The speculation started about a month ago.
“I do not think I will be getting too into horror this year. That’s okay. Because I LOVE PUPPETS!!!”
“I mean, I LIKE horror movie characters. BUT I LOVE PUPPETS!”
There was plenty of discussions about each of the horror characters while Cranky Pete rested on Declan’s arm.
Then, I would wake up my computer to realize who was there last.
Or, walk past the TV to see horror discussion videos like “The Top 10 Horror Movie Weapons” on YouTube. (I’ll save you from the link – just know it is out there).
Until the random drive-by happened. On one of my many trips to drop or retrieve children we passed a familiar shopping center and saw the sign out front.
“SPIRIT HALLOWEEN – OPENING SOON!”
Like the dutiful parent I am, I drove to the curb and parked to let Declan go peer through the dark windows. Wiping the fog that accumulated on the glass from his breathing for a better view inside.
Excitedly he popped back into the car to tell of all the wonders he saw inside.
As I finished clearing the emails from my phone, which I had picked up while I was waiting, we heard a voice yelling at us from outside of our car.
Startled, we saw a young man standing there trying to tell us something. I rolled the window and he smiled.
“We open tomorrow!” He called from the curb.
Declan squeaked.
“IsawthesignandwantedtoseewhatwasinsideIcan’twaittocometomorrowIlove halloweenandIlovethestorebutitwaslockedbutitopenstomorrowIcan’twait canwecomebacktomorrwwewillcomebacktomorrow!”
The man smiled and waved. Declan got his breathing under control. I promised to bring him back the following day.
And since Declan Googled the exact time the store opened, we were the second the doors were unlocked.
It is not often Declan holds on firm to two special interests at the same time. We would like to see puppets stick around and have encouraged him to maybe make puppet horror characters.
For Halloween itself, Declan wants to be Kermit the Frog. We have a 24-inch balloon ready to paper mache so we can practice his costume before the big day.
But it looks like Halloween has started REALLY early for us this year!
I never knew when Spirit Halloween opened. I always just knew it was an October thing. But just so you know, it is a mid-August and September thing too!
I saw a sign on Mon but didn’t process how early they’re appearing. Geeeez
Glad Declan had fun!
Me neither! I never knew they were open this early!
Thank you!
Too soon! Lol
I agree! 🙂
Can we finish summer first
I know! Declan found an opening into Halloween a little too early this year (at least for me 🙂 ).
I’m sure it opens earlier every year. I miss those annual trips. Maybe I can get Eli to go for old time’s sake.
I thought about that – how could one store survive just being open one month a year? I guess it was always open a little before and a little after Halloween. I just didn’t realize it was this early. Give it some time before you take Eli. A lot of the animatronics weren’t put together yet. Since I know we will be going weekly now for the weeks ahead it will be fun to see the season unfold in the store decorations.
I am NOT telling Daughter!🤐😂 She lives for horror, and Halloween. Too bad the hospital is across the street from a mall… they’ll probably set up a store there.🤪
Ben already has 2 options for Halloween and I’ll be ordering another costume soon. I had gotten him a “Cat Noir” costume during lockdown, but held onto it in “the stash”. By the time he asked again, he’d grown so much it doesn’t fit. He still tries to wear it even though it won’t zip up🤦🏼♀️😂😂
Haha! That is funny! The Halloween/horror lovers probably can smell the store opening out. Declan has been talking about Spirit Halloween for the past few weeks. Then to just drive by and see the sign above the store – it was just like he knew all along. Too funny! I bet daughter will be there soon!
It is so funny to me how Declan, and now hearing the same about Ben, plan their costume SO FAR in advance. I am going with the flow with D – he wanted to be Kermit and so I got the supplies to make the costume but he hasn’t set the time and date for the actual making of the mask yet. He is always into so many other projects (and videos! 🙂 ).
I can’t believe Halloween is creeping up upon us already! Where has the time gone?! Looks like Declan is gonna be Freddy Krueger this year. Looks great! He must just be so thrilled with the upcoming festivities.
