Trick-or-Treat

Every year since TJ was a baby we have ALWAYS taken the kids trick-or-treating.  I remember having so much fun as a kid doing this and wanted to pass it on to my kids.  My parents (and church) always made it such a fun "holiday" that I never even knew that some think it is bad.  I guess you make it what you want it to be.  My Dad LOVES Halloween - he always made it enjoyable.  Growing up in the country, my Dad just took us around the neighborhood and to family members.  I still remember going to my Great Uncle John and Aunt Shirley's house - we always had to do a trick before we could get a treat!  And then we would go to Maxine's house - she always gave those black and orange wrapped candies.  Us girls didn't care for them, but I've come to find out that Dad liked them - so I think that was part of the reason we always went there!  Well since having kids - we have done a variety of things.  We first started out just going to family (remember TJ was born in August so his first Halloween he wasn't even old enough to eat candy!).  Then as our kids got older (and we had more) we joined forces with my younger sister and her kids.  We would try to coordinate their costumes - my favorite was the year we dressed TJ, Anthony, Carson and Lane as the Wizard of Oz!  Then as our kids got into school - a paper got sent home about a local church that was doing an alternative to trick-or-treat.  You could dress up if you wanted - come play games and get candy!  We did that a couple years.  Then the last three or four years we actually walked around New Sharon and went door to door (to those people we knew)!  We've had a lot of fun over the years.  This year I was the one that didn't want to go.  I am not exactly sure why - but just wasn't in the mood for it.  The kids kept talking about getting costumes and I kept putting it off.  Finally at 5:00 on Halloween night I caved and we decided to take the kids trick-or-treating!  Thankfully, Anthony and Charlie were content with wearing their football uniforms and Will wanted to be a farmer.  It all worked out and I didn't have to spend any money on costumes!  We walked around to a few houses in New Sharon (once again those that we know), did the trunk or treat at a local church and decided to head for home.  We had gotten PLENTY of candy so we quit in time to still get the boys home at a decent time for bed!

 
Farmer Will (wearing TJ's work boots, Jon's pliers & hat),
Charlie - Jets football player and Anthony a Falcons football player!
 
 
 
This would have been TJ's last Halloween.  Charlie (Jeff Gordon), Will (cowboy), Anthony (Vikings football player),
Lane (Hawkeye football player), Gavin (dinosaur), TJ (Carson's bodyguard), Carson (rock star).  We had fun that year!

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