Pumpkin with your shadows growing

Spooking everyone around.  Or at least a fair number of Tricks or Treaters last night.  So October was dominated by sickness, car problems, house problems, economic problems, and just about everything else.  We began our Fall Festivities unusually early this year, and even moved our Halloween fun into September.  There was no particular reason, but we're glad we did.  For most of October, in addition to a litany of other problems, one or another of us was down with what can only be described as one of the worst viruses I've ever seen.  I and my third oldest, and my Mom thankfully, made it through relatively unscathed.

Unfortunately, the rest were down for weeks at a time, limiting what little time there was.  Already, with the two oldest out of school and moving into college and/or full time jobs, they naturally aren't around that much anymore.  We're letting them live at home to save money, working full time hours, and avoiding debt for college.  Don't worry, the deal was I still get my two cents worth from them, if nothing else by labor and chores.

Still, with social lives, school, jobs and just generally getting older, they aren't around like they used to be, as it should be, though that leaves our youngest adjusting to a house where one after another, his brothers aren't there the way they have been.

Despite that, however, with what time they do have, they devote to him, whether it's showing up for his last soccer game, or taking him out to eat, or making sure they all have time off on Halloween to go around with him for Beggar's Night.  I can't complain.  Even when they are dating, they tell the girls they need to have one night a week to be with family/their youngest brother.  All is right with the world.

Despite it being a lost October, we recovered nicely on the last weekend.  The oldest boys managed to make it to his last game and general Halloween fun, and then, even though a couple were still struggling with health, they all managed to have time off Halloween night to go around with him.  Somehow, we have the feeling this was likely the last time they'll be able to afford that luxury.  Already it was a near run thing.  By next year, with all three out of school, going to college, working or doing whatever, it's unlikely they'll all be available again.

But they were this time.  And that's what counts.  Even if it was crunched into a couple half days, they managed one more time to touch base with all the fun: pumpkin carving and straw mazes, ghost runs at cemeteries, Halloween specials, and our annual Halloween extravaganza of candy and cider, pumpkin donuts and pumpkin seeds (roasted and spiced of course), and silent movies capped off with The Great Pumpkin.

I can say I'm thankful to them for taking me up on my request all those years ago.  When we found out about our little Catholic surprise, I charged them to make sure their youngest (nine years younger than our third son) was part of the gang.  I didn't want them to move on doing their thing, leaving him in the dust.  As I told them, I didn't want them to be the party that our youngest missed.  And for eight years, they have more than come through in flying colors.  And that, if nothing else, made it a happy Halloween.

Yes, it was spitting snow at his last soccer game. 

Off to the old cemetery for the annual ghost run.

Splitting up more than they used to, they still gather to explore.

Freshly pressed cider and picked apples, straight from the location of my very first field trip in Kindergarten. 

Straw maze races: Even our youngest is too big, still for old time's sake

I'll assume his older brother is letting him win

But then sometimes I wonder

You just can't have a Tricks or Treats table without pumpkin seeds, pumpkin doughnuts, doughnut holes, and fresh cider.

What a lovely night for a curse

For last minute, it wasn't horrible 

It's nice when they get their own pumpkins

Turnips: Halloween like they say they did in the old country

Our oldest dons his goto Sherlock Holmes get up

Our second oldest decided to go as a glitch in the Matrix (that is, two sweatshirts of the same color)

He wanted to be Linus, but we had no red striped shirt, and he didn't want to carry a blanket,
so with some persuasion he was Kylo-Ren

Sometimes I don't think it's all for their youngest's sake

It fits his personality

The boys  together for one last Halloween hurrah...or will it be?   Tune in next year...