My cousin Amy Ruggieri and Me

This year for Halloween our kids have had a really difficult time deciding on what they want to be. I don't remember as I child getting to choose. For example, when I was in second grade my mom made me be a SKUNK! Do you think I wanted to be a skunk? No, I didn't. I was thinking about something more along the lines of a beautiful pink princess with a bright pink sparkling wand. I remember my mom working really hard on my skunk costume and sewing for hours at night. She also sewed a fluffy white rabbit costume for my little brother, Seth, and other costumes for my older brothers. The more she sewed the more distant my dreams of being a princess faded. I didn't say a word. Then they day of the Midway Elementary School Halloween Parade came. I remember hesitantly walking into the bathroom to change. As I reached the door, my mom handed me a beautiful glass perfume bottle with a long tassel. She said, "if you want, you can just squirt perfume along the way". I thought I was going to die of embarrasment! I held back tears until the door closed and then I sobbed. It took me some time, along with a few encouraging words from my school teacher to compose myself, but I did resurface as a "skunk"... painted face and all. I guess I figured, "oh well... I have no choice. Let's do it!". By the way, I won the award for the best costume that year and by the end of the parade I loved my costume.