My husband is not a big fan of Halloween. Actually my husband isn't really a big fan of any holiday, but ones that don't feature a get together with multiple good cooks, rank pretty low. He did say he would hand out candy.
This year costumes were easy. Although I did temporarily break the heart/creativity of my oldest. Who wanted to be his wizard character from the online math game Prodigy. His wizard avatar he made has the darkest skin tone available and many elaborate features for wardrobe, which was ever changing. He drew me a picture and said he could paint his face black and we could do such and such helmet, the candle shoes with real wax, a special themed armor, undecided on a variety of types of wands...I finally shot him down. We could do a wizard, but it would be run of the mill...or maybe Harry Potter! Nope, not good enough. Look kid, the costume you want is beyond your mother's skill set to make, even with your helpful drawn diagram. It is not available to purchase, and I am pretty sure blackface is considered racist in 2018. Pick something else.
Several weeks of pouting, there is nothing else he could possibly want to be. Then I told him if he didn't come up with an idea I got to pick his costume. He decided Minecraft, though some creature I had no idea how to make. Dad to the rescue. Stopping at a WalMart on the way home from Bear's dental work he grabbed a costume labeled Minecraft. Child ended up being thrilled and loved it. Success!
The other kiddos were easy. The Big D saw pieces to a knight set at the Dollar Store and declared that was what he wanted to be. So his costume was $4 and easy. I had planned on making a tunic with the roll of black felt I have stuffed in my closet to go under, but I didn't and he still loved it. The girls I had bought Dollar Store wings earlier for dressup and Bear decided she wanted to be a fairy princess. By Halloween she wanted to wear her Elsa dress from last year and declared herself a winter fairy, she threw on a crown from the toy box on the way out the door. The Twinks were content with wings as well. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
The morning of Halloween I had a prenatal appointment and the kids had asked me that morning what I was going to be this year. I hadn't planned on dressing up. Ooops, then I remembered I usually do put on a simple costume when I take them out and about on the candy hunt. WalMart to the rescue again. I picked up some fabric markers, a cheap wig, and fake vine greenery. Last minute Mother Earth.
We hit the assisted living home and made the circuit and gave Great Grandma some hugs. I also realized that the Twinks were a bit more effort than I was up to managing. My typical helpers were already getting hyped up on sugar and more interested in getting their next fix than helping Mom wrangle wayward fairies. Also, pro tip, make sure your trick or treaters can easily hold a loot bag, canvas bags are too big and then get caught up in the straps and trip...a lot. A lot, a lot. Shortening the straps with quick knots is confuddling and doesn't help anything.
We made our 2nd stop to Grandma's house and the youngest fairies got to stay at her house until their father finished feeding the livestock. Then they accompanied Dad to hand out candy at home. The 3 bigs and I walked to the 3 parking lots doing trunk or treating and into a few of the businesses. Then we hit Auntie's house and another Great Grandma's house. The plan was then to walk the 2-3 block around our neighborhood and call it a day. We made it 2 extra houses and the kids were ready to go home. Roughly 2 hours of trick or treating. I was proud of myself for not being the one to call it quits. I would have been content to make popcorn, sit with my feet up and hand out candy. Also Bear's teeth were no longer sore and she was ready for munching on candy.
We ran across cousins while downtown trunk or treating
I maybe shouldn't have had them staring into the sun.
Coffin photo op the kids loved.
Another photo op.
Super Easy Last Minute Costume. Bear didn't feel my Earth was realistic enough, but it was good enough for me.
