Homemade Halloween

Growing up, my mom always made our costumes, or we just put together whatever we had lying around the house that would be costume-enough to deserve candy.

Allow me to provide a visual aide - circa 1992.

Everyone has that costume they remember from childhood.  Mine is the Butterfinger.  I remember watching my mom paint the paper bags in the basement, excited for the big reveal.  I'm not exactly sure why I am wearing that mask, but it looked cool at the time.  We all thought it was the best costume ever.  We stopped at Uncle Bill and Aunt Bonita's first, and then the night took a turn for the worse.  When we arrived at the next house, my costume ripped when I got out of the car!  Thank goodness it was just a little. I think my sister stapled me up in the back of the van on the way to the next place.  Next house, ripped a little further...more staples.  At this point, Nat just lifted me up into the van and I stood there while we drove a short ways to the next house (yes, that's how we trick or treat in the country).  With every house it ripped more and more, until there were staples all down my front.  It was also a bit drizzly outside, so I became a very soggy, stapled up Butterfinger.  I'm pretty sure I was crying at this point, but we had one more person to see... Doris.  She was the sweet old lady who thought of Halloween as an opportunity for me to give her a little concert of Sunday School favorites.  We showed up in my unrecognizable costume and she still made me sing!  She offered me a Werther's, and then forked over the 10-pack of Twix.  Thanks Doris.  

I have bought my kids costumes in the past, but I really wanted to make something for them this year.  

I started making it one night, and Ryan came home from school and gladly offered to make it for me. I think he could tell that what I had come up with was hardly going to end up looking like a tractor.  He did an AMAZING job!  The whole time we were constructing it, I thought for sure this would be Parker's "Butterfinger."

Parker was so excited all day to wear it later.  When it was finally time to put it on, he was ecstatic.  He thought he was just the coolest thing ever, and he couldn't wait to get the most candy ever!  We snapped a few pictures, and headed on our way.

Parker got going  a little too fast in his costume and totally biffed it before we even go to the first house.

I suggested he not run anymore and he explained through the tears, "Adley was the combine and she was full, so I was running to her so she could unload."  I laughed so hard I cried.  Ryan went back and got the glue and clamped the wheel on for the rest of the night. 

I also wanted to make Adley a wig so she could be a cabbage patch kid.  I called my sister the Sunday before Halloween and luckily she caught on to my plea for help.  She said she could make it.  Gee thanks, Nat!  Halloween is pretty stress-free when you come up with the ideas and have someone else make the costumes.  I think I will shoot for this again next year ;)

Trick-or-Treating was fun, but it was super windy and 30 degrees.  It even snowed that morning!  

We came home and had a festive quinoa and sausage stuffed acorn squash dinner, read Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin, and had a few Halloween treats =) 

The next day was beautiful, so I got some better pictures of the kids then.