Boo!

It's Halloween, and it looks like it outside. The leaves have peaked, there are pumpkins by front doors, cobwebs strewn in the bushes, and mums of many colors on display.

Ian is an owl! Found this hat on Etsy, which you should check out if you haven't.

My folks had a bonfire at their house, and had family and friends out. It was chilly, but felt great next to the fire. The brush pile had been in the makings for 2 years, it was about 20 feet in circumference. They lit it early in the afternoon, and my dad said at one point it was so hot you couldn't get within 20 feet of it! By the time we got there it had turned into three smaller fires.

We roasted hot dogs and s'mores.

My dad's hat came from Australia, my grand parents brought it to him about 20 years ago. I just learned that this weekend.

My brother has 4 kids, the youngest of which is 3. She is the only girl, and she is very much so a little girl. She wore a pink jumpsuit with "princess" printed across the front. Later in the evening she was sitting by the fire, eating a s'more. She had removed the chocolate, and was eating it by itself. The marshmallow and graham cracker were in her other hand. A while later I noticed she was just sitting there holding the graham cracker/marshmallow, the chocolate now gone.

Me: N, are you not going to finish you s'more?

N: Here (she holds it out to me)

Me: Are you done?

N: Yup

Me: Are you sure you're done? I'm going to throw it away if you're done.

N: Yup (she now puts it in my outstretched hand)

Me: Okay then, I'm going to go throw it away . . .

I start to walk away but decide to check one  more time. The last thing I want to do is cause a 3 year old meltdown.

Me: N, you are 100% sure you're done?

N: Yup! (smiles)

I walk over and dump the remains in the trash. I return to where N is sitting. She immediately looks up at me with her big doe eyes.

N: Where's s'mores?

Seriously? At least she didn't cry . . .

We won't be trick or treating this year. Most of the community has already had trunk or treats or other Halloween gatherings. I don't think many folks actually take their kids door to door anymore, which seems a little sad to me.

Regardless, we have a basket full of candy, and we'll turn our porch light on tonight. And put a light in our pumpkin.