STBX asked me to take the kids around for Halloween, and STBX is going to go and hang out with her friends in town where they serve<BR>hot dogs and juice to everyone who stops by at the local church.<P>YIPPEEE!<P>I get to dress up with the kids, and still be a DAD!<P>I usually do the carving with the kids, <BR>I usually do the make up with the kids.<P>this is great! I like this divorce stuff!<BR><B> NOT! </B> But I love being goofy and having fun with the kids!<P>off to pick them up for dinner!<P>tom<P>

I love the Halloween thing. I always sew their costumes. This year it's a Ninja and Queen Elizabeth I. I don't really know how that happened. The ninja is easy. But the other one. Well, I'm skipping the farthingale, bum roll, sleeve ruffs, and partlet. She gets the underskirt, overskirt, and bodice. I wonder if I'm sleeping for the next few days. By the way, d loves wearing these costumes when I finish. They end up in the dress-up box and get worn a lot.

Thinking this situation through, I must take them to all the STBX's colleagues' houses, the ones who think that I am the "bad" one for leaving such a wonderful person. The ones whom she askes for advice and support, and these are all people who live in the fantasy world, and believe me, if I explain the fantasy stuff to you, you would agree.<P>This should be interesting. I am definately dressing up to the max, makeup and all.<P>And if they think I am rotten to the core, then why am I with my kids all dressed up?<P>tom<P><BR>

In my neighborhood all the moms take the kids out & pull a wagon with a cooler of beer in it. This is my first time in the neighborhood & although it may be a little awkward (I haven't told anyone, but I know they've noticed her car missing & me taking son to the bus EOW) I'm looking forward to it. I'm a Mr. Mom!<P>------------------<BR>nick<P>it's only time that heals the pain and makes the sun come out again

There are no children, to speak of, in our neighborhood so we go to some friend's and trick-or-treat with them. It's like a block party. Some of the parent's dress up. Some of the parent's pull the party wagon. Neighborhood full of $250-500K old houses. Close together and near the street. Good candy, too.<P>Nick, you want to come too? thl, you can come with us. By the way, are all her coworkers in the same neighborhood? Drive-by trick-or-treating isn't much fun for the children. <P>

I am going to do this anyway, but all STBX's coworkers are all teachers, all work at the same school, and all live together at the school. Its a boarding school. So we have always gone around together to all their houses. They all eat meals together, some vacation together. And the school operates 7 days a week, classes on saturday, study times on sunday night they have to suupervise, etc. Its a 24X7 job, with the summers off.<P>So will I be uncomfortable? yes, because they are all teacher types that love her, that love "working" with kids. Let me tell you, I have a tough time talking with them because their whole life outlook is geared towards kids. Adult to adult stuff is hard with them, especially if you aren't politically correct all the time, but speak your mind! <P>Will I go, you betcha! all dressed up for sure! And I will also take them to their friend's neighborhood down the road out of the school, where I want to live, and they would love living there.<P>And especially since she has had to ask them about relationships because she knows so little!<P>tom<BR>

Are you going to take them by the church so that she could see them? That might be something generous you could do for her. (soften up that flinty heart of hers)<P>Not that you want her going soft on you or anything. <P>H

Oh, absolutely, we go there at the end of trick or treating to have our dinner. Of course, I am going to show my presence for the kids that I can handle anything, and I am not afraid of being me! and I love to have fun with the kids, in ways that the STBX does not.<P>Everyone else can take me or leave me as they choose.<P>Of course, they all think I am a snobbish, rich, cold, outspoken SOB, but they don't even know me.<P>And her public service is to the EMT squad, mine is to the soccer club, (on weekends) and I do a damn good job of it too, she admits that, and she complains about that, even though we both have been doing it for years.<P>She just complains about everything. Complains, complains, complains.<P>Having someone positive and self confident really makes a difference.<P>tom

WIFFT (tom)<P>Just went to that web site you gave me a link to - now I really know how alone I am in the world. (thanks) I'm as rare as my blood type, and guess what - a biologist that works on engineering-type problems. What a hoot!<P>I've been wondering for years if I was just odd - now I know I am. Oh well, at least I understand myself better. It was hilarious reading that paragraph from the link - It was re-living a conversation w/ H.<P>Anyway - I did want to really thank you for throwing that my way. I printed it out to take home.<P>You're the best! <P>H

Well, my ninja is done. Queen Elizabeth I's skirts are done except for hems and her sleeves are done. Can I make the entire bodice tonight so she can wear it in the morning? I am becoming sleep deprived. And then after this, there is d's bd, then Christmas. Yikes!<P>But after Christmas is January and the hot tub party is then!!! Doing a happy dance!!!!

Cinderella,<P>I think you should make the farthingale, bum roll, sleeve ruffs, and partlet! I've had to make many a princess costume with puffed/fitted sleeves with points, bodices, underskirts, etc., and I just want to share the pain!!! <P>I'm lucky this year - my sewing machine broke! (in April) Oops!<P>If you want some help - you can mail me the pieces!<P>H

I have it under control. We discussed the dangers of trick or treating in a hoop skirt (Farthingale). D has no interest in the bum roll. Ditto the partlet and sleeve ruffs. The neck ruff will be out of purple satin ribbon so it won't scratch and so that it will cost less. I am not putting boning in the bodice. I'm going for effect. That is the nice thing about Halloween costumes. It's about effect - not authenticity. <P>I understand the QEI connection. As a teenager, she ascended to the throne on Nov. 17. That is d's bd. She's 9 going on 15. I swear, no 9-y-o girl should have curves like this. And she's tall and blond and fair. Panic attack! Panic attack!

