We got to go to a Halloween Wedding for my Uncle Greg and Aunt Testza. I even got to wear my costume!
He said
Where last week, most of my family fun came during the week because I was at work all weekend, this week’s fun came with a big focus on the weekend—and Saturday in particular.
The day was filled with three pretty big moments in our lives.
The first of the day was more of a systematic event than anything else. Being that it was the last day of October, we begrudgingly made plans and set aside time to put our beloved Wolfie away in her hibernating spot. As much as I didn’t like the getting up early and the packing and loading her up for winter storage and the ensuing admission that summer and fall have moved to the rearview mirror, the one thing I was relishing was getting more space back in our driveway for the two cars. We got the trailer hitched, packed and unhitched at the storage facility in about an hour, which set us onto our next, and far more exciting event of the day: a Hallowedding!
About a month ago, my brother Greg let us know that he and Testza were planning on getting married in a small ceremony and didn’t want a lot of fuss made about it. That small ceremony grew and formed into a truly unique and memorable experience that intertwined its Halloween date all through the service. The chose the church at Fanshawe Pioneer Village as the location and encouraged those of us coming to dress up for the Halloween occasion, which we gladly obliged!
Those of you that know my brother Greg and his wife Testza for that matter, know just how perfect a Halloween themed wedding is, set on all Hallow’s Eve. They are probably the two biggest fans of the day that I know. And the ceremony was the perfect reflection of just that and what a great fit they are for each other. Emelia went dressed as Cinderella 2015, Danielle as a witchy-poo, and I was Marty McFly from Back To The Future. And in the most hilarious and poetic of fashion Greg and Testza wed dressed as Wednesday and Pugsley from The Adam’s Family. Our nephew Vaughan was a wizard (we called him ‘Vaughandolf‘) and blessed the Halloween decorated church.
After the service was over and we all took ample opportunity to take photos together, we reconvened as a family at Casey’ for a late afternoon lunch or early afternoon dinner to celebrate the nuptials as wells as our nephew Andrew’s seventeenth birthday. After the meal was done we headed back to Mom & Dad’s for some pre Trick or Treating cupcakes to properly ring in Andrew’s birthday. And once the Moron Teeternacle Choir and sang Andrew into his seventeenth year, it was time to hail our pumpkin carriage back home to get Emelia out Trick Or Treating with her besties!
We’re starting to get into the years that are really fun for Emelia when it comes to Halloween. We’re able to stand more back at the street and just be there for her, rather than hand hold and take her to the doors. And she’s at the age where she can stay up later and go and go and go. As parents, Danielle and I just got to – with other friend parents in two – sit back and watch our kids overwhelm themselves with excitement.
One of my favourite things last night was that we’ve been in this neighbourhood long enough to get to know the people in it, and have seen it transform with a lot of younger families moving in, that we’ve become quite good friends with a lot of the other families. As we galavanted about the streets last night, I recognized that this neighbourhood is really starting to feel like the one that I grew up in, in Wallaceburg. In short, it’s feeling more like home than that one on Dora Drive did.
The night wasn’t all success and rainbows though… there was a point where an over stimulated and too tired to recognize she was exhausted Emelia had to be pulled from any more Trick Or Treating because of a disastrous temper tantrum of colossal proportions. It led to a lot of lost privileges including her candy loot, but it also gave way to some very meaningful discussions and big learning opportunities for our little girl turned moody teenager. And the good news is there was all sorts of remorse today.
Overall, I would say for many reasons both positive and not so positive, this will be a Halloween we will remember for all time. And in the end even the tantrums I wouldn’t change for anything for family we’re building in the neighbourhood I love, is as anything else is, a continuing work in progress. One worth fighting for!
She said
What a fun filled, busy and incredible wedding. The week leading up was quite busy for me as I had a new little one join my daycare. There have been a bit of tears but for the most part she is settling in quite quickly. She is very comfortable around the other children and me we just need to convince her that John is pretty fun to be around and we don’t need to scream our head off every time he enters a room.
The week was a cooler and very wet one which meant we have a fair bit of inside play time, lots of crafts and gave Greta time to settle in. But it did make for some down right squirrley toddlers/preschoolers, which has made me very nervous for the upcoming winter. I am full planning mode right now to figure out how to keep my three oldest daycare kids busy, stimulated and focused this winter. It will be a challenge for sure with this group.
