Halloween 2013

Here's Halloween, start to finish, in no particular order, just uploaded off the camera with a few comments added.

{because with no pressure to be perfect, I can still produce blog posts:}

Something about a new house and new neighbours, I felt inspired to make a sign.

(well and the fact that we have a gate, and I wanted to make sure they felt welcome)

Calkboards are fun.

Maddie came up with the idea to be a nerd on her own.  

Such a cutie!

She put together the outfit on her own, except for the "kick me" sign, that was Mailee's idea.

Slightly ironic?

I think so.

Caleb dug this number out of the dress up.

He was rearing to go at 3pm.

{he had to wait until 7}

He asked "what's FD?"

"Fire Department" I replied

"Oh, that makes sense" he says:)

Another dress up bin treasure.

Everytime they got up to a door, she would announce "I a bumble bee" 

Caity got this costume in the mail last year from Grandma Bev but refused to wear it.

She's waited a whole year to try again to be a pink princess.

This year she also dug out a cape and a sash and a scepter and a tiara.

She was decked out!

When we came home the bottom of her dress was filthy and Cait burst into tears.

She was devastated that her dress got "ruined".

{I washed it and it's good as new}

She's wearing it again today just for fun.

Mailee started planning a few months ago.

She came up with a list of items she needed to secure to be the perfect Audrey Hepburn.

I think she pulled it off:)

Classy.

Mikayla's friend Zovya brought plain masks back from Verona, Italy.

The girls decorated them to be "black swans"

I didn't help at all.

She did a great job!

Beautiful costume for my lovely ballerina:)

I like that she is still willing to play along, the kids love to have her participate!

Bzzzz

Pretty pretty!

All my trick or treaters.

Mailee did not sacrifice fashion for warmth.

She did an entire hour outside like this.

It was freezing but she didn't complain!

The Dress Up Line Up This Year

Here are the kids and their cousins on Halloween this year:)

Mailee is Marie Antoinette, Caleb is a robot (he forgot his head at home) and Mads is the Queen of Hearts:)

Lucy from The Chronicles of Narnia

Kitty.

Lady Bug 

(take two... Maddie wore this costume)

Halloween Decor

Here's a quick lesson on how to glitter up your pumpkins.

(I guess it's too late for this year but file this one away for next, it's so easy and soo pretty!)

Caleb helped me.

He squeezed on a whole bunch of Elmer's glue...

then he brushed it on smoothly with a foam brush...

{We used white pumpkins which worked out great because I didn't cover the entire surface with glitter but at first glance they still looked completely glittery.  I think with orange underneath it would have been more noticeable if they were not fully glittered.}

Then he dumped this glitter all over the pumpkin.

(we put newspaper underneath to catch the glitter and pour it back into the jar)

It was really that simple.

It was messy.

We still have glitter everywhere.

I say the mess was well worth the effect!

We have recycled Mailee's party decorations twice already.

First they sat on our front porch...

{I brought the candles in at night for all you safety inspectors out there:}

We had a pretty porch for a few days but we decided to share the love so we took the pumpkins to Mike's office.

Pretty!

I also made a little poster to encourage our friends at Rhino to get creative and avoid ALL that candy!

I got this idea for the Sugar Fairy from a friend.  She gives her girls the option to relinquish their treats received from birthday parties, Easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Have a fantastic Halloween.

Tomorrow is also Cambria's 7 month birthday!!

She will be dressing up as a pink kitty.

Her Grandma sent her a to-die-for flower costume but she is misery on wheels when I put it on so we had to go to plan B.

I am sure the pink kitty will not be lacking in the cuteness department and miss baby will be much more pleasant to be around!

The flower costume is sz 18-24 so there is hope for a walking flower for next year:)

The Feathery Halloween

 Halloween costume planning always starts with Mikayla.  

Most things start with Mikayla. 

She is on top of it and likes to get things done in advance.  

She decided to be a peacock and get another use out of her gorgeous tutu from last year's ballet.  Jenaya wanted to be a peacock as well.  We made masks on sticks and bought some extra feathers.

The extra feathers went in their hair.  

Cute

 easy

the whole thing made me happy we got another use out of the expensive ballet suit:)

I wish I had a picture of her facepaint...it was gold sparkles and green and so swirly and pretty!

Mailee chose a pretty yellow dress out of the dance costume bin and wanted to be a canary.  We bought the yellow tights and she was thrilled.  The night before Halloween, she decided that dress was not comfy {very important element for miss Mailee} and she went hunting for something else.

I give you, my little flamingo.

We had one vintage hat shell left for we glue gunned feathers {that we pulled off the boa} all over, added the french netting, some tulle, more feathers and some rhinestones.

I was happy that she was thrilled with her last minute switch.

I had an adorable sunflower costume that I borrowed from a friend.  Maddie loved it until two nights before Halloween when the girls started trying on and talking about their bird theme.

One trip to Michaels for a piece of sparkly white craft foam

a dip in the dance bin

an hour with the glue gun, some felt, rhinestones, feathers and an old shirt with a big pattern in the middle..

...and WA-LA, here's my little swan!

I really loved the way her shirt and mask turned out.  

 Okay, I know it looks like he is not happy about it but I promise, Caleb was stokked on his costume.  You'll see why his heart wasn't in the picture if you continue looking...

ANYWAYS, Tammy and I decided if most of {at the time} the girls were birds, it would be so cut to make the boys something theme related.

Here is my little bird watcher!

My little owl baby!

Jenny at Nut & Satchi executed my owl hat vision perfectly.

I made sure she made it to match the pettiskirt from Grandpa.

Really, that would have been enough but I was so excited about the cuteness I bought some felt and made a little cape.

Then I bought some tulle and made a little tutu.

Completely unnecessary but I was obsessed and I wanted to keep going:)

 Our first stop was the mall.  The big kids did their thing while the owl baby got a free ride in her strolly. Do you see her cute owl treat bag?  She was quite excited when she realised the funny looking people at the stores were putting candies in her bag!

Aunty Terri got some great practice manoeuvring the stroller for next year when she'll have one of her own!

Eventually Owl baby wanted to be held and also wanted to eat her treats.  

Pair this with no nap

Eek.  

Talk about scary!

Here are all the beautiful birdies.  

One is having a melt down but I would go out on a limb and say she is still cute...Yes?

After the mall we all headed to Grandma Cricks.  I have no photos of that but we enjoyed a mini feast and some nice visiting.

 Now here is why Caleb wasn't totally into the earlier photo shoot...

His birdwatching buddies weren't there!

These costumes were easy.  The little owls we got at Michaels in the clearance for .69!  We just glued them and some feathers to the hat and that was it.  

Next time, I would attach strings to the hats so they can wear them around their necks.  I ended up holding Caleb's all night.

Happy peacock!

Cute owl got a lot of help from Daddy.

I just took photos but don't worry, I will offer her a lot of help in eating her treats:)

Getting to take her own candies and put them in her bag...big stuff!!

I love how all the kids look after Caiters!

You know I love all my kids equally but let's get real, this was Cait's first official go at the trick or treat thing so she needs a few more pictures than the rest of them, right?

Little owl's favorite item that went in her treat bag: juice boxes.

If she was given a juice box, she wanted to stop everything and take a minute to sip it down.

Cuteness overload I tell you!

With all the hype the night before Halloween over the bird theme, I got in the mood and made myself  little costume...

I hope you had a great night as well!  

What did your kids dress up as? Please share a link if you posted pics!