Halloween was by far your favorite holiday—second only to Christmas, of course. The joy of dressing up in any costume you wanted and indulging in candy until late at night made it the perfect day to just be a kid.

This year, your father had errands to run, including shopping for treats for trick-or-treating. He left you and your mother with the task of decorating the house. True to her playful nature, your mother turned it into a game: you both would race to finish decorating the exterior before your father returned. Challenge accepted.

“Alright, kiddo, we’ll start with the roof and work our way down to the porch. Sound good?” your mother said as you both began hauling out the Halloween decorations from the basement, dusting off a year’s worth of neglect. “Your father will probably be gone for a while. You know how he gets when she goes shopping—always distracted by those fancy watches.” She shook her head, chuckling as she crossed her arms. “No matter how much I spoil that man, he can never get enough, can he?” she asked with a playful laugh.