I’m not a mom who cheers for my children at the playground.  Nor am I the mom who creates picture perfect birthday parties.  My children still know I am proud of them.  They also experience special events throughout the year.  I just prefer to be understated so it’s easier to get them excited about the Big Things.  Am I lazy?  Sure.

However, this year, some rabbits ruined one of our understated Halloween traditions (my husband and I helped too) and I had to whip out a last minute Special Event to fix everything.  Like, in my mind fix everything.  The kids were still going to ache for their grandmother after this parenting overture.  I wanted to fix one thing.  Just one!

A little background:  In April, we decided to move away from everyone and everything familiar to our kids.  I mean, that wasn’t our purpose.  My husband wanted a better job and this would allow me to stay home with the kids.  We would all see each other more.  On the whole, we gave ourselves a better life.

And ruined the damn Halloween tradition.

Each November, we casually throw our Halloween pumpkins in the backyard and by the following summer, we have at least one pumpkin growing from their soggy remains.  (This is called understated gardening by the way.)

Our 2013 pumpkin was left at the old house and to keep the tradition alive, I grew new pumpkins in pots and then transferred them to our new backyard when we moved in.

The vines are spectacular.  They grew and blossomed and continue to stretch across our lawn.  But, when those beautiful pumpkin flowers open, the rabbits come and have their way with them.

I went out and bought a scarecrow once I realized what was happening.

What I really wanted was a giant hand (made of pinwheels) with middle finger raised to all those bunny bastards.  But, you know, the kids.

It didn’t work and we have no pumpkins on our vines.

My kids need to learn that life can be tough.  This isn’t the year for that.  I think they’ve learned enough about disappointment and heartbreak for now.

So, the Special Event happened.

Ahem…

The Pumpkin Fairy brings pumpkins to children who don’t have any.  On Pumpkin Eve, children draw a pumpkin and tape it to the front window of the home.  One pumpkin is drawn for each child in the home.

That night the (gender neutral) Pumpkin Fairy comes into town and stops at all the houses with pumpkins in the window.  They hide a pumpkin for each child and leave a note telling the children where they can find more pumpkins.  The next day is Pumpkin Day and the family goes to a pumpkin patch to get the rest of the pumpkins.

In the morning, my kids found their little pumpkins and we followed the directions the PF left to a pumpkin patch.

The PF’s note went something like “First get in the car.  Drive on the highway.  Find the big red barn and then you’ll find the pumpkins!”  We drew pictures along with the words so my son could “read” the directions to us.

We found a place that did NOT understand the grace of living the understated life (miles of orchards and pumpkin patches, five million attractions that included helicopter rides).  However, this year, for this tradition, that was fine for us.  Our lost tradition was a symbol of the disruption we suffered this year.  We got it back by making it special for them.

And those damn rabbits better avoid our home in 2014.

Have you ever created a tradition or special event for your children to offset a disappointment?  I know I can’t be the only crazy one out there.  Right?