My 1st Halloween

Preface: I'm not a big Halloween person. I used to fake it but last year when I managed to be out of the country for Halloween I decided to quit faking it and just own up to not being into costumes, gothic stuff and or fake serial killers. I am, however, really into cute kids in fun costumes and really into candy. Especially candy.

Tonight was my first Halloween as a homeowner. Opening my door to creatively costumed kiddos from my neighborhood. I learned several important Halloween homeowner lessons.

1. Sitting on the front porch with a glass of wine is absolutely the best way to give out candy. First, you have a glass of wine. Second, you do not have the puppy-and-door dance every four minutes. Definite winner.
2. Five bags of candy isn't as much as it sounds like. When you live in a starter-neighborhood in suburbia USA, consider purchasing 6-7 bags. Everyone has kids here! Oh and lots of chocolate. Ross is the only person in the world who doesn't want the chocolate candy. Everyone else goes for that first.
3. Big kids are punks. Besides some pretty lame costumes (hello your pink button-down with jeans is not a costume. Heck, even your little league jersey with jeans is not a costume), big kids can be greedy. At 7:20 I had only seen little kids, all accompanied by very loving, watchful parents. I took the liberty to run inside for a potty break -God forbid- and to close the blinds to help calm Lexi. I swear on a stack of Girl Scout Cookies I was not inside a second longer than four minutes. During that four minutes someone (ie big kids) practically emptied out my entirely full bowl of candy. Now that is just mean. First, Halloween is not meant for you and your lame costumes, big kids. Second, that is greedy. Third, you are abusing someone's kindness. Fourth, you really ticked me off. I called Mom furious that by 7:27 I had given out the 10 pieces of candy those punks left me and my dream of greeting trick-or-treaters in front of my first home had been crushed. Mom told me to get in my car and drive the mile to HEB for more candy. I did and it was good advice. I purchased two bags and it provided me another 25 minutes of Halloween bliss. (Even at 1 piece per kid, that stuff flew outta my bowl.)

I ended up with nearly 90 minutes of candy-distribution time (including the HEB trip) and enjoyed most of it (I did not enjoy the 15 minutes following the candy-thieving that caused me to restock. Do you think I can file a claim with my homeowner's insurance for this robbery??).

Next Halloween I will...

1. Buy more candy.
2. Never leave it unguarded.
3. Continue to sit on the porch with a glass of wine and fun magazine. Perhaps add queso to the mix.
4. Give the best candy to the cute kids in the most creative costumes and buy cheapo bubble gum for the lame-o big kids who show up in jeans.
5. Go costume crazy myself with something like antennae or devil-horned headband. I told you this wasn't my holiday but I suppose since I wore a headband tonight anyways, it could have had horns.
6. Possibly invest in a spooky soundtrack to add to the festivities.

Happy Halloween!