CinderBella

Once upon a time there was a lovely and smart and determined little girl named CinderBella. She was so social that she could even befriend mice and the birds, if she wanted to. Each morning the sliver of light shining through her black-out curtain in her bedroom woke CinderBella from her sweet dreams.

CinderBella lived with her sometimes-mean Mom and sometimes-mean Dad (or so she thought) who treated her like a servant. She was expected to make her bed! and clear her dishes! and get dressed for the day! (which felt more like being responsible for all the cooking and sewing, and washing and scrubbing) Her sometimes-annoying little brother Matthew never did any work, except make more messes.

One day, CinderBella's parents announced that there would be a Grand Halloween Party at the church and that all the children in Napa were invited.

"That means I can go!" CinderBella cried. "Imagine all the candy!"

"You can go," said CinderBella's mom, "if you get all your work done and if you can find something to wear,"

"Oh Thank you!" said CinderBella.

She quickly ran to her room, and pulled a costume out of her dress up box.

"This was my Minnie Mouse costume from last year!" She said to her many stuffed animals and dolls. "Isn't it lovely?!"

Just then her sometimes-mean mother said, "CinderBella, clean up your trains and put away your art supplies!"

"But I just cleaned them up yesterday!" CinderBella bellowed.

"Well, I need you to clean them up today, " said her mom, which sounded more to CinderBella like: "and dust the drapes and clean the windows and finish the sewing!"

CinderBella felt sad (and a little mad). CinderBelly, do this! CinderBelly, do that!

"I will never have time to find a costume now, and if I don't have a costume, I won't be able to get candy at the party!"

"Poor CinderBelly, " her stuffed animals and dolls agreed.

Finally a few days later, it was time to prepare a costume to wear to the Grand Halloween Party.

"I think your Minnie Mouse dress is too small now, " said CinderBella's mom. "You will not be able to wear it to the party."

Discouraged, CinderBella ran outside and climbed to the top of her favorite rock. She was so disappointed she didn't notice (or hear for that matter) that a kind-hearted woman had driven up the driveway in her hybrid car. The woman was CinderBella's fairy Grandmother!

CinderBella told her Nana all about her too-small dress and how she wouldn't be able to trick-or-treat at the Grand Halloween Party if she didn't have a costume.

"Good heavens, child! We can't have that!" exclaimed her Nana. Everything CinderBella needed to prepare for the party was right there in her Nana's Prius!

"Look what I found for you at Costco!" Nana said as she waved her hand over a beautiful Size 5/6 pink and purple Rapunzel costume (complete with a crown and tea set). Bibbidi, Bobbidi, boo!

CinderBella had never been happier. The Fairy Grandmother was very pleased.

As the day of the Grand Halloween Party neared, CinderBella came down with a terrible cold--Croup to be exact. Once again, CinderBella was disheartened. She tried to remember her sweet dreams of baskets full of candy, but she felt oh, so awful. She didn't think her dreams would come true. Her sometimes-mean mother made her rest most of the day of the Grand Party, which was very hard for CinderBella because she was so excited to go. By early afternoon, CinderBella was quite fatigued, but nothing would stop her from going to the party!

It was finally time to get dressed in her costume. CinderBella put on her brand new Size 5/6 pink and purple Rapuzel costume. Her mom helped to pull it over her head and into place. But CinderBella quickly scrunched up her face.

"It doesn't feel right, " she complained, as she tugged on the top part of her dress.

Knowing exactly where this was going and that CinderBella's patience would run out fast on account of her not feeling well, her sometimes-mean mom acted quickly and pinned the top of  her dress for her.

 "It still doesn't feel right, " she began to cry.

"Would you like to put on a different costume from your dress up box?"

"Yes" said CinderBella, as her mom hung up her brand new costume in the closet and pulled out an old, wrinkled, hand-me-down, Cinderella dress from the box.

Her mom then placed the crown on her head.
 
"It doesn't feel right!"

The crown went into the box.

"What about shoes?' asked her mom. "Church shoes to go with your dress?"

"They don't feel right!"

"Sneakers with socks?"

"They don't feel right!"

"Ok." said CinderBella's mom, feeling like she was in need of a little magic herself. "Cinderella dress, pinned on the top. No crown. Sneakers without socks. Let's go!" She reminded herself that perfect costume fittings for virus-free children with no sensory issues, only happened in fairy tales. 

CinderBella was finally ready for the party.

"Now remember, 'Bella, " said her sometimes-mean mom, "we are leaving the party at the stroke of 8:30, before you and everyone else in our family turn into pumpkins."

"Ok, Mama, " said CinderBella, and off they went.

The party was CinderBella's dream come true. A Halloween Movie! Hot dogs! Nachos! and of course, oodles of candy from trick-or-treating. CinderBella and her family left the party promptly at 8:30 p.m. and CinderBella lived on,  happily, overcame her croup, and ate lots and lots of candy.

The End

 Cuddling up under blankets to watch the Halloween movie

 Getting ready for trunk-or-treating.

Picture with Ally Witch, who we learned that night had also missed several days of school due to Croup.

Cinderella and Belle and their bags of candy.

What was Matthew for Halloween, you ask? He wore a skeleton onsie and had his walker.

Skeleton + walker = Dead Man Walking.
(no disrespect intended)