Halloween

Some people are glad that Christmas comes but once a year and are relieved when it's over...well, I feel that way about Halloween. I never could dream up a great costume growing up or even now as a grown up (for myself nor my kids). My kids are responsible for dreaming up their own costumes and this year was an adventure. I thought this year with taking time away from the working world, I'd have all month to get ready for this event. As my kids know, if I can't have it prepared in a timely fashion and everything becomes last minute, things can get pretty ugly in the Smith household.

So, early in the month I start annoying my kids with "what's it going to be this year?" Andrew knew right away...Evil Jester! Perfect...the costume store a mile away carries it...we're good to go. Emily isn't sure yet. That's fine, Emily has a day off of school on 10/19...we'll have a good Mommy/Daughter day of running all over to get things all set up. We stop at the costume store, I get Andrew's Evil Jester and I tell Emily check out the wall and pick a costume. She proceeds to tell me that she and her BF Emma are going to be Ice Cream Cones. I'm looking at the wall and I don't see an Ice Cream Cone. So I ask her which website did she see this because it's 1.5 weeks away and mommy needs to order it now. So then she tell me the words I started dreading..."We have to make it." AAAGGGHHH!

So 1.5 weeks away the panic starts...so I do the typical mom thing (drink heavily...just kidding, maybe)...I tell her, "so when did you plan on tell me this...on 10/30?" and then continue with the mom thing..."do you even have a picture, what supplies do we need, Aunt Jane arrives tomorrow, you have a band concert, when do you think we are doing this?" I am getting the typical kid response...I don't know.

So, I call up Emma's mom in a panic and THANK GOD she is nothing like me! She is Carol Duvall as I am Betty Crocker...together we might put Martha Stewart out of business. She takes in my Panic Mom, got to make a costume spiel, and says no problem...she is the Queen of last minute projects at her house. Then she sends me the link from the magazine with the picture and directions.

Now don't think I'm totally pathetic...I can sew; I have made a quilt; I have made needlepoint projects; I made my own barbie doll clothes when I was a kid (well, only 3 outfits). If I have directions, I can follow them. Well, I looked at the directions and the supply list seemed to go on forever. HELP!

So, I do the next best thing...buy the supplies and send her over to Emma's house on 10/26 for a sleep-over/costume creation night. Emily is going to be a Vanilla Ice Cream Cone & Emma is going to be Chocolate. The kids dive into their project and when I pick Emily up on Saturday morning, costume is 90% complete...the headpiece isn't sticking to the headband...so need to find a hat that it can get attached and then the t-shirt to be worn needs to have the "sprinkles" (cut up neon straws) attached. I can manage those tasks...you would think.

In the meanwhile, Andrew's costume hat doesn't work...can't get the jester horns to stay up...Richard tries on the hat, it's too big for him...and I start thinking of ways to jury-rig his hat...not working...he's going to have to get a different costume...which then presents an unhappy child. So we go back to the website and start searching what options the store has...he picks out Zombie Skeleton....I tell him it looks really scary...and he's happy child again. I exchange the costume and wonder why Emily's couldn't be this easy.

So down to the last couple days...and wouldn't you know it...I can't find a white/cream colored hat anywhere (reasonable cost, mind you..cheapest found was $14...forget it, we'll glue it to your hair first). Emma's mom picked up an extra brown one...and so we go with the "it blends into your hair" speech...and run with it since it's now 8:00 pm on 10/30. Which at this time I ask Emily what pants are she wearing underneath it....she of course says a pair of khakis...well we never bought those! So now I'm thinking, forget the glass of wine, just put the straw in the bottle....and I get out the phone book and thank my lucky stars that we have a Gap 10 minutes away. I call first before running over... "Khaki pants, 12 slim?"...YES!!! "Great, hold them at the counter...I'll be over in 10". I didn't want a chance of any other LAST MINUTE costume makers grabbing them. Get home at 8:50...and all is right in the world.

So 10/31 arrives...Emily & Emma are wearing their costumes to school (there is a contest). I drive them both, thinking they won't fit on the bus...let alone their classroom desk. They end up winning 1st prize for 6th grade...$15 GC to the new Nestle store...boy, I wish I had that last week when Jane & I stopped in for a snack.

Time for Trick or Treating...the hat keeps falling off...I end up carrying it the whole time...the cone is all twisted around from running...it is was determined that it wasn't easy to run with the chosen costume...but still out of the group...the boys gave up first, and girls were still on the go for that one more piece of candy...that I'm sure I'll be tossing out next summer.

So here are the first place winners & Andrew...Andrew is the scary Zombie Skeleton & Emily is the Vanilla Ice Cream Cone & Emma is the Chocolate Ice Cream Cone.