Admit it. This is the scariest thing you will see this Halloween!

I know, because she scares me everyday.  They always told me Panda has a face only a mother could love...

But seriously folks.  I am missing the Halloweens of yore.  Last year we had ONE trick or treater and that makes me kind of sad.  Our neighborhood used to be saturated with kids and Halloween was a huge event.  Parties, trick or treating en masse, Orlando Grandma would come and scare the kids, scary music, too much candy.  Those were the days:

This was The Maven's first Halloween.  The Writer was already a veteran.  He'd already been Superman and a clown, but now he made one convincing pirate.  Hmm, maybe that's where his fascination with the lifestyle began...

Then we finally progressed to the next year where we began the Gator indoctrinization and fed The Writer's interest in magic. The Maven's blood runs black and gold instead of orange and blue, but she humors us still.  Don't know if The Writer still likes magic, but he doesn't look too bad with facial hair and his blood runs orange and blue.


I think he thought he really was Merlin:

The years have flown by with many costume trends, some more successful than others.  Wish I had a picture of the year we wrapped a large box and stuck The Maven in it and she trick or treated as a Christmas Present.  Hey, it was cheap! And easy!

Yes, I really miss those old Halloweens.  Don't know what Mr. Tennis and I will do this year, but we can always dress up the Bostons and hit the dog parks.  Those milk bones aren't going to be as tasty as the candy the kids used to bring home, but I still have lots of good memories to feast upon: