Week 654 AZ - Halloween 2022, and remember in Haloween 2023

This year was a quiet halloween, Tori’s been busy and Zach wanted to stay home, so Amelia and I went out instead. Zach’s arm is all healed, and I’ve gotten to see the influence I have on the kids.

I’m not sure who got a shot of me in my frog suit with Amelia (Zach?), will update the blog when I find it. For now you’ll have to settle for a picture of me with dressed up Amelia and me in my costume with Tori. Luckily Tori and I look about the same year after year, so that’s easy enough …

I love Halloween, but our neighborhood isn’t the best for it. Turns out we got 4 trick-or-treaters for the whole night, and most houses just leave a bowl of candy out on their steps, for kids to self service. Now, they do have very nice candy, like full size candy bars, but still, where’s the fun in that.

Now, why you might ask, would a neighborhood with full sized chocolate bars have so few trick-or-treators? Because there is a street 4 blocks down that is Halloween crazy. The houses on the street go crazy, they’re all decorated, they have even better candy, and some houses do shots/drinks for the grown ups too. I didn’t get enough pictures, but a light sample:

Now, you may also ask, why do I tell you this? Am I whining about things I can’t control? Not at all, I’m focusing on what I can influence - next year, I’ll be heading down to that street to one take the kids (and invite their friend) to an amazing trick-or-treat place, and two I’m gonna head down there with a giant bag of candy and stand in front of a house that has “lights off” and give out my own candy. Sounds a touch odd, but hey, it’s Halloween and who doesn’t like to give out candy!

Few things make you prouder as a parent then seeing your kids pick up your good habits:

I was out and about and Amelia was home alone. The neighbor boy came over so Amelia texted me and was like “Hey dad, can we go in the hot tub?” I wasn’t paying attention to my phone and she texted again “Meh, it’s OK, we’ll just go in anyway”. Luckily (thought it would be totally safe), she didn’t go into the hot tub till I got home and set it up for her. Still super cool seeing her enjoy the same things I do. Wait, did I just say Amelia is bringing strange boys home to the hot tub? Oh boy, being the dad of a teenage girl is gonna be tough :)

I usually go to bed around 8:30, and am out of the house by 5:30, but there were a few days I was running late and I heard another alarm go off on my way out the door. Turns out, my eldest (and only) son goes to bed at 9:30 and wakes up at 6, though sometimes he’ll snooze till 6:30. So cool seeing your kids take on your best habits (next up need to get him biking).

Also, Zach got me hooked on an anime show, so we started watching it together. At first he was excited, an activity we could bond over, but then he became distressed. I can binge watch TV with the best of them, and hours of anime with his dad was interfering with his ability to watch his many other shows. He kept saying, Dad it’s your bed time, dad you need to go to bed. Finally I was like go to bed, I’m just gonna watch one more episode. He sighed and went to bed, but then he came back down and was like I can’t sleep the TV is too loud. I was like, OK and went to bed as well. Ahh kid, remember this the next time I try to get you to go to bed.

Not nearly as proud as seeing your kids taking on your favorite healthy habits, but still prideful. First, I crossed 2000 miles on my bike in about 18 months. That’s 110 miles, or 175 km/month. Second, I’m committing to biking through the winter (which is easier given Tori will no longer drive me :), and now always wear my rain pants. Third, James our smallest cat, got himself onto the roof and couldn’t get down. Tori gathered her ladder, but try as she might, she just wasn’t tall enough. Luckily as I stack a solid 6.5 inches above Tori I was able to use my extra length for the cat rescue!

Have a great day and remember: Bike a lot, you might get hot, or your nose might fill with snot - ZiaT