The Spirit of Halloween

Happy Halloween! I hope all you ghosts and goblins (and zombies, how can I forget zombies) are being safe and having a great time. Speaking of zombies, my son and daughter are both participating in something called Fright Nights at Glade, a haunted attraction in the area. It runs every Friday and Saturday during October and on the 31st, rain or shine, or snow, they've had snow before. Here's my son, Michael, guess what role he landed for this month? 

This is after a Saturday night of scaring tons of people, he's tired and in pain. The attraction for him is Zombie Lazer Tag. He takes his role seriously, so much so that when he gets shot and falls down, he doesn't cushion his fall. His elbows and knees look like they belong on a zombie.
 



My daughter is part of 3-D Nightmare, it's about a circus that goes wrong. Yes, you got it right, clowns! And it's in a blacklight setting with strobes and neon. I'm sorry I don't have a shot of her in that outfit. But what I do have is the subject of my post today! 


My daughter, Maeghan, saw some of the images that Mikey and the Crochet Crowd have posted on their site of the Red Heart pattern for a top hat. She decided she wanted one and this is it! I followed that pattern (posted here) and added embellishments that spoke to me. She decided that her costume for school today was going to be one that small children wouldn't be afraid to approach. Just so you know, she works with the Children's Ministries at our church and she loves little kids. Her motto this year was "What about the little kids? Everyone wants to be something gory or scary or too sexy. I'm going to dress up as something small children can appreciate." How can you not love a 16 year old that refuses to wear something inappropriate where small children can see it.

Unfortunately, in the rush of getting ready this morning, I failed to get the whole outfit, but it consisted of an orange shirt, black pants, black boots and this hat. Her idea, "I'm the Spirit of Halloween." She explained it so well that it brought back memories of when I went Trick or Treating. It went something like this: "No one should be afraid to eat their candy or even to walk up to the door of a neighbor. No parent should be afraid that a pedophile is going to steal their child away. We should all be able to have a good time, no, a great time, without hurting others, destroying property or feeling like we have to refuse a candied apple. That's just not what Halloween is supposed to be about. Besides, I like candied apples!" She can get on a soapbox from time to time and this was one of those times. I have to applaud her for being herself and not caving in to what society screams at young girls.

I am blessed beyond measure. I have a husband that endures my craftiness, a daughter that's about to make me a Nana, a son that takes his job of providing entertainment to others with a seriousness the adults aren't displaying and a baby girl that's proven to me this week that she's not a baby anymore.

I pray Peace and Blessings on all you have and do,
~~Karen~~