Trick or Treating - Dickson Style

Let's just start this post out with the truth: I love Halloween. The last few years, Halloween has been a little disappointing to me because there were very few kids in the neighborhood. But at my new house? I looked down the street and all I could hear was laughter and "Twick ohr Tweet!" I set out the pumpkins by the sidewalk and stood in my Rosie the Riveter costume and bowl of candy. I saw cowgirls, ninjas, ducks, princesses, pirates and devils. But one of the worst things that could happen on Halloween happened (besides getting your pumpkin smashed) . . . I ran out of candy! About 15 minutes in, I switched from 2 pieces to one. Another 15 minutes passed and I had to sadly say to a little skeleton, "You just got the last piece!!" His buddies, in unison, said "Ah, mannnnn!" I left the pumpkins out, put a sign that said "Out of candy - Sorry!" on the door and went to my Grandma's to see these little Halloween cuties:

Connor (born Oct. 29) and Tory (born Aug. 30)

I can't wait to have little ones of my own (some day FAR from now) to take Trick or Treating. However, I probably won't be as intense as my dad - who also LOVES Halloween.

Growing up, my best friend Kelly always came over to Trick or Treat - it was tradition. We'd come home from school, scarf down our dinner, then beg my mom and dad if we could go. Nope! The rule was 6:00. So we'd sit by the door, all dressed up, watching the kids start to come out of their houses. Dad always took us and Mom stayed home. We were always very prepared: I used my Pound Puppies pillow case and dad brought extra garbage bags.  Whenever our pillow cases would get a little heavy, we'd unload into the garbage bags. But it doesn't stop there. Growing up in the suburbs, we had to trek up each driveway, so Dad stayed in the street. That's why he brought the flashlight and used special signals. Flashing the light in a circular motion meant skip the next house. A flash on and off meant cross the street. We were trained well.

We'd be out until the very. last. house. turned its lights out. I wish we had pedometers back then - I wonder how far we walked? So we'd come in, mom would usually have something warm to drink for us. And we'd sit in the living room and dump the piles and piles of candy out. We would get our notebooks and record what type of candy we got and how many pieces of each.

You're probably wondering why my Dad was so eager to take us each year. That's where the rule comes in: Dad always gets 40% of our candy, but 75% of our Snickers and Sweet Tarts - for deer hunting. No joke. But we'd also re-tally each day and say things like, "Mom, you ate 3 Butterfingers and a Kit Kat today!"

This was Trick or Treating in the Dickson household. And this little girl already has a good start - but hide those Snickers from Grandpa Jim!