Halloween dawned damp and full of expectation, here, and Chickadee was up and raring to go first thing in the morning. Monkey was still asleep at 9:30 when I went into his room to make sure he wasn’t dead, which meant, of course, that he was sick.
“I’m FINE!” he groused, as I took his temperature. “I feel FINE. I’m not sick!” The thermometer begged to differ. It was just a low fever, though, so as the day wore on and his protestations grew louder and the fever never went higher, we made an executive decision to let him go trick-or-treating, anyway. Because I really didn’t want to have to listen to a year’s worth of histrionics over missing out on candy due to a hardly-even-fever temperature.
Of course, when I called to make plans with friends for him (as Chickadee had already made plans for a GIRLS ONLY outing), I was quizzed as to his health and potential contagiousness. It was reluctantly agreed that he was okay, and then ANOTHER child in that group ended up leaving early with a vicious tummy bug, which is sad but makes me feel better about the whole low fever thing.
There was a flurry of activity, of course, prior to the big event. For one thing, I’d somehow never managed to put out any of our Halloween decorations this year, and Otto decided to start hanging things and making the place look like we cared. He’d even purchased something new for us, this year—we’re now the proud owners of a gigantic, fanged bat. (I like him so much, I’m thinking we may have to put him up for Christmas, too.)
For another thing, neither child’s costume was actually finished, because we’re just not that organized.
I spent about an hour sewing mustaches onto stuffed puppies. And then Otto did a quick photo shoot, and after a bit of Photoshopping, Chickadee was all ready to carry around her book and offer to sell it to people for just $19.95.
What? You don’t think that was a great idea for a costume? I thought it was sort of brilliant, myself. It was her accompanying basket of mustache-d puppies that really made the outfit.
Monkey opted to go a little less highbrow; he was simply a refreshing treat.
In the end, there was a fair amount of candy, and a lot of rain, but everyone seemed pretty happy. I did not dress up, because I am old and no fun. I wore my glow-in-the-dark skeleton earrings and called it a day night.
Sadly, I realized this morning that the children have reached the age where I can no longer sneak candy from their bags—they’ve inventoried it all, and issued stern warnings against pilfering. Sigh.
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Oh dear. Took me a leetle too long to figure out Root Beer Float, but I got there! Excellent costumes – both of them.
Also, nothing, but nothing says happy holidays like a festive Christmas bat.
LOVE the costumes! So creative!!
Those costumes are great!
Your children have better senses of humor than many adults that I know. No wonder you all seem to have so much fun together.
Heh… your kids come up with the best costume ideas! I would totally buy a copy of Chickadee’s book.
Nice Costumes :) Im with ya on the sending the sick kid trick or treating….if my son hadnt tested positive for the flu saturday i would have sent him out to get the loot with his sisters and dad…but sadly he stayed home locked in his room away from everyone and everything and fussing that he wasnt getting any candy…..!
Love your kid’s costumes!!
With that big tube around Monkey, he couldn’t get close enough to anyone to spread whatever germs were causing the fever… yeah that should make you feel better, right?
= )
Cute costumes but those are the kind taht when the kid walks away I turn to my husband and say “what the hell was he/she supposed to be?” Way too much thinking involved…what I’m saying is that your kids have 1) a better sense of humor and 2) a higher intellect then I do.
Tell Chickadee that I may have to steal her costume next year. So quirky and perfect!
Plus her hair looked super pretty! Bonus!
As the mother I think you have the right to eat any candy you see fit. Look at it as payment for all the hard work you put into those brilliant costumes!
Seconding Holly!
I love the costumes! You all are so clever!
We passed out candy at the in-laws’ house and after seeing the bazillionth Snow White and Buzz Lightyear, I asked the other old folk in the house “Doesn’t anyone MAKE costumes anymore?!”
I’m glad to see someone still does! :D And such clever ones at that!
I am so stealing the root beer float idea – that’s brilliant.
My oldest daughter has inventoried her candy, so we can’t swipe hers. The younger daughter and the son? They don’t know to do that yet, so their baskets are fair game.
Dog Whiskerer! Oh, my goodness. I’m going to have to take a break, have a glass of wine, and think about how awesome that is.
I bow to the masters of the costume: Chickadee and Monkey!!!
Well that when you become the godfather and everybody has to pay the godfather a percentage of their candy. It works for my husband.
Love the costumes!
My boy says I have to ask permission before grabbing any candy..pshaw. Great costumes.
Good news for you: all the Halloween candy is now on sale, so go get your own stash! I may have (ahem) resorted to that myself…..
You guys come up with the best costume ideas. I still love the chick magnet.
1) I’m glad Monkey was recovered enough to go.
2) Very creative costumes.
3) My son has reached the same too old to steal from age, so I taxed him a snickers for misbehavior this morning. Just an idea.
I always charged a gas tax, makes more sense when you drive your kids from house to house.
Rootbeer floats! My favorite. And…where did you get that skeleton candy bag?.. AWESOME! and even SHINEY!
You guys always come up with the best costumes! Nothing will ever top the Chick Magnet and Irresponsible Babysitter, though. :)
Great Costumes!! Love the root beer float!
Thank you for the help with the Chick Magnet costume. It worked out great!
Best costumes I’ve seen this Halloween!
Love the costumes – totally creative and fun :)
I ALWAYS swipe something from their stash and Teen is 17 now. They have to learn to pay tax sooner or later!
Ha! My grown daughters (one is married!) made a big deal over taking their baby brother on his first trick or treat expedition. He’s two and was born overseas, so he’s cried at the fireworks on Guy Fawkes night, but no trick or treating yet. Those terrible big sisters not only scammed a piece of candy from almost every house, as he needed hand-holding right up to the bowl and they’d just say “oh I can’t stand it anymore, mind if I just take one for me too?” At every house!
Then when we got home, they went through his tiny little plastic punkin’ o’ candy which he mostly doesn’t recognize and ate most of it. Leaving him with the box of Mike and Ike’s (shaky! he kept saying, and shaking it) and the halloween pencil (Pen! he kept saying, and almost poking his eye out), a bag of pretzels and some cookies. Rotten things took all his chocolate.
Except for the Tootsie rolls, I had dibs.
I love costumes like yours. (Play on words) Even tho my family is mostly party poopers on this front (my mom complains that no one gets them b/c you have to think about them.) I love to do this type of thing.
You’ll have to come by & check mine out this year. Extremely timely, especially considering our last week. http://mommyspeak.blogspot.com/2009/11/wordless-wednesday-halloween-edition.html
Yeah, Keenan went with friends…after scaring the life out of me in the closet. (I was unpacking and I’m gonna have to bell that kid!) Rachel, post tonsillectomy, took her pain meds and fell asleep by 8pm. Of course, I still get to hear that Keenan didn’t bring her any candy…
If they are not allowing you to steal their candy, HOW do they expect you to enjoy Halloween? Funny.