I know I am a bit late posting this. Between homeschooling, working, fixing up the house and having tendonitis (which hurts big time) in my right elbow, I haven't had time to get on and do anything. I have to save my arm for work.

So anyway, here is my Halloween (Samhain as we call it) post.

This year I made Matt's costume. Mostly because I was short on cash and didn't feel like spending a ton of something that will be worn once. Matt wanted to be an "Army Man" so I bought some camo polar fleece and using a pajama pattern I already had, I made him his costume. He actually wore it all week long and to bed last night. Did I mention that it was nice and warm out so Matt was starting to sweat a little.

Note the camo socks. He said he had to be all camo. Like anyone would see those under his work boots. hehe

He stretched the neck out a little to much it seems. I borrowed the hat from a friend as I couldn't find an army hat anywhere. I did find one last night however. LOL

As tradition, we carve pumpkins every year. Normally we have them already done by this time, but I have been super busy, so we didn't get any until last night. Steve grabbed this huge one for Matt to carve (with his help of course) but as soon as they pulled the top off, they saw it was all rotted and nasty inside. So much for roasted pumpkin seeds this year. So Matt drew a face on it instead.

Love those "angry eyes" hehe

So, I head off to work as I "thought" I couldn't get it off. I fight traffic all the way there (did I mention I live near Salem, MA and that this is the one night a year the city shuts down and traffic is horrid it makes mall traffic during Christmas time look like a Sunday drive?)

So anyway, I get into work with 10 min to spare and I am walking over to my desk while my super is giving me this odd look. I look at her and go "what's up?". She was like "I thought you had tonight off?". I was like "No, I requested it off, but I was put on a waiting list.". She goes "I could have swore you had tonight off". She looks up my schedule (which is on a pain in the ass to access computer program) and said "Yup you have it off. You used blah blah for your time off." (I forget the acronym but it is for these special hours that everyone was allowed to use to take some time off because the company has so many people right now). So I was like "oh cool." She goes "Do you want to work tonight?" and I go "Not really." So she goes "Get out of here then with a chuckle." I love my super hehe.

So, getting home was easier as I was driving away from Salem traffic and I get home (after stopping at McDonalds first) with about 15 minutes to spare before the sun fully set. Steve was involved in some battle against skellys on his Puzzle Pirates game, so I started trick or treating without him. Matt and  I did most of the route before Steve finished his fight (or 15 fights as it took forever for the people to beat these 50 skellys).

Around 8pm or so, Matt was getting tired. He said his foot hurt (it probably did) but when he said "This is the last house" when we were three streets away from our house, I knew he was tired. So we get home, and like always, I sorft through his candy, with his help, to find any opened or homemade (which I haven't seen in years) or any recalled candy. There was only one piece that needed to be thrown out.

So while I finished watching "Ghost Hunters Live", Matt went into bed and watched the "Goosebumps" marathon that was on Cartoon Network. He loved them and said they were kind of scary (nothing scares this kid I swear).

Earlier in the day, Matt and I set up our "Remberance Table". Nothing like your 8 year old telling his friends we have an altar set up in the house. I didn't put anything on it except candles and the photos of our lost loved ones. As Halloween (Or Samhain) is all about remembering and honoring those we have lost, we looked through old photo albums and watched my passed inlaws on dvd. As we remembered each one, we lite a candle that would stay lite until midnight (although we did blow them out when Steve came out trick or treating. Don't need to burn the house down while we aren't there.

If you wish to learn the truth behind this sacred holiday, please check out this website: The History of Halloween. It was written by a pastor who actually took the time and did his research and found out what this holiday is all about and where it originated.

It is not about devil worship, we do not sacrifice animals or virgins, there is no "Dread Lord Samhain". Samhain comes from Celtic meaning summer's end. That is all Halloween is. It is the last harvest festival of the year. It is the end (or death) of one year. It is also known as the Witch's New Year for that very reason. It is also said that the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at its thinnest. It is at this time when we are able to contact our loved ones.