Halloween was loads of fun when I was a child. We dressed up and went from house to house for blcoks and blocks! One family did a haunted house thing where you walked in one door, went through a lot of scary stuff, ended up in the kitchen with the table covered with treats and cupcakes and drinks and then you went out another door and off down the street some more.

It just isn't as safe now and fewer children are permitted to go door to door. Parties are safer, parents know who the children are with and who provided the treats.

Still, here at my house, we get about 70 children each years and it is SO much fun! I LOVE answering the door and giving out treats. One year I gave out toothbrushes, he he. Kids grimaced, parents hollered THANKS! from the street! I try not to give too much candy, it isn't good for them and Dad and I sit and eat it between door bell ringings. I stop and shut the light at about 7 or so. We get car LOADS of kids from neighborhoods in another city (to be nameless), and they are teens and tough. To me, it is a fun time for the younsters.

Some folks make stunning costumes for their little ones, I enjoy seeing them. Every now and then I squat down at the door (only the top half is screen) and pop up and say BOO! when they reach for the doorbell. I'm not in costume or anything. I terrified one little 4 year old girl last year though, so I have to remember what size is coming up the walk before I do that! She ran screaming out to her mom in the street, dropped her bag of goodies. I felt awful, went out and helped pick up. The mom was fine with it, thought I was hilarious and calmed her daughter down.

This will be my first year with the dogs here, should be itneresting! The cats, well, I just closed them in bedrooms so I didn't need to worry about escapes. But the bell makes teh dogs bark. Hmm, need to work on that!

This is not too early if you don't do candy but order stuff form Oriental Trading or such as I do! Time to make up those orders and get those . . . toothbrushes???? Hmmmmm.....