It’s that fun time of the year again when children and adults alike play dress-up, and candy is like gold. Pumpkins might have scary faces or cute ones; and the crisp, autumn air causes you to have to put long johns under your Cleopatra costume. Those thin, little costumes must be made in Hawaii.

Paisley, my stepdaughter, is going to be a fox this year. The four-year-old loves animals, and I was hoping she’d like the cute little outfit with the bushy tail and furry ears. She lit up when she saw it. She’s been telling everybody, “I’m going to be a fox!” I told her GiGi and Papa G were scared of foxes. She has been trying out her best scary fox face, but everything she does is just cute.

Paisley won’t be the only one dressing up in our family. My Sunday school class at Macedonia Baptist Church has put on a costume party for the past two years. Jacob and I are going as a 1980s hair band. We haven’t told many people, because we want to see the shock when Jacob walks in wearing women’s leather pants, huge hair and eyeliner. But since the party was Friday, I think I’m safe. (I write this column on Wednesdays or Thursdays).

I made him try on his outfit the other night and couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t stop laughing. I wanted to see what the eyeliner looked like on him, and he complained I was jabbing him in the eye. Men don’t understand what we go through on a daily basis. Also, I may’ve used waterproof eyeliner, so he didn’t understand why it wouldn’t come off with a wet washcloth. I instructed him to use my makeup removal wipes, then ended up having to scrub it off myself. “We’re getting some cheap eyeliner for this!” he said.

You may think this is extreme, but you should’ve seen the costumes last year. June and Sugar Bear, and Richard Simmons are going to be hard to compete with.

As for me, I will be sporting a sky-high, frizzed-out do, leather and bright makeup. I haven’t come up with a name for our duo yet, although I thought about just “Hair.”

Our church is doing a Trunk ‘r Treat the next day, and Jacob suggested that we be forest creatures, along with our little fox. We’re decorating his truck bed for the fun event. Last year, he brought a portable heater for me to sit next to. And sit next to it, I did. As I was feeling warm and happy, I smelled something. Then, others started to smell it. A burning smell. I looked at my cute little furry boots and they were singed. I get it honest. Mama has burned many a nightgown on a wall heater. We have been accused of being cold blooded.

But this year, I will still be next to the heater. I will just have to make sure I’m next to it and not on it.

Today, on this Sunday morning, my church will gather to worship our Savior, and then we will enjoy hotdogs, hamburgers, cotton candy, funnel cakes and more goodies, while braving the mechanical bull. I know what I will be doing today … eating!

I hope you have a wonderful Sunday and a fun, safe Halloween. And remember: if you’re going to make your husband wear makeup…. don’t buy cheap. Sit back and watch the show.

You may write to Jessica Boyd-Smith by emailing jessimarie2010@yahoo.com.