Halloween, candy and parenting....

Halloween has never been a Holiday I've really preferred. We never really got into it growing up and in college, working for Res Life, we spent so much time policing the insane amounts of intoxicated students it definitely loses it's allure. The last two years as a parent Olivia did not really understand Halloween. Last year we were in Wausau. Olivia had just gotten over H1N1 so we did not do more than a few houses. This year however it has been completely different. She understands the Holiday so much more and last night we took her to "Trunk a Treat" at church. She had SUCH a blast, dressed up as SNOW White she went from car to car saying TRICK OR TREAT!!! It really was a great event! She hasn't left her princess dresses since. She originally was going to be Sully from Monsters Inc., her FAVORITE movie. But yesterday the costume which I looked a lot of places for and finally found at Once Upon a Child was not what she wanted to wear. Last minute I remembered some princess dresses my mom had given me which were Rebecca's and low and behold they fit!!!! It ended up working out perfectly!!

So last night Olivia got a LOT of candy from Trick or Treating.. I had made the decision to just let her eat a lot of candy this weekend and then it was going to disapear. I don't normally let my child have lots of sweets and should have taken this into consideration before I made this decision. Result, crabby, sugar high child who does not want to sleep. I'm not sure if I will do this again next year. Plus side, after the weekend we'll be done with the sugar high and I'm hoping she will relate it back to just being for a special occassion. Minus side is getting through the weekend.

I'm meeting up with some friends this afternoon at Cafe Latte. I'm really looking forward to having some "Adult" time. I completely love being home with Olivia but what I have found to be missing is the intellectual conversation. I'm not quite sure the solution to this issue. I've been considering going back to school and getting my masters, something that would definitely do the trick. I'd love to join a book group or maybe a mom group in the area. I'm sure that there are things like this in the area, just need to figure out where they are and how to get involved.

Overall it's been a busy weekend so far and it does not seem to have an end to the busy-ness in sight. Its one of those fantastic things about being a parent but I have found myself going to sleep right around 8 recently!

Happy Halloween everyone!!


Love, The Kangas Family :)