going all out

Yesterday I heard my mother give me instructions on passing out candy at her house tonight. She and Jimmy are going out of town today and since I had already made plans for this evening my mother made arrangements that Jake and I would be in charge of passing out candy at her house.

My mom, the preschool teacher that she is, LOVES Halloween. She doesn't love all the scary stuff, or all the candy, but really just the fact that she gets to see all the cute neighborhood kids dressed up. It made her so sad to think her house would be one of those houses with no candy this year...she couldn't bear it. So these were her instructions:

Emily: I need to leave at 6:00
Mom: that's OK. If you will come over after work and be there early for when all the little comes I will get Jake to stay later.
Emily: OK, I can do that.
Mom: and if they are 2, 3, or 4 then they can get 1 thing of play-dough with a little candy.
Emily: wow! OK...

Do you all understand now? When you have a mother who gets age appropriate candy and activities on Halloween you are bound to not only love and appreciate holidays but enjoy children as well. I am fully aware of how much alike my mother and I are but when she goes all out for things like this its a reminder once again. I'm glad I'm like my mother!

On a slightly sadder note - this is the first year in 24 years that I have not dressed up for Halloween. Last year I was Mary Poppins and I'm not sure there is anywhere else to go after that. I loved being Mary Poppins. I'm not sure anything else would top that.