turn the lights on...

Happy Halloween, everybody!

As many of you know, Halloween is one of our favorite days of the year (see this article why it's called the Christian's "second most important holiday") and we are ALL about celebrating it in the neighborhood!  (I love this video from Desiring God Ministries: When Halloween Demands a Gospel Explanation)

It's an amazing holiday, indeed.

This year we had Elsa, the ice queen, (from Disney's hit movie, "Frozen") and a football player.  Though Jameson is a man of few words, one thing he ALWAYS clearly communicates to us when he watches a football game on tv is how badly he wants a helmet!

So today was his lucky day.

I'd say both of them were in heaven.

playing football in the front yard

Caroline and Leah have been together every Halloween of their lives thus far, and we weren't going to let a little across-town move stop the tradition, so we headed over early to do our annual trick-or-treating down our old street.

Anna and Elsa waiting for candy

 As these girls were literally RUNNING from house to house with excitement...

 ...this guy wanted to immediately enjoy his stash of candy.  (ha!)

 It was SO sweet to see Jameson figure out the if-I-hold-out-my-bucket-they-put-candy-in-there process.  Even though he was quite a bit slower than big sis, he still loved it at his own pace!

So once our trick-or-treating was over, we headed home to experience Halloween in our new neighborhood.

And boy, can you say DISAPPOINTMENT.

Maybe it's because there aren't that many little kids around here.  Maybe it's because our neighborhood is slowly on the "up."  Maybe it's because people are poor and don't have excess money to buy candy.  Maybe it's because most of those that do participate in Halloween go to more affluent neighborhoods or alternative events.

Whatever the reason, we were sad to see our new community so dead on one of the most lively and potentially "neighborly" evenings of the year.

Less than 5 porch lights were on, and you better believe, we went to every single one of them.  (one house had it's light on accidentally, ha!)  We shook hands and met the neighbors.  We were their only trick-or-treaters of the night.  Some said we were the only trick-or-treaters they've had in YEARS.

(Sigh.)

Not acceptable, people.  This place can do so much better!

So the work is cut out for us next year.  Somehow, we've got to start bringing Halloween back to this neighborhood!

 Nevertheless, I've got two kiddos who had a great evening of fun dress-up and sugar highs.

(not to mention, they got a ton of exercise in the process!)

Seeing the joy on their faces couldn't have made me any happier.

I love Halloween.