By Friday we were in full Halloween mode, Emelia was bouncing off the wall in excitement, we had snacks ready and costume packed and she was ready for her school fun. Ryerson has an annual tradition that involves the younger children doing a neighbourhood parade, sadly this is Emelia’s last year being involved in this tradition but next year I think she shifts focus to other fun activities. When other schools are really cutting back on Halloween traditions we love that Ryerson really embraces it and lets the children use their creative sides and make a whole school experience of it. By the end of the day all the children came pouring out of the school still in their costumes and full of smiles.
The week’s activities had really gotten away from us and it came to Friday night and we still did not have our pumpkin to carve or our candy. Now the candy was by design to keep temptation to an absolute minimum for the adults in this house but the pumpkin was not necessity planned. While we were out and about all week there was lots of stores with bins of pumpkins so I didn’t think getting it Friday evening was a big issue. Well apparently it was—four stores later we finally had our pumpkins and home later than I wanted to get Emelia and I to the carving. Her recent obsession with Harry Potter lead to a simplified version of Harry Potter and we had a happy girl.
Saturday morning came far too early for all of us but we had a lot to get done. The first big task was to get Wolfie winterized and ready for storage. We had to pack all the items in a bin that couldn’t handle winter storage as well as getting it set with anti-freeze to prevent disaster. After doing this task for the a few years we got it ready for storage in quick order, hooked up and out to the farm we store her at for her winter storage. It is always a sad day putting her in storage.
After we got the trailer stored we made quick order to get back home and to get ready for the big event of the day. We got home, cleaned up, make-up done and costumes on just in time to get out the door to the wedding.
Greg and Testza’s wedding could not have been more perfectly them if they tried. Halloween is a favourite holiday and it also holds a significant sentimental meaning to their relationship so knowing that the holiday fell on a Saturday it could not have been more perfect. They really wanted something simple, not a lot of fuss made but make it something very personal that reflected them. And it could not have been more them. The ceremony was amazing, it was a true reflection of their love, their relationship and them as a couple. We were so honoured to be part of the day. And I have to say it was the most fun, seeing everyone all dressed up to celebrate was just about perfect. It will be a wedding I am sure we will never forget.
After we cleaned up after the wedding we went over for a family dinner with both sides of the family and celebrated the newly married couple. Once dinner was done the Teeter side of the family went back to Helen and Doug’s for a shortened visit so we could celebrate Andrew’s 17th birthday. I am not sure when that happened. I still remember like it was yesterday the day he was born, he has grown from a little boy to a young man in what seems like a blink of an eye. We had to leave earlier than we would have liked but we had something pretty important to Emelia to attend to.
Emelia has hit the age where Halloween is only second to Christmas. She was on the ‘how many sleeps until Halloween’ countdown for weeks. She was so excited that she and her best friends, Anna and Grace were going out trick or treating. We are on 5 halloweens that the girls have gone out together and they have an absolute blast. The girls ran happily from house to house for over an hour and a half. Seeing friends as they were on the go. It is amazing how much our neighbourhood has transformed since we moved in 15 years ago. There were kids everywhere! It was incredible to see, seeing all the school kids around with their parents you got a true sense of community. Everyone looking out for each other and their kids and having an incredible time.
After an hour and half and a few days of way too much activity hit Emelia like a ton of bricks all at once. Once a few groups of kids came together she got instantly overwhelmed and then the meltdown started. And it was epic one. In the end she was carried home and we were up in her room having a stern talk with her a full hour than I figured we would be home for the night. It took a LONG time to get her to really ‘get’ why she was being punished and the impact of her behaviour. Now we are very happy to say today she seems to have understood what her behaviour means, how it impacts other people. She lost some pretty big privileges which have been altered a wee bit today to have a more significant impact. She isn’t overly happy about it as her beloved TV and internet are the two things she lost for the week but she is taking the punishment in stride and has written all her friends notes and said sorry personality to each of them from last night. It’s a sour pill for her to swallow but we want her more than anything is to realize her behaviour impacts other people.
In spite of the end of Saturday it was an incredible weekend. The weather today was beautiful and mild so we spent the entire day outside and she spent as much of that time with all her friends so I would say it was a success.
Going to enjoy the last of the night with my family of three and play Lego with John and Emelia before we get our overtired little girl to bed.