Not-so-perfect Halloween

I feel a little guilty today on this boo-tiful holiday. Guilty because this is the first time in 17 years of having an elementary school child, I have not attended the school costume parade. Now, before you rush to judgment regarding my mothering skills, allow me to explain my out-of-the-ordinary behavior. I lost my Halloween spirit. Well, kind of, but that's not the real reason. The main reason is that I had a very important appointment to keep for one of my ghouls and I couldn't reschedule unless I wanted to move the appointment way out into the future closer to another holiday (Thanksgiving). The other reason is that I have a 5th-grader, and this year--for the first time since our kids began attending this elementary--the 5th and 6th graders were not invited to be "Harvest Parade" (the politically correct term these days) participants. So, you see, I didn't really "need" to attend the parade and see other people's costumed cherubs parade through the crowded and noisy school hallways. Besides, I freed up a parking space for another parade spectator.

I atoned in advance for my negligence by baking, frosting and decorating 48 cupcakes (complete with homemade buttercream frosting, no less), and by providing the paper plates, napkins and cups for Mark's party. Sadly, though, I don't have any pictures of the party to share with Mark's posterity, but if I find the camera before the night is over, I'll at least have some photos of him in his wicked "Scream" costume.