Halloween Fun!



The big day is tommorrow, but the kids and I have been getting our Halloween on all week.  Last weekend, we went to pumpkin patch at Frootogo, and picked our own pumpkins.  We rode a tractor to the field and chose two (one for William and the other for Jadzia) gorgeous orange specimins, with wart-like bumps on them.  I can't wait to see them carved. (Though they are on my front step, so they won't be safe if the bike theif comes by again).

On Monday, my friend Columbia hosted a Halloween party.  She decorated her appartment to insane levels, made Halloween snacks (including delicious mummy and owl cupcakes), and lead a dress-the-skeleton craft. William was a skeleton and Jadzia and I wore matching Star Trek outfits.

Thursday was Trick-or-treating night at the Mapleview Mall (see pic above).  William dressed as a skeleton, Jadzia dressed as a nurse, and I dressed as a witch.  This is supposed to be a safe alternative to trick-or-treating for the little ones, but the mall is so crowded that the danger of getting lost/trampled is far greater than the danger faced on my quiet street.  Technically, I suppose there's no cars to run you over in the mall, but there's plenty in the parking lot.  Anyway, we managed to stick together. We also got a nifty flip book that features the kids and I jumping around like goofs for five seconds. We ate dinner in the food court and walked around getting free candy (seriously low on chocolate) until the kids were too exhausted to continue. Jadzia didn't quite get the concept of acquiring goodies to eat later. She asked me to open each candy as she got it, then would put the half-eaten treat in her bag when she got a new one.    When asked what his favourite part was, William said that he enjoyed jumping around on the MAPLEVIEW carpet with his friends, singing the alphabet.  Ah, yes, how festive.

Right now, Jadzia is two-fisting suckers and getting herself and me very sticky.  She has a talent for getting more goo on her than the candy actually contains.  She does the same trick with fun-sized chocolate bars.

To Whoever Stole my Bicycle

Thank you for ignoring the Chariot Double Stroller that was parked right next to it.  I guarantee that stroller is worth far more than my bike, which I'm sure you've realized by now has no resale value.  You should really have taken my helmet though, it's not that expensive and it would have protected your head if you had an accident while riding my bicycle.

I'm speaking of course of the turquoise (I say blue, my husband says green) GT Timberine that you pilfered from under my carport last weekend.  That was a gutsy move, walking right up to my front door, and I can admire that even though I don't condone your actions.

Adam has had that bike since high school (in the neighbourhood of 15 years).  When we were dating, he won a Tim Hortons Roll up the Rim and gifted his old bicycle to me.  He gave me a new seat, and new cushy handlebars.  Lately I've been riding it a lot, at least once a week, and was hoping to do a lot more riding before the ice and snow comes.

I must warn you that the police are on the case.  I filed a report with a handsome young cadet a couple days ago.  The look in his eyes told me that this theft is their top priority.

I know that there might be a perfectly good explanation for why you would take my bike.  Perhaps you were being chased by a wild animal, or murderous psychopath, and needed a getaway vehicle to ensure your chances of survival.   If that is the case, then I hope my humble bike has served you well and that your persuer never caught you.

I would still like it returned, however.  If one day I should find it safe and sound in my carport, then all will be forgiven.  Also an anonymous tip about where you've dumped it would be helpful.  I've looked around my neighbourhood, but it's difficult to cover a lot of ground on foot (instead of, you know, on a bicycle).  If you help me find my bike, I will tell my handsome young cadet to forget the whole thing.

For the rest of you reading this, if you see someone riding a 15-year-old blue or green GT Timberline, with an attachment for a Chariot Stroller, around 21 speeds, and a cushy seat and handlebars;  steal his wallet and use his cash to buy me a new bike!

William's Halloween Costume

 William wants to be a skeleton for Halloween.  He says you have to be either a skeleton or a pumpkin or a bat.  If those are the choices, I think he made the right one.  Luckily Once Upon a Child had this one for $6.50. 

Come trick-or-treat time, William predicts that the neighbours giving out candy will be so scared of him that they will say "Ahhhh!" As a child I remember wanting to be "something scary" every halloween, but people just said I was cute.  Of course, my offspring are way more intimidating than I was.

Bedtime conversation

William:  I miss Daddy.

Me: I know, me too.

William: Why do his work friends want him to work and work?

Me: They don't want to work, but they have to.  There's so much stuff to do.

William: He even has to work when it's dark.

Me: Next week should be better.  This week Daddy has to do more work than ever before.

William: Daddy always has to work.

Me: Yes, but he doesn't always have to work all the way until bedtime.  That's only sometimes.

William: Maybe he has to build a really big thing, and that's why it's taking so long.

Me: I think he has a lot of different things to build.

William: Well, what's he making?

Me: I know that he's making a plinko game for one person, and he has other things to make too.  I don't know exactly what.  You'll have to ask Daddy when you see him tomorrow.

Putting the kids to bed

Adam is working late tonight so I had to put both kids to bed.  This is normally not such a big deal.  I let William play with his toys or watch a movie or whatever while I put Jadzia down.  He's usually happy to get a few extra moments of playtime.

Today Jadzia, independent young woman that she is, did not take a nap.  So even though the kids regularly go to bed at 8:30, I decided to try and put her down at 7.  I told William my plan, but he didn't think that was such a good idea.

"Could you please put me to bed first?" He asked.

"Are you sure you want to go to bed so early?" I clarified.

"Yes."

So I put the markers away and left Jadzia to play by herself.  As William and I were engaging in our regular toothbrushing ritual, he asked if he could have a bath.  Since it was early, I agreed.  By this time Jadzia had followed us into the washroom.  I undressed both children and ran a luke warm bath that was still too "hot" for William and he refused to sit down for the first five minutes.

Once I got bored of watching them spash each other, I told them bath time was over and dried them off.  I told William that he could go play with his toys and I would put Jadzia down.  He protested.

"No, I want you to put me to bed first."

"I can read you stories first," I bargained.  "But then I have to leave right away and not lie down with you."

"And after you put Jadzia down you will come back and lie with me," he negotiated.

I agreed to his proposal since Jadzia seemed happy enough in her bedroom talking to her books.  Of course her tune had changed by the time I finished the first of William's stories.  I read the second story to the sound of Jadzia wailing and banging on her brother's bedroom door.

I promised William I'd be back as soon as Jadzia was in bed, then I turned the lights off and left.

Within 30 seconds, William was out of bed, stomping around the hallway.  When I told him to go back to his room, he began opening and closing Jadzia's door, whining, and generally being a pain.

"You promised you would stay in bed while I read to Jadzia," I reminded him.

"I'm hungry and thirsty," he whined.

Since this was one of those rare nights when he actually ate dinner, I didn't really believe him.  "You're not really hungry," I told him, my annoyed voice creeping in.

"I AM HUNGRY!"  He burst into hysterics.

"William, if you don't stay in your room while I read to Jadzia, then I will NOT lie down with you!"

Not wanting me to make good on my threat, William retreated to his bedroom, where he continued his melt down.  I apologized to Jadzia for all the commotion, then read her some books and sang to her.  Luckily, she was tired enough to not be too distracted by the tantrum going on across the hall.

When I got back to William's room I gave him a hug, then talked to him about how I couldn't be in two places at once.  He insisted that he still needed a snack. 

I got him some fish crackers and cheese and milk.  He sat at the table chatting with me, calm as could be.  I wish I could recover that quickly after a total emotional breakdown.  Of course he had to brush his teeth again, but after that he went to bed without a fight.

By 9:30, he was asleep.