Halloween 2010

This year was a fun and different year as far as Halloweens go. It is fun to see as how time goes by that some traditions stay the same and some traditions morph and change and evolve into something even better. This year we have new food restrictions, but were able to work around them. The kiddos were on a traditional school schedule instead of year round. I will admit, I love it.

I usually put so much into their costumes that I want to get every single little ounce of fun out of them. This year, was a little wild, and a little fun, and a lot relaxing.

For months, Nena has wanted to be Dorothy, even though she had no idea who Dorothy was. She hadn’t ever seen “The Wizard of Oz” and had only heard that she had sparkly red shoes and a dog just like our Brody. Fully convinced that she would be able to take her dog to school in a basket, she dug in her little ruby slipper heels, grew out her hair and set off to be the magical albeit unknown Dorothy.

(A few weeks ago, we finally did get “The Wizard of Oz” through netflix and finally did watch it. It was a hit with everyone.)

For her costume, we had the blouse, bought the shoes at Target for $9.00 and the fabric for the dress was a steal at $1.00 a yard at Walmart. I already had the patterns, so we were set to go! I, of course, left the costume to the last minute because of everything else going on in life. To my great dismay, the Tuesday before Halloween, I realized that Nena had a costume party that night at the church. I had 4 hours and the fabric hadn’t even been washed yet. So, after calling every costume shop to see if they had a Dorothy costume and being wildly unsuccessful, I hit high gear and started going nuts with the machines.

The patterns were not working and with a limited time frame, I finally just started to cut and sew at random. We ended up with something that I figured would work until I could make a real dress. However, Nena loved it, so we kept it. Here she is with her Activity Days group.

As for the boys costumes, I was hit by a complete stroke of luck. Both of them originally wanted to be ninjas, then Batman and Spiderman and then Buzz and Woody and then back to ninjas. However, while cleaning out the basement, Bear found the dragon costume. He was thrilled and had no recollection whatsoever that he had worn it two years ago. I was able to convince him that it was from the movie “
How To Train Your Dragon.” He ate it up!

Toad was a bit trickier. Once Bear settled on the dragon, Toad settled on Spiderman. However, I found Bear’s old monkey costume from when he was 2 while cleaning out my garage (See, a lot of good comes from my constant new obsession with cleaning out and throwing out.) I tried it on Toad, who was NOT happy about the idea of not being Spiderman, and it fit perfectly. PERFECTLY. It took me two solid weeks to fully convince him that it was better than Spiderman. However, he had no choice and finally bought into the idea and loved it.

So, the grand total for three costumes this year was $12. Nine dollars for shoes and three for fabric. I, for the first time since my mission didn’t dress up. I didn’t even do the wig thing. I know. Next year I will be in a better place and feeling back up to it.

We continued on with some of our traditions. The kiddos went to the Boo at the Zoo with their dad and had a ball. I loved that they came home with mostly coupons for free meals and smarties. That way Nena go to snack on some of her candy.

Don’t you just LOVE this guy. He was in such a bad mood though, that I called him a flying monkey (from the Wizard of Oz.) Funny enough, that is what he started telling people that he was for Halloween, a flying monkey.

Finally for the first time in the kids school history, they were in school for Halloween. They have always been off track and home and missed the big Halloween parade. This year, the school did a costume contest, which I don’t necessarily agree with. They handed out ballots to all of the parents and asked them to vote for their favorite. I put my ballot in my purse not wanting to really participate. They announced that every class chose the class favorite and that person would walk at the first part of the parade and those would be the costumes that would be voted on. I fully intended on not voting…. until Nena walked down the aisle with a number on the front of her costume. Aaaah! Moral dilemma. How do you NOT vote for your own child? So, I caved and voted. Love my Nena!

Bear was a little shell shocked.

I was excited to help out with Bear’s class party.

Doesn’t everyone just love Dry Ice at Halloween.

The night before Halloween, I took the kiddos up to my friend Kristin’s ward’s Trunk or Treat. Oh, they were in heaven. Not only were they hanging out with some of their besties, they got to wear their costumes for an additional night.

Finally, the big night arrived. Halloween! As is tradition in my family, we all meet at my house for soup, pumpkin bread bowls and wig night. This year, my brother and his girl Tessa helped me wash and dry all of the wigs. I don’t know why we are such a strange bunch, but I sure enjoy it.