We’re used to seeing cars slow down in front of our house this time of year. Either the driver is smiling, because they love Halloween as much as we do, or they’re shaking their heads thinking “those people are over the top!”
My youngest son has been a fan of inflatables for as long as I can remember. He used to spend hours at the computer during the winter months, bookmarking page after page of inflatable decorations. He printed his favorites, and pasted them in a book. Every year we visit a local “parking lot patch” where he gleefully enjoys the enormous inflatable slides, bounce houses and the occasional obstacle course. One year he received fifty dollars for Christmas from one of his uncles, enough to buy a holiday inflatable at 50% off. And so it began.
Inflatable spider with moving head and his trusty kitty side-kick
My son saves his allowance and the occasional cash gift and “invests” in his inflatable treasures. Each inflatable has a story to go with it. The monstrous cat purchased at a discontinued price, hidden in the back yard until Halloween night so he could surprise everyone. The creepy spider, bought online with an annoying whistle whenever it turns its head. Finally, the pièce de résistance, the inflatable archway, complete with ghosts and tombstones. By the time we saw it in a party store they were sold out. The store agreed to sell us the floor model for, you guessed it, half off. I paid for half, he paid the rest.
Through wind and sleet and Halloween decor, the mail carrier still delivers
My way of decorating before having children was more subtle. I would put out a pumpkin or two, a few fall plants and call it a day. Not any more. As my son ages, he wants everything a little scarier. By Halloween night we’ll have a spider with a moveable head, the enormous cat and the lighted entryway. He’ll stretch spider webbing from shrub to tree and my husband will add lights to the awning. The webbing catches falling Magnolia leaves, that twist and turn in the wind. We toss plastic spiders at the web for a naturalized effect and by October 31st we’re looking downright spooky.
Rocking chair all dressed up
Our garden, transformed.
Halloween Countdown
I’m a Mac Pumpkin
Gardening Nirvana 
Holy crackers, that cat is as tall as your roof and a tad menancing. Most kids move out with their bedroom furniture as a start…your Mac will be unique! Good for him to be a little saver so he can buy his treasures, that’s awesome. The guy that bought our old house apparently had a giant inflatable Santa that blew around the neighbourhood one week (I guess he worked out of town and it came undone) My friend Karen said it kept freaking her out…yeesh, wait till she sees yours. You guys are a hoot.
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WordPress is misbehaving tonight. I’ve written two replies, only to have them both disappear before hitting reply. LOL on the flying Santa. You just can’t make that stuff up!
M. is much better about saving and understands the value of things when it comes from his own pocket. We had an allowance growing up. I think its a good way to teach about money.
Poor Karen! That must have been quite a fright.
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Yah, I was bugging Karen about her love of Red Wine, light heartedly insinuating she had over-served herself, but she sent a picture…yep, big ol’ santa laying out on the driveway….it would have been in the next county if it had blown out onto the lake…that’d been newsworthy, LOL
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Poor Karen! I’m glad she got a picture. I can’t stop laughing though, thinking about it.
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love it! We’ll have to do a drive by-can’t wait to see the house all done up!
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Thanks, Betsy! Drive by at dusk if you can. It looks really cool at that time of day.
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I wonder how long his love will last. Perhaps it will evolve into even more complex detailed Halloween decorations (like your neighbor with the haunted front lawn). I, of course, love that he is so in to Halloween. We must carry the same gene, eh? Will he dress up for Halloween with us this year? If so, what will he be?
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I think he’ll have a life-long love of Halloween like us. He already has so many great memories to carry him through. It’s a great time to decorate.
Greg decided not to do his yard this year. He’s super busy at work. We’ll miss it. He is so creative.
They can’t dress up at school, and he usually doesn’t dress up for the party either, but he does plan on trick or treating. Chris hasn’t done either for years, but he does enjoy handing out the candy.
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It’s wonderful that your children are so involved with the decorations. Creative thinking early. Not sure I could trick or treat at your house. Looks VERY scary. 🙂
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:-> We’re all bark and no bite! Stop by any time.
Thanks, for your encouragement. I like to involve the boys as much as possible. We have a good time.
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That’s completely mad Alys……………………. and I LOVE it!!
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🙂 Thank you, PJ!
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Hahaha, I love it! The cat is really cool 🙂
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Thanks, Eleenie! We’re having fun.
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