Buckets of Fun: Halloween 2012

Photo Essay

Charlotte had a lot of costumes to chose from this year, and we helped her narrow her choices down to two. She had to decide if she wanted to be a "Pirate Princess" or a "Fire Fighter". You can see which costume won.

 I suppose some people would balk at dressing a girl in an allegedly male costume, but it didn't bother us in the least. When Daphne asked Charlotte if she was sure that she didn't want to be a pirate, Char replied, " No. I will rescue people." Moments like that make me swell with pride.

But I was surprised how many people gave Char a "thumbs up" when they saw her.

Knowing Iowa Octobers, Daphne also knew this was a great costume. The uniform is heavy with layers, and its already equipped with reflective strips. Saturday's high temperature was hovering around the upper 40's, but we added some leggings and a hat, and we were off to the Blank Park Zoo's "Night Eyes".

You can't see it, and Char doesn't care, but I think it's pretty cool that my daughter is wearing a vintage stocking hat from the 1980 winter Olympics.

It's a good thing Char chose the fire fighter outfit; she would have been a pirate anyway.

She got to hang out with the Peanuts' Gang.

And she led Mom out of another hay bale maze. 

We spent an hour at the zoo, and then we headed over to McDonald's for dinner. It was Char's first Happy Meal, and she was very pleased with the french fry container, "That is Charlotte sized!"

After dinner, Mom added a hoodie beneath Char's costume, and we ventured out into the night, under its Harvest Moon.

Next was a visit to the Living History Farms' Annual Family Halloween: "Horse-drawn wagon rides, marshmallow roasts, storytellers, scarecrow and jack-o-lantern displays delight all during this non-scary family event. Children aged 12 and under can trick or treat through town, and we'll have free pop and popcorn for all! Costumes are welcome and encouraged!"

Char met some real fire fighters at the entrance. The guys were more than willing to pose with Charlotte, but she was having none of it. As soon as the guys took a knee, she bolted. The fireman closest to her remarked, "Stranger danger. Smart girl."

We tried to roast some marshmallows, but someone was too impatient for any of the actual roasting. Oh well, it was getting late anyway. We skipped the wagon ride, grabbed two small bags of popcorn, and headed for home.

On Sunday afternoon we headed over to the Historic Valley Junction's Pumpkin Walk for round three of trick or treating. It was brisk, but we left the stocking hat at home. 

By the end of the weekend, Char had taken in quite a haul. Her bucket is over six inches tall, and it's full to the brim.

This is also a bucket full of temptation. "According to a poll by the National Confectioner's Association, ninety percent of parents admitted to sneaking candy from their kid's bags," J is for Jack-O'-Lantern. Man, I'd love to reach in there and snag that Kit Kat bar, or dig around until I'd unearth a Snickers (the champion of all candy bars), but I don't dare. Sooner or later, Charlotte would notice. She's got her mom's knack of knowing when I've been up to something. 

Remember those bags of popcorn? By the time we got home from the haunted history farm, oil stains had crept across the surface of the white paper. I knew that the popcorn would soon be stale, so after Charlotte went to bed, I ate it while watching TV.

Of course, the first thing Char asked about on Sunday morning was those bags of popcorn. She could see that her candy bucket was untouched, but the bags were gone.

It's my mantra: "Don't Even Try, Brent. The Girls Will Catch You."