Missing the Tree

Usually we set up our Christmas tree the first weekend of October. Now, this is not something I grew up doing. At first I thought it was a little bit extreme...but, hey, really fun! My husband just loves Halloween, and he's been enjoying the Halloween tree for 10 years (we've been married for 4 1/2). Now that I'm used to the idea, I really like having a "holiday" tree - that's what we call it. The evergreen stays up from October until January and evolves through three holidays. This year, however, we have no space at all for our tree. The usual spot is filled with a bed frame and an overstuffed side chair that will someday live in new rooms (our home addition). The other extra spots in our family room are filled with three big exercise machines that will someday live in the "workout" room. If we ever get it all finished. We have no Halloween decorations out this year at all. I just couldn't do it with the house in such a state of disarray...but not for too much longer. I hope. I'm just missing my tree.
Usually we get out old Captain Jack Skully and put him out front. He used to live in the boys closet - he was great at scaring away the other monsters that wanted to hang out in there.
Last year the kids all carved pumpkins, as usual, on big plastic tablecloths on the back patio. We toast the seeds and munch on them, have some brownies, then pose with the masterpieces. I love pumpkins - love the word pumpkin. We're not carving pumpkins at our house this year.


On Halloween I make a triple batch of chili beans. This is a great recipe passed over years ago (before I was born) by friends from Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. It's called Cheyenne Wells Chili (not a very original name, but it works great if you say it with a sort-of "cowboy" accent). Not too hot - just right for every taste. Sometime I may share the recipe. :) We set out a variety of things and sit around munching with any neighbors that want to drop in for a bite of "real" food. And cupcakes.
When the kids are finished trick-or-treating we open our side gate and invite friends to watch a movie. This is one of the joys of Arizona - great weather for Halloween and Thanksgiving. It's just beautiful. So, we show a movie on the side of our house - like a drive in. We make popcorn in the big machine and have it out there...lots of fun! But, not this year. The kids get to spend Halloween this year with their other parents at their other homes. Sometimes that just feels weird - but it's not something I resent at all. It's just the state of things...

We're going out of town (my husband and I) for Halloween. A nice little over night get-away. I don't even know yet what we're doing (I vote Disneyland)! But it will be fun. Then, hopefully, before Thanksgiving we can set up our tree!! The scary stuff comes off and we have a "gratitude" tree. All month long in November we put tags on the tree, listing the things that we're grateful for. We add more tags the day of Thanksgiving at the big feast.

So, right now I'm just really missing the tree. Hopefully, if everything (our construction) goes well, we'll be set for Thanksgiving.

No matter what, we'll still be really thankful for our blessings! And I'll set up the tree - even if it's on the back porch!