Welcome, Great Pumpkin!

Just one more way Blacksburg is a totally advantageous place to live: municipal twilight Trick-or-Treat! Most downtown businesses participate, handing out candy to little Trick-or-Treaters between 4 and 6pm. Everyone is in for dinner and before dark! The children can see and admire each others' costumes! Parents can socialize; you can run into a whole lot of familiar people in a town this size. An ideal arrangement if, like us, you live in a neighborhood mostly populated by college students and older couples.
Miles was SO ready.

I showed him "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" yesterday as an instructional experience. He came out of that knowing what happened when you said "Trick-or-Treat!" and able to make a cool spooky jack o' lantern noise that he believes is what jack o' lanterns really say.

We started at the public library where they were having a small party involving crafts, food, and stories! Last year, this might have been the best choice for him. This year, he got his package of pretzels, placed it proudly in his bucket, and then said "More RickoReat?" He was not about to do a craft or sit for a story. So we departed for downtown.

"Let's get out of here! Where's the rest of the candy??"

He was a champ. Walked for blocks and asked nicely at every business; greeted his friends and took only one. He even accepted cheerfully the injunction that he was not to eat candy until after dinner (I have a feeling this won't be so easily accepted next year).

Farmer's market was having a costumed kids' string instrument concert? What?? We were so happy. And the rain kept off!

My costume.
Yeah, I'm pretty proud of myself.
Happy Halloween!