A Guest Post from Janna of Mommy’s Piggy Tales
This week I am honored to share a post form Janna of Mommy’s Piggy Tales. Janna is dedicated to helping moms record their stories for generations to come. At the end of this post she’ll share with you how you, too, can share your story. I think I might even join in the 12 weeks of fun. Not only would I enjoy the posts, but I bet my children would love the gift of them in years to come. Until then, though, enjoy this trip down Janna’s memory lane…
Halloween never excited me growing up.
My parents were uncomfortable with the origins of the holiday, so at most I would get dressed up and pass out candy or raisins from our front door. I never minded not going trick or treating until I’d see my cousins with their basketball-sized orange pumpkin buckets spilling over with Smartees.
The candy wrappers would crackle as they dumped out their load of sugar onto the brown shag carpet and sorted their candy into neat piles of Tootsie Rolls, M&M’s, Skittles, Nerds, Sugar Daddy’s, and Blow Pops. It seemed like a lifetime supply, and I watched with salivating taste buds.
A Chance to Party
In fourth grade, finances dictated that I be homeschooled and my mom knew how much I was missing my friends. My mother has always loved planning celebrations and came up with the idea of hosting a Circus Party in October which would give me an excuse to dress up and see my friends.
We made black and white invitations on our Commodore 64 and encouraged everyone to come as some type of circus performer and have a simple act to perform in our one ring circus. The menu was of course was hot dogs, popcorn, and soda.We had a ping pong table in our basement that served as the party table, and my mother hung the large posters that came with our Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus Programs along the basement walls.
A Chance to Dress-Up
The previous Christmas, I had received a box of face paints complete with an instruction booklet that I dug up and studied so I could do my own clown make-up. Then, I scoured my dress up clothes to put together a loud, and laughable clown costume, and was thrilled to finally have a reason to wear the pink, shiny wig my grandmother had given me.
A Chance to Entertain
For the entertainment, my father put on his maroon three-piece suit with a pale pink ruffled dress shirt and bow tie and served as the Master of Ceremonies. My mother being the good sport that she was dressed in all gray and performed as a circus elephant. We all watched the death defying act of the elephant (mom) walk over the MC (dad).
We played several games dad had planned, and then it was time for our father daughter act that we had practiced together. Dad pretended to be a ventriloquist and I was his dummy. The party was a big success and one I hope to repeat for my daughter one day.
I still didn’t get a big pumpkin full of assorted candy, but when you have parents that will run a circus and act like an elephant for you, it really doesn’t matter.
What memories of Halloween or October do you have?
Please link up your own Favorite Memory or share in the comments..
Janna Antenorcruz is the founding editor of Mommy’s Piggy Tales: Record Your Youth. Inspired by her grandmother’s stories of growing up, she created a blog where mothers can have friendly accountability and encouragement to record the memories of their youth in 12 posts. Participation is free and Session 2 will begin October 7, 2010. Need more convincing to get involved? Read the Mommy’s Piggy Tales testimonials page.
Leave a Reply