Hall Halloween Traditions

As I thought about coming home to Utah, I spent some time wondering what things I wanted to do or be involved in, what traditions were important, and what things I wanted to change.  A move is a time to rethink things and decide what to leave behind and what to continue.

The Hall Halloween tradition of chili and scones was one of those things.  This has been going on for over 50 years--give or take some years.  Gary's grandparents would come to the Halls' home and the cousins who lived near by would come over for chili and scones to show off their Halloween costumes to Grandma Brown.  It started before we were married but not sure exactly when.  As the next generation began having kids, our children came to show their costumes and have chili and scones as well (when we lived nearby that is.) and especially in the 26 years we have been back to Utah.  After many years at Gary's parents house, it moved to Valerie and Allan's, and then when it became too much for Valerie, it moved to our house (along with her treasured chili recipe.)  I think we have done it here since 2011 or 2012.  Of course, we haven't done it since 2019--due to Covid and then our missions.

Since one half of our grandkids live out of state and because our house was basically empty, I thought we would skip it for sure this year and maybe stop it all together.  Of course, we could still go trick-n-treating with Jessica's kids, but maybe not make it a big deal with the gathering at our house for the chili and scones. Then when Jessica said they want to come to Syracuse for trick-n-treating, I started thinking we should have something to eat afterwards--so I texted Jessica and asked her if her kids would like scones.  She responded that she didn't know about her kids, but she LOVED scones. Then I knew we had to have scones--and later, added canned chili that Jessica and Elessia brought.

It is a funny thing about traditions--as we sat in the kitchen with chili and scones even with our small group--it seemed right somehow.  Jessica and Elessia had a friend there with her son, so we talked about this tradition and she loved it--to have something that your kids could remember from childhood and to build memories around.  I could see how meaningful it seemed to Jessica as well to share a piece of this with her kids even without the other cousins there.

The best moment was later when everyone was gone except for us (Gary, Ben, Jena, and I.)  Ben came up to me and said, "Thanks, Mom. I liked it." as he also felt the connections to Halloweens past by simply eating chili and scones together on this holiday.

So, chili and scones on Halloween will remain on the calendar for as long as I can make chili and scones--and next year, we will make a big pot of Aunt Valerie's chili.  It is the right thing to do!

Next up--do we do our "Halls Adult Almost Annual Christmas Party"?  Except for the last four years and one or two years when we had sicknesses, we started this tradition in 1991.  Do we resume it or not?  I do have the famous lizard!

Happy Halloween-Hall Style

I had assumed that Jessica and Elessia would want to take the kids trick-n-treating in their new neighborhood, but they wanted to come back to our neighborhood.  The streets in their neighborhood are not well lit at all.

So we got five of our sweet grandkids all dressed up at our house----

Liam

Alex

Zander a bit blurry but the only picture of just him

Carter-- The Monkey Pirate

Ezri--Mary's little lamb

The group plus a friend, Jude---

Sites as we went around the neighborhood---

Spooky eyes plus lots of other Halloween stuff in this yard

Some people go all out to celebrate....

Back at the house we found out that an empty room is a lot of fun for kids.  They were doing somersaults, flips, and rolling around.  Jena joined in the fun.

Checking on Zander....

We had canned chili and scones--as per tradition plus fruit.  Liam loves scones!

We facetimed with Tosha's family, but Scott's family was out too late to take a phone call.  They all had fun Halloweens as well.

James and Scarlett

Niki, Ava, and Cooper

We probably only had 10-15 groups of trick-n-treaters---a big drop from our early years in the neighborhood.  Some young families are starting to move in, so perhaps it will increase in the upcoming years.

It is a weird holiday, but it is part of the stuff childhood in America includes....memories!

 

More Pictures of the Layton LDS Temple

The east doors

The west doors....

Trying to get the mountains in the photo with the temple---fall is beautiful here.

We did sealing today which is always a sweet experience.  A fun way to start the Halloween holiday.

 

Yard Work Continues

Last week, Gary asked me if I thought Scott or Austen would be around when they are in town at Thanksgiving time and would help with cutting down some high branches in a tree from a house behind us.  It is a pretty tree, but it has overgrown our tree and is near our roof which isn't ideal either.  I said that I was sure that either of them would be happy to help.

So, Gary ordered this saw with a 29' handle on it.  The first day he gets it, he is outside cutting down limbs---so much for waiting for Scott and Austen to help.  

The weather has been mild--perfect for yard work and the trees in their fall colors around our back yard fence are gorgeous.

I am his "safety" person, but I am not sure what I can do in the event of huge falling limb.  Fortunately, Gary is very smart and does a good job figuring out where the limbs will fall.

We took our trampoline down for the winter and will replace it in the spring.  I think this one has lasted 8-10 years which is quite good.  It has a small tear in it and the outside mats were getting too old as well.  I had been leaning towards getting rid of the trampoline, but Gary feels it is a good thing for the grandkids and something that they connect to our house, so it will be back in the spring.

This was later in the same day when a brief storm rolled in and dropped some snow on the mountain tops...which melted by the next day.  This world is such a beautiful place.

YSA Halloween Party For Jena

She chose to do her Colonel Mustard again but with a different hat. 

She had a great time painting pumpkins and just being with the YSAs.  They had some serious costumes in the mix including four who came dressed as the Founding Fathers with wigs and everything.

Jena and I helped clean up and it was like "old times" in Arkansas and made me wonder how their Halloween Family Night went.  Still in that adjustment phase....
 

Mushrooms in Utah

These were on the end of their life, but thought I would document them.  Found them during the continual work in the back yard to clean it up and get ready for the winter. Remember last year when we had some cool mushrooms in Arkansas.  That was in September, but this past September before we left, we only saw one small regular mushroom.  It had been really dry this summer so maybe that is why.

Meanwhile, my niece, Anna, found some amazing mushrooms once again in the eastern states near where she lives.  We will definitely have to see some of them in person in a trip to the East coast.
 

The "Waiting" Period

This is how it looks as we wait for bids and then for the remodeling to start.  It does simplify cleaning day to day.  I feel okay about what we have in the kitchen now days although we still run out of forks if I don't watch it carefully and I may have to buy a medium saucepan.

We have beds in the bedrooms and our downstairs family room has a couch, chair, and TV which are the only comfortable places we have to sit. While Gary set up my computer on our built-in in desk which I have used in the basement since it was built, Gary is stuck with a folding table in his office.  We appreciate the space because when the remodel begins, we will all be downstairs with no kitchen or laundry room and the "camping" will really begin.

It is a bit of a limbo state, but it is okay.  We have beds, working bathrooms, and a kitchen--more than many if not most of the world.