And then on Halloween, base housing holds their Trick-or-Treating for the kids...Spanish included. The Spanish love this holiday. They love candy and they love to dress up in costume. And EVERYONE, adults included, dresses up for the occasion. The Spanish arrive on base and start patrolling the streets about an hour before the T-oT'ing actually starts and once you come out, game on. Everyone comes rushing. Add the Spanish with the Americans and what should be about 2 hours worth of fun is almost always done in under an hour. Unless you break the bank buying about 15 bags of candy. Last year, we consolidated our bags with friends and 40 bags of candy were gone in an hour. This year, we took O out first to enjoy T-o-T'ing and then came home to give out our 5 bags of candy. We took O out promptly at 6pm, got home at 6:30pm to start handing out the 5 bags of candy and by 6:45pm...all 5 bags were gone. I was bum rushed at the front door trying to get out to the end of the driveway to give out candy and was trapped at the wall by my front door. 15 minutes. 5 bags gone. I had to beg people in English and Spanish to give me space and Justin had to be my bodyguard while holding a petrified Olivia clinging to him.
And then, these kids start attempting "Happy Halloween" and "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You" in English as do their parents and you just melt. They really love this and so do the kids. And they are really trying to be polite as they suffocate you for a Tootsie Roll Pop. And so, next year, I'll go back to buying about 10 bags again because it's worth the 15 minutes of cultural bonding over that sucker.
Olivia ready for the little kids T-o-T'ing on Friday night. Fairy costume provided by her Aunt Sarah and cousin Anna. Huge hit. Huge, huge, hit.
Meeting up with our dear friend Molly at the T-o-T'ing.
O is a pro at this. She knows how to yell "Trick or Treat" and "Thank You" every time. I guess you learn quick if you want candy.
Sharing some candy together.
Checking it all out as she chomps on a Tootsie Roll.
Evidence of the Tootsie Roll on her front teeth. She spoke to another little girl with this mouth and the girl actually recoiled at the sight and was trying to figure out how to tell Olivia she had something on her teeth. Hilarious.
Halloween night. The other Fairy costume we got her. We decided on this one for the actual day because of how crazy the neighborhood gets. If anything happened to this costume, we didn't care.
Pure joy as she skips away from her first candy stop.
Heading to Captain's Circle for some candy.
Captain's Circle. You don't pass their cement barriers and they had security standing at their stop. The Commanding Officer's wife is in the cow costume. And I even got festive as well. The most you will ever see me in costume for this holiday.
An example of said chaos. This is a line just to get candy at one house! We opted out of waiting in this line and just stood watching.
