Twenty Five Halloweens
For the past 25 years, my Halloween Days have been spent as a Room Mom. When I started out, no one said "Room Mom" it was always "Room Mother". There were no e-mail lists or cell phones for contacting parents.....Just my home phone with a LONG cord so I could walk around the house as I called parents to arrange parties, activities, and fund-raisers. With this track record, you would think I would remember....

• Party City is NOT the place you want to be anywhere near on the day before Halloween. Not to mention, don't even drive into their parking lot, unless, of course, you thrive on chaos, crowds, messes, and hysterical shoppers who HAVE to find a costume TODAY.
• Plastic Spider rings are sold out by the time you decide they would be great for a game at your 3rd Grader's Classroom Party. Not a Plastic Spider Ring to be found during my travels yesterday (or the day before, or the day before, or the day before)
• Don't open the Halloween Candy for your Trick or Treaters until AFTER school on Halloween Day.
• Rely on past Classroom Party Experience (aka Common Sense) when a fresh new Room Mom suggests that EVERYONE have their OWN Pumpkin to carve DURING the party.
• Enjoy EVERY Minute of being a Room Mom. The days of volunteering in my children's schools and classrooms will be over before I blink.
• To be grateful for the opportunity to be closely involved in the activities of each of my children over the past quarter of a Century. (I am)

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Here's to hoping your children receive LOTS of YOUR favorite candy! What is the number one thing you look for in the Trick or Treat Loot? I would say...Almond Joy, Snickers, Twix, and Caramels.