Halloween

Halloween is a big tradition here in Koblerland.

It all started when Finn was a baby. I wanted all three of us to dress the same theme. I figured that until Finn was around three or four, I would choose - mu ha ha - and then he'd have to take over - urgh!

So year baby, Flip and I wore our Star Trek uniforms (Hi, my name is Cindy and I'm a trekkie - "Hi Cindy") and we asked Finn's Godmother Kobbie - who wanted to do his Halloween costume - to make Finn an ensign costume. We were so cute we had to take a family photo.

And that someone says is that.

Every year, we three - and whoever else we can rope in - dress up thematically:

Year One - Star Trek
Year Two - Winnie the Pooh (He was Tigger, I was Winnie, Flip was Christopher Robbin)
Year Three - Barney (He was the purple dinosaur, I was Baby Bop - Flip was in his rebel period and went as a Wiggle???)
Year Four - The Wiggles (Finn was Greg)
Year Five - Vege Tales (Finn was the giant pickle someone, I was Bob and Flip was Larry)
Year Six - Code De Leoco (I can't spell it nor I can remember who was who, but this was when I began my "wouldn't you like to be a ghost phase...you'll see why as you read along)
Year Seven - Naruto
Year Eight - Finn took pity on us. We were ninjas
Year Nine - Mario Cart (I got to be Peach or is it Strawberry?)
Year Ten - Finn went as an actor (comedy and tragedy masks)
Year Eleven - Micheal Grimm

And we get our portrait done. Yep, we trudge into Sears, dressed in some crazy concoction and have our photo taken. The portrait people know us by now as "That family who dresses up."

But was it enough to just dress up and do the portrait? Oh silly you, of course not.

To this tradition we've added spaghetti dinner. We all trick or treat together for a time, and then we come home, Finn and his buddy Max play the Wii while they dole out candy.

I cherish Halloween. Some years we've gone to lunch after the portrait; other times not. But it's our day. Our thing that we do.

This year Finn has begun to change. He's not sure about dressing up and do we need to all do the same? To that I say a resounding, "na huh!" But in the very near year, this chapter will have closed. My heart aches at the mere thought of it. I'm not ready for him to go this day alone. Can I find a new twist on it to keep the tradition alive yet true to who we are? Not sure. For now, I've clamped down and insisted. We'll see.

As for this years theme we're America's Got Talent. Finn wants to go as Micheal Grimm. Actually he wants to go as himself and I said "No!" Halloween rule number 72C sub paragraph 3, no trick or treater may receive candy unless attired in some derivation of a costume. Finn bought that - phew!

That still leaves - what do I go as? A MG groupie? Another Michael? We can all go as Micheal Grimm? Hmmmm.