You know, for someone who loves planning and organizing, I am really off my game this Halloween. For years, Halloween has been a favorite holiday of mine. I love getting into the spirit of Halloween with and for my kids... it's just fun. Spooky snack boards, movie nights, crafts, pumpkin painting, and carving- we love it all.

This year, I had grand plans for bonfire nights, hanging out with friends, letting the kids have friends come over to play, and making fun Halloween-themed snacks. I got smacked with a great big dose of reality a few weeks ago as if I needed a reminder about how crazy and busy my life is. We took our big trip to Florida a few weeks ago, and I guess I didn't realize that being out of town for eight days would put a major dent into October and our usual Halloween festivities. Since I was so busy planning this epic trip for our family, I really let Halloween plans go. We're talking about forgetting about costumes, not making solid plans for trick-or-treating, not even knowing where our candy pails are, and not really decorating the house for the occasion. 

I decided that I wasn't going to let myself be upset or frustrated with my lack of planning. I'm just one person, managing the lives of five people. Most days, it's a lot... the other days, it's extra. We bought pumpkins for carving over the weekend and managed to find costumes for each kid. We'll go to my mom and dad's house on Halloween for pizza and trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. It's likely to rain, but we'll have fun nonetheless.

In this very busy season of life, I am stepping back from my perception of what life should look like. It is what it is. Do I want to spend all of my "free time" (what even is that!?) planning and prepping, or do I want to spend it being present with my family? Sometimes I have to ask myself tough questions which force me to look deeper. I may not like it, but it's necessary. Just don't tell my husband I admitted this (kidding). 

I'm looking forward to what my be our first-ever lazy Halloween... and you know what comes next.

What are your plans for Halloween? Taking it easy or going all-out?