Halloween

I kept threatening the kids to have their rooms cleaned by 6 or they would not go trick or treating. The girls did a great job, the boys fought. I'm at my wits end as to how to keep these guys' rooms clean! Anyway - by 6 everything was clean, so they got dressed & went out. They got a pile of candy, this picture was taken at the midway point...it's hard to understand how much junk there really is there, but there are several "full size" candy bars there, too. Anyway - I sort them into categories, not sure if it's because I'm anal or if I just want to separate the chocolate out? Anyway - I ended up with 3 rubbermaid shoe boxes full of chocolate and one of suckers, one of what I call chewables (which would consist of things like licorice, skittles or taffy) one of tootsie rolls, - WHO EATS THOSE? no one, they're not real chocolate and they're a sad attempt at candy...one of straight sugar (smarties, pixie stix) and one of hard candy. That usually lasts until the next halloween (giving the kids their choice of junk when they are good or for a special treat) - I let the kids fill up a ziplock baggie of whatever they wanted as long as they could zip it.

Okay - so it's "trick *OR* treat", right? So I handed out tricks - toothbrushes! Everyone got one and I ended up w/ 4 toothbrushes left - so 68 kids got tooth brushes last night. One kid got a little bugged that I didn't give him candy - he was a cocky 10 year old, maybe? and he stepped into the house & saw the pile of candy on the floor and asked "what about that candy" I caught myself before I told him it was my kids' and instead told him that was the candy I took from greedy little kids who didn't appreciate tooth brushes.... then I heard his dad reprimand him on the way out - okay honestly - is halloween a night to "teach" children maners? Seriously...they're begging door to door for candy...and when they don't get it....I'm not sure they would normally know how to act. There were a few older kids that were really excited about it....then I went to get the mail....after the trick or treating was over....and there was a TOOTHBRUSH on the top of the box - sheesh....maybe they already had one?