We have no long-standing tradition for October 31st. 
Sometimes we do things like convalesce from H1N1.  And other years I research methotrexate online. 
In days gone by we have had Praise Parties… but those went the way of the passenger pigeon.

The last two years we’ve done zero.  Zilch.  Nada.

This year our church decided to host a Harvest Party and after deliberating for a while we decided we’d go.  We asked the kids to brainstorm about costumes.  They have a really cool opportunity a lot of smaller families do not have; they can pick a theme and really work it.  I suggested going as different colored crayons.  Nigel suggested going as football players.  Then they got it.

They were the Pevensies and Aslan.

And honestly, it was one of my favorite moments as a mom to see them dressed like this together.  Yes, I know.  But that is how much I love Narnia.  Oh, yeah, and how much I love my kids.  😉

I had signed up to man a game and Nan helped me. 

The kids played lots of different games and hung out with some friends.  They also LOVED the maze our piano teacher/worship leader built in the lower level of the church.  We also “enjoyed” the fire alarm that caused us to evacuate the building temporarily…

But I have to say one of the highlights of the night was seeing my kids’ reactions when they realized I was the mystery contestant for the pie eating contest.

Yes.  You read that right…

A few weeks ago it popped into my head that it would be so-stinking-hysterical for me to do the pie-eating contest.  First, I have never, ever done anything like that.  Second, no one would EVER expect ME to do something like that.  Third, I loved the idea of surprising and delighting my kids with the absurdity of such a thing.  Fourth – there aren’t many opportunities to be silly and crazy at my age and the idea of passing up a moment like that seemed wasteful.

So – when the game host introduced the contestants I proudly donned my garbage bag and took my seat alongside two teenaged boys, a teenaged girl, and a man about my age.  He joked it wasn’t fair as I was eating for two.  😉

I could hardly stop laughing long enough to even try to eat. We had two minutes to eat as much pie as possible. When the hostess proclaimed “One minute,” I thought I was going to die. It felt like I’d been there 10 minutes already. It was really sweet and thick.

Seeing my kids’ faces as I had sat down was more than I could have hoped for.  Tabitha’s face was just overflowing with LOVE.  She just had the sweetest face of adoration I have ever seen.  Marie looked so happy and hopeful.  She and Nigel had both wanted to join the contest but the minimum age is 13.  Nigel looked amazed.  Stewart told me later he felt bad for me.  He thought I was going to embarrass myself.  Must be a 12-year-old thing.

I would just get my laughing under control and get a few bites in when I would hear one of my kids yell, “Faster, Mom!  Faster!” or “Stop laughing, Mom.  EAT!”  Or my mom yell, “Come on, Momma!”  And I’d start cracking up again.

I didn’t win.  But that was never my goal. 
An added bonus was the faces of so many of my friends… wide-eyed disbelief is the best description I can think of.