Wow, I think I finally recovered from Halloween. The only thing still haunting me is the occasional melt downs, because I won't give another piece of candy.
We enjoyed another batch of pumpkin seeds. We barely got our pumpkin carving in this year.
Taylin wanted to be Tinkerbell this year. I think she has wanted to be this since last year. I had originally planned the girls be Tinkerbells or fairies and the boys were going to be Peter Pan. Well, Cohen really wanted to be a robot he saw in a book. I tried to talk him out of it. Peter Pan would be so much more comfortable and I wouldn't make him wear tights! I was able to convince him one day, but it didn't last. Silver and red still danced in his head.
After much research and shopping for materials, the costume making began. I didn't plan on making costumes this year. With two weeks until Halloween I decided I would make them. I originally thought me making them would be cheaper. Sooo wrong, but once I started, I had to finish them.
Taylin was able to wear hers to school, an evening festival, trunk-or-treat and a resident party. She got lots of wear out of it. Very worth my efforts. She even was picked as a finalist for the costume contest. Dorothy was the top pick, but again, it was worth it. Taylin wore her costume for two straight days and parts of it on other days.
We will probably not all go to the festival next year. It was not little kid friendly. Her school PTA put it on. Most of the festivities were outside and it was very dark.
The golf game was only lit, because of the camera.
I took a day off after finishing Cohen and Taylin's. Kennedy's costume was finished just in time for dinner and on to Trunk-or-treat. Kennedy is the fairy in training and might get wings another time. I knew she wouldn't keep them on and after hot gluing thin tulle and bias tape, my fingers were a bit worn. Teague was complete two weeks prior. He was simply the remote control for the robot. It just slipped over his clothes. (No pictures...he barely wore it with all the running around we did.) It was obvious the remote wasn't all together, because our little robot had a mute malfunction.
We couldn't get our robot to say trick or treat or much of anything. I barely got him into his costume. We carried it to the festival on Thursday, but never got him in it. I then told him if he wanted to get candy he had to be in costume. After passing out some candy himself, he warmed up and we went trunk or treating.
I forgot a tie, so I held one side of him together and was the voice of the robot as we walked around. I was dressed as a pink and white bunny. No pics and none necessary. David was a nerd.
After a mom/wife missing in action for two weeks, I was banned from making costumes next year or the next three years. I already have costumes for next year that I bought at a costume shop the Monday after...50% off. Costumes for next year are already complete (only a few touches I will add) and sooo much cheaper. Maybe time to figure something creative for David and I. I had to swallow some pride to buy their costumes instead of putting them together myself. Gulp! I did it! We are ready for next year!
It doesn't take much to make this little guy happy! I finally caught his smile on the camera. He usually just stares at the camera wondering why he should smile for a cyclops. He is seven months now. I cannot believe it! He loves his independence as a sitter and army scooter. Not quite crawling, but he can get where he wants to within an eight foot diameter.
We enjoyed another batch of pumpkin seeds. We barely got our pumpkin carving in this year.
Taylin wanted to be Tinkerbell this year. I think she has wanted to be this since last year. I had originally planned the girls be Tinkerbells or fairies and the boys were going to be Peter Pan. Well, Cohen really wanted to be a robot he saw in a book. I tried to talk him out of it. Peter Pan would be so much more comfortable and I wouldn't make him wear tights! I was able to convince him one day, but it didn't last. Silver and red still danced in his head.
After much research and shopping for materials, the costume making began. I didn't plan on making costumes this year. With two weeks until Halloween I decided I would make them. I originally thought me making them would be cheaper. Sooo wrong, but once I started, I had to finish them.
Taylin was able to wear hers to school, an evening festival, trunk-or-treat and a resident party. She got lots of wear out of it. Very worth my efforts. She even was picked as a finalist for the costume contest. Dorothy was the top pick, but again, it was worth it. Taylin wore her costume for two straight days and parts of it on other days.
We will probably not all go to the festival next year. It was not little kid friendly. Her school PTA put it on. Most of the festivities were outside and it was very dark. 
The golf game was only lit, because of the camera. 
I took a day off after finishing Cohen and Taylin's. Kennedy's costume was finished just in time for dinner and on to Trunk-or-treat. Kennedy is the fairy in training and might get wings another time. I knew she wouldn't keep them on and after hot gluing thin tulle and bias tape, my fingers were a bit worn. Teague was complete two weeks prior. He was simply the remote control for the robot. It just slipped over his clothes. (No pictures...he barely wore it with all the running around we did.) It was obvious the remote wasn't all together, because our little robot had a mute malfunction.
We couldn't get our robot to say trick or treat or much of anything. I barely got him into his costume. We carried it to the festival on Thursday, but never got him in it. I then told him if he wanted to get candy he had to be in costume. After passing out some candy himself, he warmed up and we went trunk or treating. 
I forgot a tie, so I held one side of him together and was the voice of the robot as we walked around. I was dressed as a pink and white bunny. No pics and none necessary. David was a nerd.
After a mom/wife missing in action for two weeks, I was banned from making costumes next year or the next three years. I already have costumes for next year that I bought at a costume shop the Monday after...50% off. Costumes for next year are already complete (only a few touches I will add) and sooo much cheaper. Maybe time to figure something creative for David and I. I had to swallow some pride to buy their costumes instead of putting them together myself. Gulp! I did it! We are ready for next year!
Last week the kids participated, and mom in the church primary program. Taylin and Cohen both had parts that they memorized and recited often. Taylin: "In the Proclamation to the World we learn that our homes can be and should be a refuge and sanctuary from the troubled world we live in." She said her part perfectly. Cohen had perfected his: "I lived with Heavenly Father before I came to earth." Come performance time...he was shy and timid. I would be too! He has many opportunities ahead. They sang so sweet and bore great testimony of the blessings of an Eternal Family.
A few weeks prior as we were practicing, I discussed with them their parts and what they meant. I think it is easier to memorize something if you know what you are saying. Little did I know I would learn so much myself. I was talking to Cohen about his part. I asked him if he believed he lived with Heavenly Father before he came to earth with our family. I elaborated how Teague was just there and how we wish he could talk, so he could tell us about it. I asked him if he thought he was excited to come be with our family. I did a little impersonation of him not meaning to be rude or make fun, just showing excitement to be here. I said (pretending to be Cohen tugging on Heavenly Father's arm): "Heavenly Father, Heavenly Father, Heavenly Father...can I go now...can I go now...Heavenly Father can I go with my family now...can I, can I?!" Of course Cohen had a response, "No Mom, not like that...Heavenly Father listens to me." I just broke. I pulled him to me and told him how much I love him. I apologized for not always being such a good listener. I told him he could pull me aside whenever he felt ignored. I told him I would do better. What a sensitive soul and he has such a great love and testimony of our Heavenly Father. I knew he understood his part well...whether he said it when it was time or not.
