Ms P Drama: I used to really loathe Halloween BUT...

It may come as a shock to some but I'm not the biggest fan of Halloween. Never really have been as far as I can recall. That said, I really did enjoy it last night.

Why? What changed? Maybe just my attitude or the fact I actually participated in 1 kids costume hunt and had a hand in helping dress them up? Was it the humor of my dressing up? Let's explore.

Fact: I was a tad traumatized as a little kid. When in 1st or 2nd grade (could've been 3rd) my then Step Mom came dressed as a hobo clown thing in full dress and make up. Walked up to me gave me big hug in the cafeteria. Me? I screamed and cried bloody murder. I had no idea who the thing hugging me was as she didn't say hi or anything. Same lady took me to a haunted house where people popping out of coffins had me nearly peeing my pants.

Fact: Then there was the time I was in 5th or 6th grade and went to Haunted House with 2 of my new sisters (at least their Mom and my Dad may have been married at the time, possible they were still dating). The oldest sister and her boyfriend drove us. I remember calling him by the wrong name on accident and then on purpose just for the reaction. We made it through most of the Haunted House before I freaked out. Literally. We were at the end and someone fired up a chain saw. All I heard was that chain saw and saw evil looking faces. We were the last in our group at the back of the crowd. When the exit door opened I ran for my very life screaming and crying. I was the first person out and I ran clear to the next parking lot before my sisters and the boyfriend caught up to me.

Fact: Once I became a parent with a kid who was old enough to Trick or Treat I practically loathed Halloween. Tons of candy for a little one but not all holds barred to marathon eat the loot. Kind of a downer for the kid and a headache for the parents. Few years later and it's candy buckets filled to the brim times 3. With the inevitable he/she stole my candy or he/she got more than me. UGH!

Given all the above is it any wonder Halloween is my least favorite time? I mean the candy is nice and all but the rest...Yeah I can do without it.

I cannot recall ever being a part of the costume hunt for any of my kids or helping to fix them up. Nana loves to do that. I let her. I was a fuddy duddy cause I put limits on appropriateness of costumes. Espcially Sean's. He was already too obsessed with violent things and I didn't want him dressing up as an axe murder or anything. No characters from movies he wasn't allowed to watch. You get the idea. I was told it was a natural boy thing and not many seemed to think like I did. You'd have to know Sean like I know him to know how extreme he could take his rough boy games. Be it Cowboys and Indians or Transformers he went way over the top. It seemed more times than not he couldn't play nice and always had to be rough and mean. Several times kids have chosen not to play with him. Anyways...

Last year I had fun doing up the girls hair in their punk rocker wannabe dress up. Ratted out pony tails and bangs with multicolored hair spray and sparkles. Sean dressed as a viking. I have always grudingly taken them around the neighborhood but never really got caught up in their excitement.

This year, I did get caught up in it all. Nana came home with the girls costumes. They were on cloud 9 over their dresses. A good witch for Bridge and Queen for Meg. She gave me money to get Sean a costume. Sean was spouting grotesque things he wanted to be and I said age appropriate. Nana said I'm paying he gets what he wants. I said ok to her but in the car told Sean whatever he wants within reason. Meaning I had the last say, I was after all taking him. He wanted to be a ninja. No ninja things to be found. So then he nicely begged to have the skeleton with the blood costume. I shrugged and said alright. It was not as bad as some other things he looked at. And for a first time scary costume thing, not too far off my limit mark.

We had all ready but for hair stuff. So, after dinner on Sunday I begged hubs to take us to Wal Mart so I could get a few things. He wanted me to go the next day but I knew I wouldn't have time and the stores would be crazy on Halloween to boot. So we went. Boring stuff like allergy and cold meds for the kids, shampoo & conditioner for the girls, etc... Then came the fun part. I got to pick the colored hair spray! White for Sean and Bridge. I just knew Sean's hair had to be all white and B would be the perfect witch with a touch of white hair. Then multicolored glitter hair spray for the girls.

I loved the mad rush to get everyone dressed and fixed up. Spraying all that white spray in Sean's hair was fun and we both had a fit of laughter at the result. Doing up Bridge hair was something else. She knew just how she wanted it an by golly I provided. Meg, well it was little tougher for her to not fidget whilst I was trying to coerce her hair into braids. Spraying Meg's hair was much simpler since we were aiming for an over sparkled effect. Make up was fun too! I never buy special make up, just use mine. The girls love it! It's one of the few times I allow a full (or my version of it anyway) make up look.

For the first time in years I decided to "dress up". Though the kids didn't get the humor in my "costume", they loved I participated. I may have to do it again next year. The "dressing up" thing.

In the background of all the madness, Hocus Pocus was playing in the living room and Halloween music was on in my room. Hubs was grilling fajita meat for quick and easy tacos. It was crazy but fun.

After a quick dinner we all went Trick or Treating! For the first time ever hubs joined in. Walking around the neighborhood with our kids together was fantastic! They were running as far ahead as they could. We were hand in hand or arm in arm behind them. Hubs snapping pictures. Yet another reason I could totally get into this Halloween thing next year. Maybe I can even convince hubs to "dress up".

So maybe just maybe I'm coming round to liking this Halloween thing. Thanks for reading this crazy post! Enjoy our Halloween Pics below! (in no particular order)