I love holidays.  All holidays.  What I particularly love about them is the reason to deviate from the norm, to celebrate.  I love any excuse to celebrate!

Naturally, that means I enjoy Halloween.  I don’t enjoy the spooks and the excuse to live a horror movie but I do love dressing up.  The candy is ok too 😉

This Halloween my husband was out-of-town on a co-writing extravaganza in Nashville so I was left to my own resources.  But fortunately I got a call from my sister-in-law asking if I wanted to join her and the kiddos for some trick or treat fun in her neighborhood.  I was elated!

When I arrived at her house on Halloween I was greeted by the cutest little parrot niece I have ever seen!  She was wearing a zip up hoodie of pastel “feathers” with the hood as a beak and a tail trailing in the back and wore pink leggings.

Shortly after Sarah graciously filled my belly with sweet potato chili Lauren and I embarked on our adventure – Sarah decided to stay back with the little one to hand out candy.  It was lightly raining and chilly but I don’t think Lauren even noticed.

The first house we went to I walked up to the door with her and rang the doorbell.  Just before the owner answered the door I said, “say ‘trick or treat’ when they come.”  When the door opened Lauren proceeded to say, “trick or treat please.”  The man gave her a piece of candy and I hear her tinkling voice say, “thank you.” He looks to me and I say”Happy Halloween” and we turn to leave.  I was grinning ear to ear at my adorably polite niece.

With each passing house I started lingering farther and farther away from the front doors until I was waiting on the various sidewalks for Lauren.  Turns out, my two-year-old niece relished the independence and was more than happy to hit the doorbell herself – on the rare occasion the doorbell was well out of her reach I would, of course, assist.  At every home I hear her melodious voice say “trick or treat please” and “thank you” then she would abruptly turn around and barrel down the stairs and across the lawn to me, stumbling all the way, exclaiming “Kaia I got more candy!”

I always responded with a golden grin and a chuckle, “great job Lauren!”

Every now and then we would cross the street.  Each time I would say, “Lauren can you hold my hand?”

“Sure I can!”

Before long her purple pumpkin bucket was brimming with candy.  Every so often I would ask Lauren how she was doing.

“I’m good!”

Then I would ask if her candy was getting too heavy for her.

With a head bob/nod she would reply in her sing-song voice, “I am strong.”

I chuckled every time and replied with some sentiment like “yes you are!” – I’m all about independence so I was proud of my little trooper.

And hour and a half later our trick or treat fun came to and end and we headed back to the house and laid out her spoils for examination.  Quite a haul for a little tike!  I did notice most houses gave her more than on piece because she was so little and cute 😉

I simply adore hanging out with Lauren.  She’s such a joyful little bugger and really fun to talk to.  Happy Halloween everyone!

For more of my storytelling CLICK HERE.