Halloween Recap

I blogged on Halloween, but it wasn't about the actual day of Halloween.  {It was actually a fun link up party about the Seven Deadly Sins!}

So what did we do??

The day started out like a normal day.  We ran lots of errands, but we did so in black and orange attire.  Because we're festive like that.

Oh Home Depot and Lowe's.  I swear we make a trip to one of these stores at least every other day.  Welcome to homeownership!!!!  Sometimes I think we should just wire our paychecks straight to them.  

Nick spent a good 30 minutes debating the brand and type of garage sealer he'll be buying (probably not for another month or two).

We spent a few hundred dollars on blinds...and still have half the house to go.  We also picked up a two ceiling fans; one for the living room and...well we haven't decided what other room yet.  A fan we really liked was marked incorrectly.  It should have been $170 and it was marked as clearance at $40.  Of course we snatched it up.  Now it's just deciding what room will get it.  

And as no surprise, I made sure we made a stop at TJ Maxx.  I just absolutely love that store.  It's a new homes best friend!

Then we hit up the grocery store for Halloween candy.  I kid you not, Nick spent 20 minutes debating what candy "the kids" needed.  He came back to the cart with SIX bags of candy.  (Well really, nine but I made him put three back immediately).  And it was all candy he is obsessed with.  I tried reasoning with him that we did not need that much candy.  He kept insisting we did, but I know it was just because he's hoping to have a lot of each bag left over.  When I said we should go for the cheaper candy (because I'm a cheap ass), he looks at me, the most offended I've ever seen, and says, in 100% seriousness, "We're new to the 'hood.  We need to establish street cred."  I couldn't believe he was serious but I gave in and $40 later, we walked out with six bags of Halloween candy.  

Our neighborhood has designated trick-or-treating hours (6:30pm-8:30pm...after that, cops patrol the neighborhood and send the hooligans home).  We put the girls costumes on and sat outside awaiting the trick-or-treaters. 

Kids slowly started coming by.  But one of our first guests was this family.  The cooler scooter family.  They had two coolers, filled with water and beer, on motorized scooters!  They'd fly down the street (not kidding, this thing went fast!), their two kids jumped off, ran up to get their candy, hopped back on, and rode off to the next house!  Nick and I decided we're totally stealing this idea if we're still here for our shore tour.  With a neighborhood as big as ours, you need something like this to hit even half the houses!

For the first time, living in a cul de sac was not in our favor.  We were the only house in our cul de sac handing out candy.  As people would come down the adjacent street, they'd look down our street and just pass us by.  It wasn't worth walking all the way down the street, for just one house.  And I don't blame them.  We had some sad, lonely pups.  And a really sad husband as well.  I mean, how can we establish street cred if no one comes down the street?!

Thankfully, Jenny text us saying how crazy it was and that she was almost out of candy.  We told her it sucked in our cul de sac and she told us to come over.  We turned off our lights, locked up the house, and walked the .8 miles to her house.  But it took much longer than normal.  Our neighborhood was INSANE!  You see, we live in the very back of the neighborhood.  Once we made it to one of the main roads....HOLY.CRAP.   The streets were PACKED!  I felt like I was walking through the streets of Six Flags or Disney World.  No joke.  I'd always seen packed streets of trick-or-treaters in movies and thought, "That's so fake!  No neighborhood really looks like that on Halloween." I was wrong.  Ours looks like that.  

We finally made it to Jenny's with our massive amounts of candy.  We stood in the driveway because NO ONE stands at their door.  The kids are just a constant stream so there's no point.  I gave out ONE piece of candy to each kid and within TEN MINUTES, I was completely out.  IN-SANE!  I am not exaggerating when I say there were probably over 400 children out trick-or-treating.  It's as if all of Northside Jax came to our neighborhood!

And I loved it!  I was shocked at how many houses go all out with Halloween decorations at the beginning of October.  I've never seen a neighborhood get so into the Halloween spirit.  And I know I realize why.  

Despite the ginormous crowds consisting of this day and age of kids, I was shocked by the politeness.  When I would offer the bowl of candy instead of handing it out myself, kids took one piece (without me saying to do so).  Never asking for more and never taking more.  And each kid (even the ones too old to be trick-or-treating or the ones to little to fully understand the holiday), said, with eye contact, "Thank you ma'am".  I love the south!!!!

They also would walk up to Nick and the dogs, and ask "May I please pet your dogs?" before just rushing up and petting them.  Granted, my dogs love people, especially children and have never growled at a human, so it wouldn't matter if they did.  But I just love that their parents have obviously taught them the proper way to approach a dog and that you don't just assume all dogs are nice and can be pet.

Since we were out of candy early, we just went inside and drank while the girls played with their boyfriends.  We made a plan for next year.  During our walk, we saw a few family's combined their Halloweens.  They set up a table and all sat there, drinking the evening away.  That's what we're doing next year.  Posting up at a table in the driveway, cold beer in the cooler, candy for dinner.  Plus, with our two candy stashes combined (and any other friends that might join us), we'll have enough to last the entire two hour time frame!

I would also like to note I love Halloween in the south.  You don't have to worry about bundling up!  Sure, some years in Missouri we'd get lucky and it wouldn't be teeth chattering cold.  But in the south, it's always warm.  I'm talking tank top warm at night.  It was great!!!
Although, I cannot imagine college parties in the south.  Girls barely cover their nipples and asses when it's below freezing temps, so I can only imagine what girls do in warm weather.

However, I don't see these "Slutty _____" costumes anymore {thank goodness}.  My News Feed has transitioned from whores in costumes to babies in costumes.  It's now nothing but adorable children in even more adorable costumes.  Definitely another perk of growing up!  I can't get enough of kids in costumes!!!!!  It makes me ovaries ache for my little Disney Princess or Batman!

Although, the insane crowds made it impossible for me to really take a look at the costumes, which makes me sad.  I love finding my favorites.  This year, I can't remember many of them.  What were your favorite costumes you saw?  Any family-themed costumes?  We saw Batman (Dad), Cat Woman (Mom), and Robin (small toddler).  What was the most creative or unique costume you saw??


 I hope you all had a great Halloween!  I'm already looking forward to decorating my house and yard next year.  And our handing out of candy, beer in hand with friends next year!