Happy Halloween!!

Another fantastic Halloween with my happy-go-lucky, candy gettin', racing to the door to to ring the doorbell first, "can we go to that cool house?", "feel how heavy my candy bag is" children. I had to stand back and watch, I was so proud of them, they said "thank you", they didn't fight, they were ready to quit without me telling them to and they just did a good job trick or treating. I enjoyed their excitement. Now here's the sad part, I forgot to take pictures. What the hell is that? I always take pictures. The last couple of years we carved pumpkins the weekend after Halloween, I guess that's now picture time too. "Come on kids, put your costumes back on, I'm a dumbass and forgot to take your picture before you left to trick or treat". That's not going to work. And the whole idea of carving a pumpkin after Halloween is pretty damn stupid too. They don't care though, that's the beauty of it. They just want to cut the face out and light a candle. It could be friggin' Easter, as long as they get to cut a face out and put a candle in it. Remember that shit. Remember when all that mattered was how much candy you got or how much your mom was willing to invest on making your costume. I used to start thinking about what I was going to be for Halloween as soon as Fourth of July ended, because after The 4th of July it's Halloween. We often go through the holidays in the car on the way home from whatever holiday we are celebrating at the time. "Which one's next?" my daughter always asks. I try to throw in Arbor Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day or one of my personal faves: Patriot Day (I seriously hate that fucking name...Patriot Day... it's so Republican, we might as well call it "Bush Decides to Attack Iraq and Pretend He Knows What the Fuck is Going on Day". What kind of picture for the classroom windows would the kids draw for that holiday?...) They never buy the Arbor Day/Labor Day holiday list, they care about the holidays that include candy or presents or parties. And who can blame them? I sure as shit don't. I love the holidays that include candy, presents and parties. I feel the same way they do except I sometimes have to slow down and check the account balance before I make any holiday commitments like "sure, you can be a cowboy with a real horse for Halloween...". Actually it's not even the horse that costs the most money these days... go to the Halloween store and you'll know what I mean. No longer is the hobo or the sheet wearing ghost an option. Now its fairy wings and realistic looking Star Wars costumes that cost an arm and a leg. I think next year I'll dress my kids in my old clothes and they can be a "late thirties, bitter, tired, recovering pot smoker". Na, they won't go for that. I better be ready to start saving my money because come July 5th, I've got to dress 2 kids for Halloween 2009.