Halloween Buy Back

After hearing recently about the Halloween Candy Buy Back program sponsored by dentists and orthodontists across the country, I had the kids set aside some of their candy to send to American troops overseas. Upon initially mentioning it to Alex, he seemed less than enthused, but after I explain to him how much the soldiers would appreciate it and how it seemed appropriate since he was an American soldier for Halloween, he gave in. I had already set aside candy that I knew that they didn't like or that I don't like them to eat because of fears of choking, but then I told Alex and Julia to pick out some candy to give to the soldiers that they thought they would like to eat if they were far away from their family and friends. I'll be honest...This wasn't completely selfless in nature. Some of the candy that they collected over the past few days just needed to get out of the house...You know how it goes...Mommy ends up eating it. And, Alex didn't put one Reece's Peanut Butter Cup or Hershey's Chocolate Bar in the bag (his favorites). But, he did put plenty of Baby Ruth's, Butterfingers, Kit Kats, Milky Ways, suckers, and Tootsie Rolls in the bag. Julia was blindly just putting candy in the bag for the troops. She has always been good at sharing...We'll see if that continues in the future. All and all, they collected up and donated a little over two pounds of candy and sent two pictures overseas to the troops. And, as I sit here typing this...I wish I would have encouraged them to put just a little bit more in...That candy downstairs is calling my name! :)