The rain started after our Homeschool Halloween party on Friday and didn't stop until it was time to head to town for trick-or-treating on Saturday afternoon.

I was thankful for the storm and for the quiet it brought us between these two big Halloween events and spent the entire day curled up in my chair by the fire, knitting. (A house-full of introverts means that after a big social day we tend to retreat to our own corners and find our centers again. Saturday was like that, though before it was through Lupine – our part-time extrovert – was off to the neighbors to play for an hour before we went to town.)

And then somehow the lazy part of our day was over in a hurry and – predictably – we were running late. (I was still in my pajamas.) We hustled into costumes and headed to Viroqua for the Enchanted Forest Walk, for visiting with friends, for finding our trick-or-treating buddies, then walking around our old neighborhood collecting hugs from old friends and treats from anyone who had them.

This town. Where during the Enchanted Forest Walk (put on by the 8th grade class at the local Waldorf school), as they spin a story and hand out treats along the trail, one 8th grade actress (handing out cookies to the children) notices Lupine beneath her witch hat and says, "Oh – would you like gluten-free?"

This town. Where one friend hands out cups of hot cider each year from her porch, and the children wait patiently in line to visit with her and sip their warm drink.

This town. Where Lupine was thrilled to find a banana in one treat basket and organic suckers in many others. (Sage at age 4 (dressed as a mouse) found Organic Valley string cheese at one house. "I got my wish!" he shouted, totally beside his mouse-y self.)

This town. Where we gave out individual bags of herbal tea one year and it was met with honest enthusiasm. (Really.)

This town. Where at seeing Sage's costume (and knowing he's our kid) one friend calls out, "You need a salve for that!" Ha.

We wandered home, the kids exhausted but elated and all of us ready for bed hours before normal. They sorted their candy into piles to trade, to keep, and to give to the Pumpkin Fairy.

And then – exhausted – we all fell asleep.

Halloween can be challenging for parents, I admit, but I'm thankful that I get to spend it here.