Halloween!

The elusive Sasquatch, caught on film in a witch's hat and dimples, clutching a small pumpkin...

Every year I think to myself that I'd like to make a bigger deal out of holidays and every year I find myself thinking "Huh, I guess I better do something" about two days before the event. I think my problem is not lack of enthusiasm so much as lack of organization. And also lack of funds. That plays a very large role. 

Adelaide does not suffer from lack of enthusiasm. Graydon, not so much.

Sure enough, this year our meticulously itemized budget had a big fat ZERO in the "Costumes, Festivities, and Merriment" line. (I make the categories and Tim accommodates even my most outlandish suggestions. But then he retaliates with his ZERO.) Fortunately I was able to cobble together a witch's outfit for Ads out of a big black tutu and a hat and Graydon was first stuffed into a too small pumpkin outfit on loan from a friend and then wallowed into a too large duck outfit also on loan from said friend. So it was all good and the kids loved it despite the last minute nature of things.

Addie loved her outfit. So much so that this is one of the few shots that I got of her because mostly she was a blur of sugar high motion. The vest was an addition for trick or treating because it was chilly out there!

The vest was an addition for trick or treating. She didn't want to wear a coat that would hamper her tutu.

See? Blur of motion, all the time! 

 I did manage to catch her sitting still with the candy bowl a few times.

Serious stuff!

She was especially fond of her hat because she is fascinated/appalled by spiders right now. She knows that they live in webs but she firmly assures us that spiders live only in the jungle and that they eat bugs. Bugs and dung. Sometimes she substitutes "gross stinky poo poo" for "dung". She picked out her tutu at Target in typical Addie fashion. We had wandered around looking at all the cheap Chinese made costumes that were around $30 and then went over to the regular kids section. She saw the tutus, said not a word to me, and just started taking off her clothes in the Target. Why, you ask? So that she could put the tutu on immediately. I knew we had a winner. She was bummed that I didn't have a broom small enough for her but she pretended and insisted on wearing her tutu and hat to bed during her nap today.

Graydon also loved his costumes. Well. Not really. The first one was a little small.

Mom. Seriously?

Notice how small the hat is, in particular. It's a yarmulke. Oy vey!

So we moved on to the duck, which was originally intended for Addie. She gave me the toddler equivalent of "aw hells no" to that though, so the duck moved down to Graydon. He was still not a big fan.

Still not impressed.

The hood was a little big. And also the body. And the arms...well, everything really. But it was warm!

We then attempted a few family pictures, which all failed miserably. These were the best ones. And by "best" I mean ..."not good but better than a poke in the eye" quality. We are all looking at the camera and that's a success in my book.





It wasn't our best picture taking event, but we had a good time. We had friends over to eat and then trick or treat and a good time was had by all, especially the kidlets.

I do have one last funny sequence from Halloween day to share. Graydon has a Superman shirt with a cape attached that I got him a while ago, planning to take pictures of him when he starts walking. Well, I put it on him for Halloween day and during my cleaning I looked up to see that he'd found a noble steed.

Tally-ho!

Uh-oh, I think I'm busted!

So proud of himself! Notice that Rocky is now at the very far right of your picture. Such a patient and sweet little fellow he is!