Candy Corn and Chaos

Today was epic in all the ways that a rollercoaster ride boosts you off of your seat or the egg scrambler whisks you all around.  From a rushed morning to get Anna on the bus to sleepy boys that didn’t want to wake, the entire morning just felt, well, honestly like most of our mornings 😂. We managed to get everyone off to school, work, pre-school, grans house and work (mornings that start before 10 am are for the birds y’all, but hello life unless it’s summer - at least in Ellisland).  

We got home and let me tell you there was fluent sass being spoken in our house. Maybe not sass - let’s call it spunk. Anna and D were jazzed to go trick or treating.  Now comes the fun part.  We needed to run to The pharmacy for a script and the drive through line was LONG (first world problems I know) but no biggie -improvise, adapt and overcome- I decided to run in with the three rascals.  Unbuckle everyone from their seats, popped Jamesey in the carrier on my back, laid my car keys on a car seat to make sure Jamesey is securely settled and Anna closed the car door. With my wallet inside. And the keys inside. And my cell phone.  And oh, did I mention I had already hit the lock button? 🤦🏼‍♀️ yup. I’ll pat myself on the back here - kept my cool.  Didn’t freak out one iota.  Because we’re a block and a half from my parents house and as long as I can get there with the rascals I can get a lift back to the house to get my keys.  So the monkeys and I (Jamesey on my back and holding hands with Anna and David) we walked over to my mom and dads.  Long story made short, got back to the house got the keys and got back to the house with the kids and rushed through dinner to dash off to trick or treating. And can I just tell you, never again will I lay the car keys on the seat! Pockets Joy! Always in the pockets! Or maybe the roof of the car. 

While the kiddos were eating dinner I was in the ‘get their costumes laid out so they just get dressed and we go’ mode.  I had planned ahead (like a good little event planner) and had put all the pieces of their costumes in one place after trunk or treat last week because I knew (intuition, previous experience and all) that we would be running at least 20 minutes behind schedule to meet everyone.  Well, never underestimate a 3 year old and their ability to hide things and make you question your own sanity.  Like a crazy person I was ransacking the place I KNEW I had stored everything but it wasn’t there.  And then I wasn’t sure - did I really put there or maybe I just thought I did.  So I started checking all of the other places where maybe, just maybe I had actually stored things.  Nope - no such luck. Because, drum roll please, turns out the three year old was so excited during the week to find all the pieces together when he stumbled on my little storage space that he ravaged the treasure trove and made off with his costume only to leave pieces scattered round the house! Yikes! Nevertheless, she persisted and we tracked down the wayward costumes, finished dinner and piled in the car to track down massive quantities of candy.  

Now trick or treating was epic.  First off, can we talk about how it was 70 degrees in South Central PA on October 31? Glorious- weather like this is just one example of how much God Loves us.  We connected up with a bunch of friends and their friends to tour and treat our way through a nearby neighborhood. Let me tell you this neighborhood was decked out and celebrating! The rascals had a blast.  Jamesey (sweet boy) was perfectly content to chill in the double stroller and just loved being outside.  Anna and D were in their element collecting treats.  Can I tell you - my fit bit was happy after trick or treating! We all got our exercise meandering the hills of PA! And seriously, such fun with friends!  Old friends and making new friends.  Just so perfect.  Can I tell you my favorite quotes? 

Brooke (mom of a trick or treater) yelling to kids "Make good choices." Becca: "You mean like Reese’s?" 

David (at 7:30- fading fast despite all protest to the contrary) " have we gone to 100 houses?"

All the laughs! Now, rascals are in bed and it’s time to wind down.  Here’s hoping for a quiet night and a day filled with fewer catastrophes than today!  Happy Halloween all!