I learned a few things as I searched high and low for the elusive Halloween photos.
The first thing I learned is that I really, really need to sit my butt down and go through my boxes and boxes of old photos and get them organized. Because I took pictures of the kids every year - every. single. year. - and yet there are missing photos of Halloween costumes. Which is extremely frustrating.
I learned that my photography skills have definitely improved as the years have gone by!
I also learned that while I may like to remember the costumes that I made and created, the reality is that apparently I bought an awful lot of tacky costumes in the store.
In my defense though, I think I remember a couple of adorable Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes and a couple of kids who threw fits because they HAD to be Darth Vader and Laa Laa and a stressed out mommy who burst into tears of frustration and said, "FINE!" and capitulated. Gracefully, of course.
I learned that sometimes it might be better to just buy the stupid, tacky store bought costumes than to create costumes from outfits grandparents brought back from Chinatown.
Because you just might end up with a photograph of unhappy children that looks like a mug shot.
I learned that when your son reads Master and Commander in the fourth grade and is determined to base his Halloween costume on the character in the novel, it will be expensive. Even when you only rent the costume, it will be expensive.
(But oh so cute!)
I realized that the apple truly has not fallen far from the tree!
And I learned that some costumes are awfully predictable. Or perhaps this is more of the apple not falling far from the tree?
I learned that I miss the excitement of getting on costumes. I miss trying to get the kids to eat something semi-healthy before they head out the door to ring doorbells and shout "Trick or Treat" and giggle uncontrollably in excitement with their friends.
I miss seeing that sparkle in their eyes and the enjoyment they got out of pretending to be something amazing for one evening - whether it was a pilot, or a sparkly, purple fairy, or Darth Vader or Laa Laa, or even Chinese criminals getting their mug shot taken.
I miss it.
And, yes, I miss the leftover chocolate candy too!
