Family Life blog - Juggling Mama

We live in an area that is very unpredictable in terms of weather. Like two feet of snow Wednesday & Thursday school closed ect. Now 50’s & snow should all be gone by trick or treat hour!  You just never know!

As a mom in Colorado you have to be up for anything, and have several back up plans for just about everything:) Since you have to plan Easter & Halloween outfits around parkas & be ready to  break out the flip flops on Christmas to toss the football in the less than white 70 degree yard. You get to learn very early on that flexibility is the key to happiness here.

For me this was much easier said than done. As a child growing up in Wyoming I can remember wanting to (planing on) wearing a dress and sandals & we would get a major September storm! I spent hours toe to toe with my mother over my planned attire vs. the proper .- You see change really isn’t my thing.

 So when my boys made their blessed appearance in my house , and dawned the official trick or treating age you can imagine I had an” IDEA” as to how things were going to go. I had hand made costumes in mind that did not include the reality of Colorado Halloween weather or the shenanigans of candy hungry boys.

My fantasy included a warm but brisk fall night, perfectly lit by moonlight. The sound of crunching leaves & neighborhood kids. My two little hand made princes’s in toe as we collected countless mini chocolate bars in an orderly, polite fashion. Awww yes, a fall picture fit for Hallmark we would be.

Ok, so about half of you just said to yourself “Yeah lady let me know how that worked out for you” and the other half said”aww how perfect that is” I think you can guess which half of you have kids!

So it’s safe to say that my dreams  lasted about as long as the weather in Colorado (for those of you who don’t know that’s five minutes!)

I have been doing the trick or treat thing for 6 years now with my brood & every year on October 31st we have different weather, the boys have different attitudes, temperaments, wellness, & levels of  interest. At first this was very hard for me. I adopted the “we are going to havea perfect Halloween darn it” attitude. -Um yeah it was well -less than fun:)  Now after six years, lots of advise, & personal growth. I just plan for anything.- If we go we go .Whatever you want to be you can be. And my personal favorite..as long as we are having fun we will do it, but the minute we are no longer into it, we are out of there!

 ”Those of you that know me realize just how hard that is for me & acknowledge the gold medal I should receive for this feet. “

I am not saying I have thrown out my structure or given up entirely on some form of order. But a few wrecked tear filled Halloween’s have taught me more about being a good mother than I can put into words. For me it was the realization that the happiness and wellbeing of your children can be determined by the smiles on their faces. Not how many hours you spent making the perfect costume that you are now so freaked out they are going to ruin,  that no one is having any fun.  And the sharp reality that kids don’t care what other mothers think of you, just how much attention you give them.

My boys are amazing and they teach me lessons that I never knew I needed to learn. Including how to plan a Halloween costume around a snow suite, only hit five houses, & still have fun.

So happy Halloween may you have full bags, big hearts, and warm feet!

-Jenna & The Boys