It is October 2nd and I am looking for a skeleton. It’s my third day of the hunt and I’m beginning to lose hope.

The last time I saw our skeleton was July and he was sitting in our New York basement sporting blue jeans, socks and a t-shirt, freaking out our moving crew.

I had tried to settle him into a location so as to not startle anyone but he just has that effect on people.

We spent the summer moving to Hawaii and finally in late September our household goods arrived.

Unpacking has been a slow but steady process but now it’s October and it’s time to find our skeleton. 

My kids love Halloween and I have to say our last post sure knew how to celebrate Fall.

Being in the North East the cooler weather, incredible foliage and shorter days really helped set the mood. Anticipation of Halloween started early in the month with the beginning of “Booing” the kids in our neighborhood (and “Boozing” the adults).

Trying to get treats to friends door and ring the doorbell without getting caught took much masterminding. Halloween was the grand event, the evening started with a parade and ended with neighborhood bonfires.

The opportunity for my kids to trick or treat on post unsupervised, just like I did as a kid, was a blessing.

I tagged along from a distance as many years as they’d let me.

Middle school was the breaking point, I was banished to the porch with the candy bowl and the skeleton to hand out treats.

I was lucky to snap some quick pictures before they scurried away to the neighborhood with the “good treats’ ‘.

Magically at 8 pm everyone finished knocking on doors. Little ones went in and got ready for bed. The bigger kids would gather at someone’s house and swap stories and barter for favorite candy.

If it wasn’t a school night my basement would be full of teen girls watching horror movies and my son and his bestie would be in the living room counting their haul.

The kids all knew bribing Mom with Peanut Butter Cups was the quickest way to a later bedtime or at least one last treat before they were put away for the night. 

This year is different.

Grade 7 and Junior year are tough years to move and make new friends. My son has been trying to get into the Halloween spirit.

He was disappointed to learn his favorite Halloween channel Freeform and its “31 Nights of Halloween” was discontinued.

He doesn’t live near any of his school friends so we’re trying to work out trick or treating but its going to require driving outside of our neighborhood, probably to the next town over and I’m not sure I’m comfortable with him on his own.

His older sister already transitioned to staying in and baking spooky treats but she’s missing her kitchen crew. 

We’ll also be missing our oldest as she celebrates her first Halloween at college.

Many changes. 

Even decorating is different this year. We have a huge blow up fire breathing Halloween dragon that we would put up on the first day of school and keep up until after Halloween.

We no longer have a yard to support our dragon and chances are the HOA has regulations against it anyways.

In terms of Halloween traditions there is a lot riding on me finding this skeleton. 

Unlike my kids I do not care for Halloween.

I hate being scared and don’t enjoy spooky things.

I lack any form of restraint or discipline when it comes to keeping candy in the house. So it was with great surprise that I found myself at Michael’s pouring over the Halloween decorations one

September afternoon. I have no idea what came over me but the next thing I knew I was at the cash register carrying a skeleton the same height as me.

When I brought it home I left it on a chair in the entrance way and it surprised each kid as they returned home from school.

It then became a family challenge to find the most creative place to put him. He sat on the piano bench one morning when my daughters came down for breakfast.

He waited in the bathroom one evening after everyone had gone to bed. If you pushed a small button behind his neck his eyes would glow red.

At sleepovers he’d be hidden in sleeping bags or under blankets to scare unsuspecting friends.

Some years we dressed him as a brave knight fighting the dragon, others he’s just chill on the porch in a hoodie, jeans and flip flops. He is a versatile character. 

My kids haven’t asked about our skeleton yet and maybe they won’t.

They are all busy with school and creating a new life here. I’ve tried to create family traditions that travel well and can follow us wherever we go.

Watching Elf after Thanksgiving dinner. The Advent Calendar with chocolate kisses every morning in December.

We celebrate birthdays with themed Scavenger Hunts. The burning of the pizza box at New Years is a favorite.

Admittedly the combination of scented candles on the kitchen island and the greasy pizza box was not a planned event, however the flames were impressive and memorable enough for a repeat performance to be requested. Yes, okay but outside in the firepit next year!

And thus a family tradition was born. Sometimes that’s how the best memories are made. 

When the kids were small my inlaws brought us a stuffed Leprechaun from Ireland.

His name was Finnegan.

One day they noticed some items had gone missing and they later found them with Finnegan hiding under a dresser! That mischief maker! (Now they also had a toddler brother who was interested in both the girls belongings and the Leprechaun but that connection was never made.)

Everytime Finnegan was around mischief happened. One day he even snuck into one of the girl’s backpack and went to school. Despite all the amazing Pinterest worthy activities we come up with for our family holidays, sometimes the best ones are the accidental, organic ones.

They aren’t perfect but are usually memorable. 

This morning I am making one last attempt to find my skeleton.

I’ve already emptied the boxes in the house, I head to the garage and there is realistically, only one box left unchecked. The one labeled “Uniforms, Professional Gear”.

I haven’t tried this one because I assumed, as labeled, it only contains “Uniforms” and my husband’s “professional gear”. I pull open the top to find the inside hanging rod has given way and the uniforms are angled towards the bottom of the box.

I reach my hand down along the side and I feel a sock. A sports sock with some bony toes. It’s him!

 I cautiously remove my husband’s uniforms from the box and lay them aside.

Peering inside I see my skeleton crouched down in the corner. 

“Please don’t let him be broken,” I whisper. 

As I lift him out, the expression on his face is one of great surprise, this jars me as that is not how he normally looks.

His head is hanging down, weary from his long cramped journey.

As I check him over I notice his slack jaw is actually a detachment.

His head is also not properly sitting on his neck, causing the hang dog posture.

But aside from that he looks good and he’s home.

This military life doesn’t always allow us to continue traditions or rituals the same way every year, but when it is possible, it’s certainly worth the effort.

Today our skeleton is home and in one piece. Embodying all the silly adventures we celebrated in our last house and ready to create new ones in this home.

Now, where can I hide him?

*Check out Heather’s previous posts HERE.