All Hallows Eve

Halloween has always looked a bit different each year for us.  They were still fun celebrations. Still, with the holiday being oh so very American in nature, and our family living in various parts of the world, it wasn't always what I experienced growing up.  But, with it also being MadHatter's favorite day of the year since her very first trick or treat at 10 months old (it even surpasses Christmas), we have always tried to make the most of it. 

The first few were pretty typical - 

Trick or Treating with Mama as a Panda.

The next year a 4-month-old Stinkerbell joined the neighborhood trick or treat in her own way.

Along with a trick or treat at Disneyland!

Which we then did the next year (Disney rocks at holiday parties) again.

And then we moved to South America.  Where you can trick or treat, but it doesn't mean that anyone will give you candy.  And if they do, you will get it from behind the driveway fence and not from the front door.  And all of the people in the house will come out to stare at you.

We did that again for the next year...

And then got tired of walking miles just for a few pieces of candy, so we trick or treated in Papa's office where it was just walking from one office to the next.

And once again, we moved.  To another place where Halloween doesn't really exist per se but where the ex-pat community willed it into being.  We started with Trunk or Treat in the school parking lot and then moved on to the American styled expat neighborhood just outside the gates.  Because this was where 90% of American expats in Prague lived, you would have to fight hundreds of kids for candy while going door to door.

Our two Halloween years living in Prague.

And then we moved again.  Of course, we did.  To a city that doesn't have an expat neighborhood or a school with a parking lot to trick or treat in so this time, we spent it at Spooky Day at school sometime during the week of Halloween as the 31st usually fell during Fall Break when we had no school.

And since it was during Fall break that year, we went to Prague and trick or treated with friends we had just left a few months before.

One final Spooky Day at school in Germany.

Last year saw us moving home just before Halloween.  I was afraid that being in the U.S. for Halloween and not knowing anyone (the girls had just started school 3 days earlier) would not live up to the expectations.  And then MadHatter found a friend in the neighborhood and asked if she could go, alone, with her.  I was not ready for this!  Alone.  Without me.  Trick or treating.  But I said, of course (our neighborhood is super safe) and Nana and I went off with Stinkerbell.  Which means I got my fix of cuteness.

And then this year happened.  Neither of my kids wanted to trick or treat with me!  MadHatter set off with Alice to meet up with a few other friends, and Stinkerbell went (after some minor drams) around the neighborhood with her friend from across the street.  And me?  I was left home to hand out candy to the hordes.

 These two!

 They rode their scooters from door to door to make it more efficient.  Smart thinking!

I guess we have hit another milestone in our lives.  I'm ok with it for now, but the milestones keep getting bigger and seem to involve me less.  They can slow down a bit so I can keep them little for just a bit longer.