Halloween Overachieving in the Country

I have never liked Halloween.  Maybe it is because it was too much work when the kids were smaller back in the day.  I refused to take the kids trick or treating and I refused to answer the door for trick or treaters so it always put Jon in a tough spot, and yet he still loves me!  One of the benefits of living in the country and being old is that we don't have to go out that night and no one comes to our door on Halloween.

Maybe I was actually missing the shenanigans of this holiday (or maybe it is that I am unemployed and have too much time on my hands) because when Ashley asked us to babysit Eli overnight last Saturday, I thought we might have a spooky Halloween dinner party.  Not a big deal but just a fun time with a few decorations and a little bit of party food. Jon even joined in the preparations and dug out Halloween paraphernalia we haven't seen for years!  My party planner mode went into overdrive for one five year old little boy who happens to love Halloween.  I found myself in the Halloween aisle at Target.  I went to the grocery store on three separate occasions,  and I scoured the dollar stores in Morgan County for a black light that I thought I had to have.  I downloaded scary music from ITunes and I told Ashley she couldn't bring Eli out until after dark.

The party was set.  Even though we weren't in costume the atmosphere was, well slightly spooky.  Cobwebs that glowed a spooky green draped the dining room.  A special ghoul guest sat at the head of the table with glowing green eyes.  Numerous candles were flickering throughout the room.  Eyeballs peered up from their place in a bowl of nachos.  Creaking and screeching music and scary sounds pierced the silence and then Eli came to the door.

He stopped dead in his tracks, not even a foot from the door.  Haha I did it I got Eli, I surprised him!  My intent was to surprise him not to scare the wits out of him.  He hung on his Mom as we sat down. Not considering the idea of age appropriateness, I remained in character with my spooky voice and slow moving body asking Eli to sit by our ghoul guest, if he dared.  He scooted his chair closer to mine and away from the ghoul.  We started to feast on used band aids, pumpkin vomit (did I mention I did not consider age appropriateness?) mummy hotdogs and zombie juice from slime covered cups.  At one point I looked down at Eli and he wasn't eating a thing, he was just staring at our guest.

Nana can we turn down that music, it is too loud I can't here anything.  Off goes the music.  Nana What is underneath that scary guys hood?  Off comes the mask and the hood to reveal a soccer ball and a wooden plank held together by duct tape.  Nana, I can't see my food, I need the lights on.  Off goes the black light, on goes the dining room light.  He gingerly flicked the used band aids off his plate, apparently overcome with the disgusting appetizers.   He wiped his hands off after taking a reluctant drink of his zombie juice, then he promptly decided he was not hungry.  In fact I think he may have even asked to go home which he never does!

After we had packed everything scary safely into tubs and cupboards Eli started to relax and we decided we would watch a movie.  Hell with my lack of judgement you would think I let Eli watch Carrie or maybe Poltergeist right before bed.  Maybe we skip the movie and opt for a haunted house that is appropriate for adults only.  Geez.  Poppy, being the voice of sanity found Dr. Dolittle on HBO and the world felt a little safer.

Needless to say that night Eli would have no part of sleeping in the big bed in the extra bedroom.  He slept between us and more specifically on Jon's face the entire night!  I heard him telling his Mom the next morning on the phone that he slept with us because the spooky dinner night had him "troubled".  I troubled my own grandson!!  Good job Nana.  I think I will do what I do best and leave Halloween to the professionals from now on.