Busy Haunting

My back went out around conference time and was out for almost a month; therefore, sewing and things of that nature were pretty well out.  I did however get this Luigi hat made with help from a pattern I found on the web.  

I also got the straps made.  

By the way, the real trick was the mustache.  I used last years furry material that we used to make a How to Train your Dragon costume.  Then there was the question of how to attach it.  I tried a piece of elastic, tape, put it on a stick (which Max informed me was super lame, mom!)  Then I put my nursing skills into use!   I sewed a bandaid to it and then just put the bandaid on him and it stayed on all night, no problems!

Everyone else's costumes were reusing other things we had or store bought.  Sam didn't come up with what he wanted until Friday, so his was definitely store bought.

 Emma's dress would have cost me more in material and time and headache medicine to make than it cost to buy!

Joseph's costume is Link (he's an elf.)

It is a reused costume from last year when Sam was Robin Hood.  We just added belts and a sword and a shield, an elf hat (I bought elf ears, too, but Joe refused to wear them), and some leather thongs.   I bought material that looked like leather at JoAnne's for 30% off and then cut them into strips.  Joe told me that he was impressed how well I tried to make him look like the real Link!  So I guess we did OK!

Thursday the two little boys had parties at the same time.  I was asked to be in charge of Max's, so I couldn't make it to Joseph's.  At Max's we made these cute little pumpkins out of a pattern I found on Family Fun. 

It was a little more involved than it should have been for Kindergarteners.  I had Max try it out before I did it, to make sure, but I guess everyone has different levels.  Also, it was a lot harder to supervise 7 kids instead of just one at a time.  In the end, 2 other moms and I cut out the circles and sewed up the pumpkins, then help them stuff it and tie it off.  

We also decorated pumpkin cookies

and had fun games. They played pass the pumpkin (hot potato),  throw the ping pong eye ball into the witches brew and pumpkin rolling relay races.  I think they all had lots of fun.

Saturday we went to Max's end of the year party for soccer.  They made it a dress up party.  They all look so cute!

Saturday was also our ward trunk-or-treat.

I don't know if there were a huge amount of children this year, or what, but most cars ran out way before the kids thought they were done!

Monday was the official "Beggar's Night" in our town.  That's what they call it in Ohio.  

We took the kids around the neighborhood and ended up at a little graveyard (like we do every year.) 

This year, two of the parents went and hid in it and when we lined everyone up for a picture, came out booing and screeching.  Notice that Joseph is the only one running away- the only one with self preservation skills. 

All the rest were just trying to see what it was except Max who is oblivious!  Ha ha!

Emma stayed home and passed out the individual sized popcorn bags- we didn't buy candy, because I eat too much of it.  In the end, I bought one bag, because we went through more at the trunk-or-treat than I thought we would and Sam's club was out of the boxes of popcorn.  Most of her friends were off trick-or- treating themselves.   I tried to say something about it at the trunk-or treat, but most of the mom's were like- 'it's different now, everyone does it.'  Really?  Only because their mom lets them!  I thought it was super embarrassing for all those teenagers to be going around asking for candy like the 4 year olds, but they weren't in the least embarrassed.  Emma passed out the popcorn at our car.  Maybe I am being the stick in the mud here- what do you think?

With all that going on, I kept forgetting to get pumpkins to carve, so I ran all over town on Monday, but there wasn't a pumpkin left out there.  We ended up using the pumpkins I had bought for Max's party games and just painted them.  Emma and Joe abstained. 

Sam's is 2 bats flying in the moonlight although I think it really is an alien.  Max's is the world and mine just has bling on it.

Now the Holidays have really started and I see no slowing down from here.  Not only do we have all the traditional celebrations, but we are putting on a Promotion party as well.  Rob's Mom wanted to come see him promoted for once.  Unfortunately, with him at school it's not an easy thing to do.  He will miss December by 2, so we are thinking of doing it on New year's, but then there is the whole holiday travel and people out of school thing going on and who does he get to do the pinning, etc.  One of our friends that is a doctor offered to do it.  Tells you how much he knows about the military (even though he is technically in the military and just got home from deployment!)  He is only a Captain and Rob will be pinning on Lt. Col.  I asked Rob if he thought Jeremy actually knew that he couldn't do it and he just laughed.

The nice thing is that I am excited for this year's celebrations!  All except for that big 4-0 thing in January!  I started reading Letters from Father Christmas by JRR Tolkien and I love it.  Now I want to do that for my children as well!  What a fun idea.  I wish I could draw!!  Oh, and I think I found a great gift for my parents, already!  I love when that happens!!  The holiday season is so fun!