Happy Halloween!

IT'S HALLOWEEN! 

IT'S My Favorite holiday of the year!

I've never been one to love the Christmas Season, though, it's starting to grow on my, but Halloween is a holiday that is just plain fun!

This year the kids have pretty awesome costumes. 

Here are some pictures from Friday's Halloween Hootie Day they had at school They were Michael Jackson, Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj... I mean Strawberry Shortcake.



I was glad that they were able to wear their costumes to school because this has never happened before.  Our school and most that I know of, don't allow kids to dress up at school anymore and don't do the party thing. 

Remember when we were kids when every holiday was a reason to party?  Schools are really starting to SUCK these days.  Imagine school being a place to LEARN!  Hmp!

But this year things were different.  Our school has implements Hoot Loot, a behavior incentive program where when kids are caught being GOOD, being Prepared, Polite and Positive, a teacher adminitrator or staff member might just give them a Hoot Loot ticket.  These tickets can be used to buy all types of things from the Hoot Loot cart that comes around on Fridays, or saved for even bigger prizes, like the Hoot Loot Parties.

Each of my kids saved 10 Hoot Loot tickets to go to the Halloween Hoot Loot party where they were able to wear their costumes to school and attend a party.

This is great!

It has always been a sore spot for me when talking about not celebrating Halloween in the school and allowing kids to have fun for the sake of the kids who didn't celebrate Halloween.

As a matter of face, I have been chastised and criticized quite often for allowing my kids to celebrate "The Devil's Holiday".  Even the boys have come and asked me why do we celebrate the Devil's Holiday because their friends don't.

 Just 2 weeks ago my grandmother asked me if I was taking my kids Trick or Treating and when I responded yes, she asked if I know that the holiday was meant to celebrate the devil and went on to tell me that lot of churches have Hallelujah Night as an alternative.

Now, while I don't knock anyone who prefers Hallelujah Night, I don't feel that I should be considers a bad parent because I LOVE taking my kids Trick or Treating. 

I went Trick or Treating as a child and I came out just fine... for the most part.  I don't remember brewing up spells or conjuring up evil spirits.  And I don't remember praising the devil when I said my prayers at night. 

What I do remember is going out and getting TONS of candy and having a great time walking around the neighborhood seeing my friends dressed up a an array of funny, scary and just plain awesome costumes!  (remember the super hero costumes with the plastic face masks?) 

This is what I do with my kids.  So what is the harm in such?  The true meaning of Halloween had nothing to do with worshiping the devil, as so many of my family and friends seem to believe.  For me, it's a day of fun.  A day for us to let lose as a family and go and beg for candy.  A day where, once the kids are all asleep, mom gets to steal all of their Reece's Cups!

Okay, maybe there IS some mischief going on on Halloween Night!

HaPpY HaLlOwEeN, ALL!