Letters to Jack & Audrey: Grantsylvania 2007

Jack,

Yesterday - on a whim - we decided that we wanted to try Grant's Farm's Halloween celebration. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I figured there would be trick or treating at the various animal pens and the kids would walk around with their parents and then we would end in the eating and drinking area where you would probably eat some candy while us adults had one or two of our free drinks.

I was very surprised at how popular the whole thing was. From the moment that we approached, the streets were backed up with visitors headed to Grant's Farm. We slowly approached and, after almost reconsidering, we decided to try anyway.

After parking, I was further discouraged when I saw that there was now a line of people waiting to get in that stretched the entire length of the parking lot, but we got in line and waited along with everyone else.

You actually did remarkably well, which I credit a lot to the fact that Uncle Bobby and Aunt Kelly had come along with us and you were very excited to have them there.

We sang songs while we waited in line and we traded you around and made you laugh and talked to you about the costumes that the other children were wearing.

There were a LOT of princesses which you found interesting because we've got a couple of Princesses movies at home and that's what I'M going to be this year, too!

(Yeah - that's right! :) Actually, my work has a costume contest and I bought a peach tafetta poofy prom dress so I could dress up for our theme 80's Prom. When I tried it on for you, you thought I was "Mommy-rella", so I decided I would convert the old prom dress into a Cinderella dress and dress up with you for Halloween.)

Well, long long long story short -

we made it through the line in about an hour and, after a pretty lame train ride with an unenthusiastic announcer throughout the ride,some screaming kids, a questionable grandfather sitting to my left who announced to his grandkids that the scattered fires that were part of the "decorations" were actually where they burned the children alive, and a couple of strange gouls - one which jumped at the train making all the children scream and another was a strange guy in overalls who looked like he had walked off of Gravios who walked along the train asking us to hand over the children - we made it to the park.

We walked through the park and observed the lights and decorations and dressed up children, paying absolutely NO attention to the animals because - been there..... done that....

We made it to the beer garden and here is where we settled. It was really and truly a full out party!

There was a deejay playing dance music and adorably costumed children getting down all around us.

The parent's were all relaxed and enjoying themselves filled with their free drinks from the bar and everyone was having a fantastic time.

Your eyes were bulging out of your head at all there was to see and, while you wanted to be held the whole time, you were stimulated and not the least bit ready to call it a night - not with so much going on and to do!

So, we joined the party - drinking and dancing and singing and having a wonderful time!

There were some costumed characters at the festivities that you were mesmerized by.

There was a Frankenstein character that you ABSOLUTELY HAD TO KNOW where he was at ALL TIMES, and then there was a pirate character that you were in awe of because you thought he was Captain Feathersword of the Wiggles fame.

We got our picture taken with Frankenstein much to your absolute horror

and also with Captain Feathersword.

After the picture, I admitted to the pirate that you thought he was Captain Feathersword from the Wiggles and he said "oh" in a deflated tone and then kind of disappeared. We didn't see him again.

We all got a chance to dance with you and you were singing along the whole time even though no one could understand the lyrics that you were singing, you were definitely singing and clapping and bobbing along with us to the celebration.