I thought I had escaped the jet lag, returning just a few days ago from a week in Korea. But no. It just hit a few days later than expected. So when I dragged myself to the pumpkin patch today with Corbin, it was with a less than enthusiastic demeanor than I would have hoped. Doesn’t it seem like Halloween came really fast this year? I still don’t even know what I’m going to be! “I think this might be the Halloween that never happened,” said my friend Liz, still trying to pull it together for her three boys. I agreed, but knew that at the least, I had to get my son a pumpkin. So there we were, a bunch of wet rags (it was starting to rain) walking into the pumpkin patch when suddenly I remembered: The Jumpies! And everything brightened. I truly can’t figure out why other parents don’t remember the joys of jumpies but for the last five years, I gaze out from the bottom of a jumpie slide, or top of a jumpie staircase, and wonder why I’m the only parent in there. Jumpies are so much fun! Plus they’re great exercise and your kids think you get a bunch of extra hugs and kisses from your kid as gratitude for bumping and sliding and crashing together. As we bounced away, other kids joined in and I hoped other parents would too. My hopes were dashed and I wondered if any of the children had the same feeling. I also thought of Corbin’s comment last week that Koreans seem to have a lot more fun. I was surprised by his comment but remembered a similar observation the first time I visited Europe as a teenager. Could it be that we Americans are so hard working and serious we forget even, the joys of jumping and playing on Halloween? How will we sustain our selves if we forget to play?

How will we sustain ourselves if we continue to hand out sugary, plastic, toxic treats? If you’re last minute as I am this year, but want some green Halloween tips, pick up Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Cowell’s new book, Celebrate Green, or visit Corey’s website, Green Halloweeen. Our very own EcoMom Rachel DeMicco, has done a fabulous job of making our town’s Green Halloween a huge success (and I must add, with the support of EcoTalk’s Betsy Rosenberg, Kirsten Arpajian and Elephant Pharmacy) and I know it will continue to grow. Though my spirits lifted after the jumpie,  I just hope I’ll get a little more sleep next year so I can keep up with the kids doing flips. And I really hope some more parents will join me.