Me too! I can’t believe it! He keeps trying to get me to buy him the Freddy Krueger glove with the real knives in it. Like that is ever going to happen! 🙂 So far he has been asking to be Kermit the Frog this year. Hopefully, his costume stays as innocuous as that! 🙂
Oh my! I can’t believe they are starting Halloween stuff already. I suspect Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations won’t be far behind. I’m glad to see how much Declan enjoyed the store.
I don’t see Halloween everywhere (yet). I feel like he had his Halloween sensors up and found one of his favorite Fall traditions just a little too early. At least for me!
It is a bit early to me too.
Sounds like a fun trip – and before the rush!! 🙂
The first trip of many I am sure 🙂
My goodness, Robyn, Halloween does start early over there! Spirit Hallloween does look amazing though, so I’m not surprised that Declan was so keen to explore it. Great that he’s doing so well with his interests – long may it last! 🙂
Thank you, Alli! 🙂
Your son may have trouble with a Kermit the Frog costume because it’s not easy being green…
Haha – that’s true!
Wow. Declan will have loved this. Hawklad would be in his element here. I guess the closest thing we have is a Dracula museum.
Declan would love that too!
That looks like fun. I love Halloween!
Me too!
That is so cute that you pulled up to let your son go peer in through the window. You are such a great and patient mom.
Thank you!
I think it’s important not to forget that Halloween is almost exactly the same as Christmas, because Oct 31 equals Dec 25 (geek joke… sorry!).
Hi Robyn, I hope all is okay I haven’t seen many posts from you, Elaine x
Hi Elaine! Yeah, I am in an inbetween phase trying to figure some things out. Thanks for checking in! x
You take care 😘
You too!
Hi Robyn, just checking in and sending you love. Elaine
My favorite part was your capturing his excited sentence. 😀 What did he end up doing for Halloween?
He went as Kermit until an eye fell off. Then he came home and put on his Sam from the movie Trick or Treat costume. I liked Kermit – he was innocent and never killed anyone 🙂
😀 Until he lost an eye….
Haha…I know. It just popped off. Poor Kermy!
I hope you will also post the Kermit the Frog costume. I am kind of surprised when kids like horror movies. I am an adult (according to my driver’s license) and I am a complete coward about scary things. Freddy Krueger was my own personal nightmare when the film came out–because my last name was Krueger before I married. This made everyone in school call me Freddy for a while. But, it is a nice thing that you can support your child’s interests and are willing to take him back to a store–especially at its opening hour. Kudos to you for the bonus mom points that made your son so happy. Freddy Krueger would be lucky to have a mom like you.
He went as kermit until an eye fell off. Then he came home and put on his Sam costume from the movie Trick or Treat. I don’t understand the horror movie thing either. But it makes him so excited! It always has. He freaked me out in kindergarten when he had to draw something for the letter D on a day that I was the mom helper. He drew a face with X’s for eyes and told me he drew me dead. And then said, “Duh, Duh, Dead. D for Dead.” I wrote “dog” on the drawing figuring it was just a kindergarten drawing and maybe I could convince the eye of the viewer it was actually a dog. And it was always like that. Another year kids were drawing pumpkins and ghosts and he was drawing a guy with an axe dismembering people. Thank goodness the school told me that it was no big deal – that is what halloween meant to him. Horror stuff although I have no idea how he even came across it. My other two are scaredy cats. We weren’t watching the stuff. Actually, come to think of it, I think that is why I liked his kermit costume so much. No death involved. Except one eye. Spirit Halloween was our weekly reward trip for two months. We were there the day it opened and the day it closed. If it is what he likes then okay, I guess. Thank you for the compliment too!
Hope your alright Robyn. You haven’t posted for a while. I’m running out of parenting tips to put on my blog without your posts to copy off. You take care. Gary
Thanks, Gary! You too!
I hope its been a happy Christmas and wishing you a wonderful new year. Hang in there, we got this.