This is Halloween...

I remember Halloween being really fantastic when I was little. My entire neighborhood would be out on the streets from the minute school let out until our parents made us come home well after 8 p.m. You would go up to a house and at least 3 or four other groups of kids (who you were not with your group) would arrive just behind you. There were more kids on the street than you could fathom ever living in your neighborhood. Then once you were home, your doorbell didn’t stop ringing until well after 10; and there was never any of the candy that you were giving out left in the bowl (not because you chowed down, but because you gave it all away).
When I lived in Chicago as an adult with a child, Halloween was still pretty great, although I know that the Bridgeport neighborhood was better than most. You did, however, still get all the kids out on the streets, and the all day trick-or-treating. Maybe not as much as when I was little, but enough. Boy never missed out on candy though, because the Bridgeport moms went all out for the school Halloween parties, not sending a bag with one piece of candy per kid, but Ziploc bags full.
Halloween in my current town, however, sucks ass. You are given specific hours to trick-or-treat (in neighboring towns the hours may not even be on Halloween) and even then, you may only see one or two groups of trick-or-treaters. Also, if there is one group at the door, the other group waits until they are done before going up (which in my book, just creates more work for the people at the door).
Trick-or-treating was from 5-8 for us. So I picked the kids up at the normal time, got take out and rushed us through eating and getting ready (no costumes allowed at school out of respect for those who think Halloween is for the devil- and there are a lot of people like that here) from 5-6, when we were at home, not one trick-or-treater knocked on our door. Granted we live on a hill on the darkest street in town, but come on.

Then we hit our block while waiting for Mr. Hobbitfeet to get back from school. Only six houses had porch lights on.

After two hours of straight trick-or-treating, the kids only got enough for a small bag each. Luckily enough, the candy I bought to give out was a kind we like, because we didn't give a single piece out. Thanks Chucktown, you rock!

Here is a picture of the kids. They were too excited before hand to let me get a picture, so this is them after TMH (too much Halloween for those of you who don't speak Woodlandmamaese)! Note the tears in Girl's eyes, the girth of both kids (from all the layers I put under their costumes) and Boy's idea of acting like he likes his sister.