The things we do for children

Dear Leslie, Elizabeth and Mom:

I gutted two pumpkins yesterday.


Yes. Me, the woman who, as a child, hated to get my hands dirty. (Well, let's be honest: I still hate to get my hands dirty.) But Mom, I stuck my hands into that slimy seedy mess and pulled the stuff out so Ryan could play with it and eat a little and enjoy it for ten minutes then crawl away while I worked for about a half-hour.




I did it so my son could have the sensory experience.





Also, we need some sort of Halloween decoration at our house Saturday when I hand out candy for the first time since I left for college. (The wire cat from last year, bought by Mom, is lonely on the porch.) My sister and my best friend would be proud of any decorating idea I execute, no matter how small and unoriginal.

Especially Leslie, who loves Halloween the way some people (named Kathleen) love shoes. I've always been glad that she's never seen my utter lack of decoration every year since I've owned a home. Even THINKING about those fake spider webs makes me all twitchy. But I'll have jack o' lanterns this year.


I'll probably be finding pumpkin seeds around the house for weeks. Alas, we did not roast any. I forgot.

Love,

Kathleen