Halloween post surgery

We are not that family who dresses up in a theme with coordinating costumes for Halloween. I’ve dreamed of being that family, I’ve even attempted to be that family. But in 10 years of having children we have never, ever successfully been That Family.

Until now. This year, for one brief night with just a few small exceptions, we were almost that family.

I would like to thank the world for its overzealous Halloween marketing. On September 21st I walked through the American Shopping Center here on base and noticed that all the costumes were pretty much picked over and gone. Then I realized I only had 10 days until Halloween and totally freaked out.

I literally ran out to the car, drove home as fast as I could, and furiously started sewing June and Georgia’s costumes.

Three days later with two mostly finished costumes I realized I was a month early.

I then procrastinated until the night of the branch Halloween party to make Jason’s coordinating costume, which included the massacre of Owl (observe the world’s most thrown together wolf costume). When Rex found the destroyed remains of his beloved bird’s carcass in the office, I’m ashamed to admit that I let him think it was the dog’s fault. He never noticed that it might have actually been the wolf.

The four of us were Little Red Riding Hood, her cousin Little Bo Peep, the Wolf in Grandma’s impressively massive night dress, and the woodcutter who forgot to bring an axe.

Let the record state that I do not usually go for a costume that is so impressively unattractive. No one at church recognized me, who knew I’d make such an ugly dude? Jason couldn’t really look me in the face all night long.

I also need to point out that Rex is the dude from Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs and that he made his Thinking Cap and Steve the monkey’s talking device himself.  Harrison is, of course, a Newsie.

I have to say, Halloween itself was so much fun this year. Our amazing friends from Switzerland–you can find out all about them here at Moxi Blog–brought their kids and we had fabulous fall weather while we swept the last of the candy from base. It was a wild and fun fall weekend, I’m so grateful to have friends that will step in and treat us like family.

Here’s the fashion parade. I used fabric from my bins, including vintage gingham from my grandmother for both girls’ costumes and made every darn piece myself. The total price this year for Halloween costumes? Under $20. Boo-yeah.

And don’t ask me about making that blasted hoop skirt for June. Biggest headache of the century. I can’t wait till those girls start sewing for themselves.