The cost was a whopping $3 per person and that included not only entrance to their little piece of "family friendly" haunted forest, but a donut and a non-watered down hot chocolate as well.
The atmosphere was exactly what it should be mid-October, pre-Halloween. The evening temps were hovering in the mid-60's. The sun had just dipped below the mountain and the stars were out in the clear sky as we settled into the shadows of the night. The trees sported what was left of their yellow leaves, the ground littered with its share of them as well.
Our feet crunched as we walked across the parking lot.
Cali, being the youngest, was excited for any excuse to wear a Halloween costume and had adorned herself with a ripped and bloodied Cinderella dress over her leggings and flip flops.We stood in line where the kids rambunctiously annoyed and teased each other about the noises playing across the air from inside the trees of which our line slowly snaked toward.
I watched as miniature witches, zombies, and mummies ran amuck on a hill to my right. An ebola doctor, complete with facemask, ran back and forth along the line to my left. A tiny little girl did row after row of back hand springs in her sparkling orange skinny jeans on the lawn just beyond the ebola doctor.
Casidee worked out the finer points of her Halloween night costume, perhaps a gray dress and grayed out face? Why not add black drips coming down from your eyes, I suggested. West proceeded to plan how to scare all the kids out of our yard. I think we'll just serve hot chocolate over a fire pit in a witch cauldron, I said. I want it to be fun and magical, not scary.
Cali and Tayler, my more timid and sensitive of The Circus, began to feel nervous as we drew near the entrance of the forest, and the noises playing over a stereo system became louder.
Just look for how they do it. Look at the costumes. Look at the machines. Think about how we could do it ourselves in the same way at our house.
Murray Park did it well. The actors inside the 5 minute (if that) forest walk seemed to be aware of who was there; pressing in on the older kids to have some fun, standing back on the younger ones to let them take it all in.
Cali and Tayler began to realize it was just masks and props and started having fun with it.
I may or may not have shimmied out quickly at the end as the scarecrow turned and shuffled after me, dragging one leg behind him as he came.
The nervousness and intimidation was gone and giggles filled my family.
That was fun, Cali and Tayler declared.
The rest chimed in, laughing at the actors and the sudden moments that had caught them by surprise and startled them.
And my heart smiled.
Halloween is here.
