When do you get into "Halloween mode"?

[Spookymufu]

but our schools are starting so early now. My kids went back on August 3.

awwww, you lucky dog!

[Murfreesboro]

I take it you are more than ready for "the most wonderful time of the year"?

[Spookymufu]

I was ready for them to go back a week after they got out

[Murfreesboro]

Aww, how old are they?

I have three, but only two are still at home. The oldest graduated from college in May. My older one at home is a high school senior, and his younger sister is a freshman.

It was a busy summer for my high school son, because he was wrapping up his Eagle Scout requirements & project. He was so busy with all that that I imagine he doesn't feel as if he even had a summer. And then, he is in the marching band, too, and they had about a week & a half of band camp prior to school starting.

My daughter is anxious about starting high school, not only because she is a freshman, but also because this is the third school she has started in the last three years. Her middle school, which she was to have attended in 7th & 8th grades, closed at the end of her 7th grade year, and was then converted into a magnet school for the gifted. She did attend that magnet school for 8th grade, and enjoyed it, but it was an adjustment, with all new faculty and administrators and a mostly new circle of friends. Her dad, who teaches gifted kids at the high school she is now attending, wanted her with him for high school. They have an International Baccalaureate Program at this school she has just started, which makes the program different from that of the magnet school. Right now, though, my daughter is just missing her friends from last year. Almost all of them stayed at the magnet school.

I guess I'm saying that my kids are now at the ages where they are no longer so much under foot, and they don't bother me at all. But of course, parenting at every age has its challenges. Senior son was so busy working on the Eagle stuff this summer that I'm sure he hasn't spent five minutes thinking about college applications. Now he has to dive into all that.

[Spookymufu]

I have 4 but only three live at home, the oldest is 20 and going to college out in Ca, my second oldest son is 14 and he is starting his high school/college classes this year, when he graduates HS he'll also have an associates degree so he'll be working pretty hard these next 4 years, but he's a typical 14yr old and I'm ready for him to be gone a few hours a day.

My daughter is almost 10 (on the 21st) and she is a pain in the butt, always fighting with her 8yr old brother. Out of the three of them the 8yr old is the easiest to have around, he's polite and helpful most days.

They dont go out and play with the other kids so they are in the house 24/7, and of course they have to go with me anywhere I go when I leave the house because they are too little to be home alone. About the only peace and quiet I get is at bed time, other wise they are all in here bugging me at some point during the day all day or fighting with each other, or just generally complaining about something.

[Murfreesboro]

Ah, you have quite a spread of ages there!

My younger two used to quarrel all the time, but they've gotten better over the years.

Sounds like your 14-yr-old is indeed going to be very busy, doing high school and early college at once! I believe the magnet school my daughter formerly attended is going to have something like that. They are so new that they only had through 10th grade last year. I believe they are adding 11th grade this year, so they are probably just now getting the college component in.

[Andybev01]

...bugging me at some point during the day all day or fighting with each other, or just generally complaining about something.

Hmm, it must be heredity.

[Spookymufu]

yeah, their mother is like that too

[Pumpkin_Man]

I recently tested all my Halloween lights and the lights inside my plastic jack o'lanterns and they all work. My decorations will be going up around the28th or 29th of September. I do plan to carve my first jack o'lantern the firsst weekend of Oct.

Mike

[witchy]

Can you believe it, I am starting to get some of my halloween stuff out, I can't wait till I can get it all out!!!

[Murfreesboro]

I am hungry for Halloween-themed movies. I am scouring the stores for Halloween-themed magazines. And it's only August 25!

[Pumpkin_Man]

Well, some of the stores are already getting into the Halloween spirit.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

Our Michael's is full-on now. I was just there to buy some picture frames, and the place is a-buzz with Halloween decor and carved acrylic pumpkins.

[Andybev01]

I picked up the Better Homes, Halloween issue today, and the Country Sampler fall magazine.

Stoked!

[Pumpkin_Man]

Today is the very last day of August. I imagine things are really going to start picking up as it gets closer to October.

Mike