It's like getting picked last for dodgeball, if dodgeball involved candy.

So, have y'all ever heard of something called ghosting? I'm not sure if it's a southern thing, since I'm a relatively recent transplant to this part of the country, or if it's a neighborhood thing, since this is really the first time in my life I've lived in a neighborhood.

All I know is I've seen this process twice, and both times it happened in a neighborhood here in the Atlanta area.

Anyway, from what I can tell, on October 1st, someone (Possibly the HOA members? I don't know...I'm not part of the privileged inner circle...) starts the process by putting a paper ghost on the doors of two houses in the neighborhood. In addition to the ghost on the door, the person leaves a treat basket on the front porch with a poem about 'passing the ghost on', which involves making your own paper ghost and treat basket to give to two neighbors of your choice. It's all very festive, and since it involves receiving free candy (or in the case of one of our friends across the neighborhood, a free six-pack of beer), I am completely behind this tradition.

Last Friday was October 1st, and as I took Brigid out for her daily walk around the neighborhood, I noticed the ghosting had started. I counted four houses, to be exact.

And I started stressing out.

Because last year? We were never ghosted. We got hit the first year we lived in the neighborhood, and I was irrationally excited by the game. This kind of cheesy thing is right up my alley. And did I mention the free candy? Seriously. I loved it. But our second year here, and...nothing.

I told myself it was because we had just brought home the baby, and since my sister-in-law had planted a huge sign in my front yard announcing the event, everyone knew we had just brought home the baby. And being so considerate, nobody in the neighborhood wanted to bother us with a little game. I mean, what newborn parent wants to have to put together a treat basket for two random neighbors, right?

I DID! DUDES, FREE CANDY!!

Anyway, it's now that time of year again. And we're one week into the game, and ghosts are popping up all around the neighborhood. And every time I leave the house, and every time I come back to the house, I'm constantly checking my front porch, hoping for the best. Still hasn't happened, yet.

And honestly, I'm starting to think we're going to be left out for the second year in a row.

Would you want to brave my front porch?

Believe me, these pictures don't do it justice. Can you even see the zombie couple in the corner behind the tree?

The worst part is that this is only the beginning of Steve's madness. We've got more lights. We've got more stuff. And we have more movement. That ghost? Her eyes glow green. And eventually, she will be motorized.

And I won't get ghosted.

Guess I'll have to send Brigid out trick-or-treating for my free candy, after all.