Happy Halloween

Nicky and Avery had a great time trick or treating last night.  Kudos to the Vogelweh Military Housing Residents for going all out, even when most of us don't even live in the housing.

Last night was also bittersweet, because I know one more of my kiddos is leaving a childhood tradition behind.  It will probably be Nicky's last year of trick or treating, he made sure we knew that all night. Caught between a little boy and soon to be 13, it is a hard place to be.  The past two or three years, it has felt odd not to have Zachary with us.  And now, we will be stepping into that feeling with Nicky next year.  This Mom feels old, sad, proud and excited for everything he has coming his way as he enters this new stage of growing up.

 IF, by chance, he does decide to go next year......the decision will be purely financial.

Let me tell you about my Nicky.  He is the only child I know that comes home, divides up his "earnings", separates his "goods" , keeps what he likes and requests that I buy snack size Ziplocs as soon as possible.  He then creates gift bags and sells them at school when everyone has exhausted their candy supply, oh, in about two weeks.  Starting in first grade, when he was selling campfire starters at school, this kid has GOT to be an entrepreneur.

So, next year, maybe he will go, for all the wrong reasons, but it will be OK with me.

In 2004, I started using Picassa to hold my digitals.  Anything earlier than that, is a hardcopy photo still at the house in Newnan.  But I was able to find these two cute pics in my Picassa files.....

Look at these cuties, Peter Pan, Disney Princess and Hot Cars Racer
And below, the year StarWars was everything to my boys, and Avery as the cutest little Cheerleader!

Fast forward 8 years, and Nicky went as "Daddy" and Avery was again the "Snow Princess".  Halloween creeped up on us this year, and one of the bad things about being overseas at Halloween is that you can buy your costume at the PX, which has a limited, overpriced selection and see about 100 kids with the same costume.  Or, you can order it online, like we have done in the past.  But with moving and unpacking, we just didn't give ourselves enough time. Forgive the Iphone blurriness, I just didn't want to carry my Nikon around all night.

 
Notice that Nicky had no interest in his trick or treat bag, that Avery has.  He came prepared for his earnings, using his pillowcase!