Hey - I have two that "matured" by ten and were menstruating before 11!!!<P>Talking about a house full of hormones. It must be very confusing to still want to be a kid and have the homones of a woman. Thank God 15yo is finally getting more mature. 11yo is nuts, however. <P>I would love to see pictures. Maybe I should sign up for Butterfly's web fest and post some.<P>H

You folks have mentioned your kids' costumes, but you haven't even mentioned what YOUR costume will be. I am going to be a cute witch--I thought I'd go with my strengths. You know what they say, "Do what you know." <P>cinderella--let me guess. Princess? Maybe. Queen--not sure. Too many connotations. Goddess among mortals. Oh yeah. Uh Huh. <P>harlequin--maybe a clown with a sad tear? Nah. How about a happy clown. <P>WIFTT--most definately a comedian. Jerry Lewis? Sinbad? Haha. Maybe all three of the Three Stooges. <P>BOO!<P>CJ<P>------------------<BR>Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

I'm scared at this one!<P>8 yo d is just showing first signs of pubic hair! This is just way too fast!<P>she will probably be pregnant by 16!<P>I'm scared to death!<P>tom<P>I haven't figured out what I am going as, but it has to have makeup, and lots of it!<BR>

FW -<BR>Had a girlfriend who made a very sexy witch with artful slits to hip or so in "ragged" dress, orange and black panties, and orange and black striped socks. Adult party wear of course - not the stuff for t-o-t w/ kids.<P>Wiftt - <BR>Hmmmmmm, I got it! I'm a romantic, so I always liked pirates. Swashbucklers don't wear lots of makeup, tho. How about a Smurf? Lots of blue paint! LOL<P>I'm actually going to be a harem slave this year. I've even got castenettes! (sp?)<P>Anne

I guess I'm going as a mom. Don't have a costume planned. Let's see. I have a tuxedo. I have a clown wig. I don't have much that I can think off. I have my diaphanous apparition costume from last year. But you can't go to the bathroom unless you take off the dress, slip, and leotard. Get a dictionary and look up those two big words. Translates into Victorian ghost.<P>D had breasts at 8 and her first period within two weeks of her 9th birthday.. She'll be 10 next month. I think I'm starting perimenopause. Boy, are our hormones crazy. But a lot of my friends younger than me are in this shape themselves. Not with the daughter but with their own bodies.

My witch isn't sexy, per se, just a cute witch. I have a short, little black dress, black stockings, high heels, and a spider web cape and hat. I even have a witchy-poison ring! <P>I had my first period at 9yo and size 38's by fourth grade. Don't panic. My body was mature, but my mind didn't catch up until well into high school. I think having boys pinch 'em to see if they were real created some girlish resentment toward men until a boy in tenth grade was just too cute to resist. Count it a mini-blessing and let her know what's going on, that's all I can say.<P>CJ

Well, update on BOO time.<P>intended schedule: leave work at 3:45, to STBX's house to pick up kids at 4:30 to 5:00, trick or treat until 7:00, go to parent's house, back to STBX's by 8:00 pm.<P>actual occurances:<BR>CEO was late to our meeting, he is an [censored] when it comes to family time. He likes to schedule meetings at 5PM, or make people wait for him when he knows they have somewhere to go. Left work, 4:15<P>So I was late getting out of work, and then hit a pothole, and blew out a tire on the way home. 4:30 had to change two tires, put toy tire on rear, rear tire on front for traction and stopping and turning, etc. Toy tire was flat, so drove 1/4 mile to gas station to pump up toy tire. so I got home, 5:30 had to put all the stuff from trunk back into trunk, get three carved pumkins into car, change clothes, put makeup on, went as a vampire, wig on, candy out on front step, left home at 6:10. 6:15 forgot camera, back to the house, get camera, 6:20 leave house again. 6:35 get to STBX's house.<P>Kids are happy to see me, finally, anxious to go trick or treating. STBX is mad and complains that I spent time getting makeup on, she is late to hanging out with her friends at the church serving hot dogs. She is the only person with kids in that group. <red flag!> Kids loved my costume.<P>No time for pictures, get in car begin trick or treating at 6:45. Went to 10 of STBX's colleagues houses, then went to 4 of kids' friends at a nearby neighborhood. 11 yo s says he wishes we lived in that neighborhood, and I said so do I (which is where stbx and I looked for a house, until she decided she couldn't be married to me!) about 10 - 12 of kids' friends live there.<P>Went to the church at 7:50, got hot dogs, and STBX's friends wouldn't say hi to me, no problem, so kids and I went back to STBX's house, she said she would be back in 15 minutes. Didn't say anything to me when she got home, 30 minutes later. walked right into house, never came to say anything to me. Took lots of pictures with new digital camera, of great pumpkins that kid's carved at my house, and got 11 yo to take pictures with camera. I went to door and said by to her, and then left. 9:00 pm forgot my parent's house. oh crap!<P>You know, after thinking about STBX, the most she has ever dressed up is a pair of spider earrings. And this is a great holiday time to be a kid with the kids. And to see who she hangs out with instead of going trick or treating with the kids, is just bizarre. all childless couples, or single, except one with grown kids.<P>I am beginning to wonder why I was so brain damaged in the first place? So brain damaged that red flags were invisible? She has very seldom gone out, and has never dressed up. We went to neighborhood houses where the parents were out with the kids, or the parents were dressed up at the house!<P>Hope everyone else has had a great HALLOWEEN!<P>TRICK OR TREAT!<P>tom