A Really Frightful Halloween

The costumes were arranged.  The trick or treat route was planned.  The pumpkins were carved.  We were ready.  We knew it would be a bit of a crazy day due to having homeschool co-op, it being my birthday, and the fact that I had to attend my class but we had it all planned with military precision.  It was going to work!

Wednesday evening Ethan started complaining about feeling sick; headaches and general malaise.  I called my mother and she said she could babysit until 2:30 on Thursday if needed so I could take the others to co-op and the promised Halloween party.  As we don't usually get home until closer to 4:00, Michael planned to go to work at 6:00 a.m. so he could get home in time.  My planning was falling apart but we could still make it work.

Thursday, the big day dawned.  Michael went to work before it dawned and I got up to find Ethan feeling crummy and with two suspicious dots on his body.  My mom came over and I loaded everyone else up and left.  We did our normal four classes at co-op and then it was party time!  While putting Grace in her costume she was acting fussy but I figured she would be okay for another half hour.  Even the promise of candy wasn't making her feel better.  Then Libby came out in her costume and I saw red spots on her chest.  With chicken pox making the rounds among our friends I had a pretty good idea of what the spots meant.  I probably should have loaded everyone in the car at that point but I figured she had already exposed everyone at that point anyway.  I would give her fifteen minutes to collect candy and then we would scoot.

When I arrived home Ethan had a bunch more spots and Grace started sporting a couple as well.  Halloween plans were officially canceled. We were scary enough without Halloween costumes.

We did manage to celebrate my birthday though.  Michael got me the cookbook I asked for and beautiful flowers and Libby made me a beaded decoration. Michael even made, from scratch, cannolis for my birthday as I haven't found a good one in Boise.

Mmmm...delicious! 

There was no trick-or-treating so after my class we watched "Hocus Pocus", popped some popcorn and stayed up way too late.  Over the next couple days the kids received enough pity candy from neighbors, aunts, and our friends to make up for not being able to go out on Halloween.  I might need to go steal a Snickers or two.