Who is Your Super Hero?

This is the question we ask all little boys and girls, "who is your super hero"? Well, I decided for Halloween I was going to be my Super Hero, ME! I found this Mrs. Incredible/ Elastigirl costume at a Good Will in Metairie, LA for $8. I could hardly believe it. I tried it on and it fit me like a glove. Yes, that is me in the picture above!

Why did I pick Mrs. Incredible as my Super Hero? As a mom, I am stretched in a hundred different ways each day. I must wear a plethora of hats from housekeeper, alarm clock, chaufer, nurturer, disciplinarian, comforter, teacher, chef, tutor, mentor, coach, and sometimes magician as I have to come up with extradinary creative solutions in extreme time crunches. I have to work, be a mom, lover, friend, confidant, and manage the house. I have to create meals to feed hungry boys on a limited budget. I have to make a penny stretch, yes seriously a penny! For me in these trying times of limited finances, I have come to be an incredible penny pincher. I am what Lionel Richie refers to as "Penny Lover".

I see a penny and I jump for joy as I know I just need 99 more to make a dollar! You see what happens when you become poor and have to count every dime. Change becomes really important and an intregal part of your life. Not just "change" as morphing into a new and better human but 'change" as penny, nickles, and dimes jingling in your pocket. I now have change jars all over my house where I keep loose change. It adds up and perhaps one day this loose change will be enough to buy something substantial. I guess you could say I have become a little more thrifty and a lot more conscious of how I spend my money now that I have less of it. I am also able to do so much more in my day then ever before. I take advantage of every single minute of my life. I am a methodical, time manager who strives to run a tight ship. Despite how hard I work each day, it is still a struggle to make ends meet. Being a single mom is devistatingly hard. While I am rich in spirit and have more charisma than most people, I am broke! I am late on my rent and I tell you it is really hard having caviar taste on a food stamps budget! I love expensive shoes, clothes, and fine cars. One day, I will be able to afford all those things. Just not yet.

I took the picture above on Halloween 2022 on Bourbon Street. I was walking down the street when I heard a man say, "Mrs. Incredible"!! I turned around to find Mr. Incredible! We both laughed and pose for a picture together. I had no idea who he was and I didn't really care to get to know him, I was enjoying being alone on Halloween. I LOVE to celebrate alone. I enjoy being able to go where I want to go and leave when I want to leave. I dress up every year and make it a point to go out enjoying the day listening to music, dancing, and taking in the festivities. I usually rent a hotel room and have a grand ole time. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays and has always been a huge tradition in my family growing up. This year was a bit of a disappointment as I had no money and moved to a new town. I had no money, so I carved a pumpkin and went to bed early. Perhaps looking back I was Cinderella! The poor sister who just wanted to go to the ball waiting for her prince to find her. Geez, now I have moved from Super Heroes to Fairy Tales. See what happens when you watch too many Hallmark and Lifetimes movies! I guess it doesn't hurt to dream as long as you realize there is no fairy godmother coming to save you! Perhaps belief and faith in a Christmas miracle would be more prudent.

As a child, my family had a haunted house in our back yard for Halloween. My brothers and my dad would put it together for the neighborhood kids. My dad coached most of the neighborhood boys in baseball and football. My mom wasn't as thrilled about Halloween. She limited our costume selections as she felt whatever you wore you were predestined to become. This meant each year as a child I wore one of the costumes my mom handmade for us: an angel with huge tin foil wings or a cute black cat with cute pink ears. I think one year I even dressed up as the Nutty Professor and my friends were clueless as to who Jerry Lewis was and where on earth did I ever watch such a show. I even dressed up as Madame Curie one year! My mom's idea of course. Try explaining that one when people open their front door. Who are you supposed to be? My mom would look at me and say, it's ok honey they don't understand. My mom was super creative and extremely intelligent. She had witty out of the box ideas and I so wish she had more of an opportunity to use her skills and show off her intelligence. She was so brilliant and so under utilized.

As I grew older I became more creative with my costumes. I once dressed up as a cow with a white line under my nose right above my upper lip. I wore a sign around my neck, "Got MILK"? I was holding my newborn who was dressed as a pea in a pod and I was breast feeding him! I showed up at my kids Halloween party at school wearing a red shirt and khaki pants. When everyone asked me what I was dressed as, I showed them my Target name tag! Then my mother's words came back to haunt me as one year I dressed up as a pregnant catholic high school student. I can still hear my mom saying I wouldn't wear that if I were you. Wouldn't you know I got pregnant shortly after wearing that costume! My mother was always right or at least she made a point to be right. Anyway, I hope you can learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life and take time for yourself. Have fun, dress up, dress down, be alone, or go out in a group. What ever you do just learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life! You are your own super hero.