids alone is a bit much. But we had so much fun, just us three. So... yes I missed Paul this year, yes Halloween really felt like any old day. But, being a part of another day with my kids, having the oppertunity to see them interact with just each other, witness just how much more they "got" Halloween this year made all the stress and anxiety worth it. I loaded my two tired kiddos in the car and off we went. Once we got home I let them pick one non gummy, non chewy, non hard candy to have for the night and then we put the rest in a container for Paul in the morning. They got so much candy this year. I know Paul will be stoaked!