Tag Archives: Halloween

Halloween – Better Late Than Never

Things have been a little quiet on the blog lately. Work has been busy and I honestly haven’t been taking many personal photos. I’m waiting for inspiration to bite me but I’m starting to feel as though I might need to kick it into gear with a special project. Or maybe some upcoming travel will do the trick. Now that the weather is turning there’s a danger that I might go into hibernation and the camera will gather dust on the weekends. I’m trying to fight that natural impulse.

At least I have a few Halloween photos and it’s better late than never, right? It was a dark and rainy (not quite stormy) night so I managed about 5 blurry photos before heading home to hand out candy. The boys dressed as a Timbers supporter and a soccer player – so basically the same clothes they wear every day which makes for a cheap and easy halloween. Although I did have to let go of the disappointment when I realized I wouldn’t see a cute little George Washington walking the neighborhood. Our revolutionary war obsession was SO three months ago.

I dressed as a witch for the fifth year in a row but Samuel made me promise to dress up as something different next year. Maybe I’ll make him a deal and dress as Martha Washington if he agrees to go as George. I have a few months to think about it.

Here are the few photos I captured of our crew wandering the neighborhood and the one annual obligatory “stand for a photo at the door before I give you candy” photograph. The thing I love about this annual photo is that it’s so easy to see the passage of time behind the costumes. These children who used to be babies are now independent little people – little people with their own, very strong ideas about what they want to dress as for Halloween.

And a comparison, just for fun.

Off to shed a tear or two…

Halloween 2013

This year’s trick-or-treat included a Viking, a second year Harry Potter and my trusty old witch hat (although I switched out the tights and wore a different black dress). The best part about our costumes was that they almost didn’t cost me a cent. Samuel was quite happy digging in the dress up box for the cape and shield (a christmas present last year), while Thomas didn’t seem interested in choosing a costume and so defaulted to last year’s Harry Potter cape that no longer drags on the ground. My only costumes purchases were the new purple-striped tights and a Viking helmet that I bought for about $4 from a local toy store (easily the BEST $4 I’ve spent in a long time). That’s just how I like my Halloweens – cheap and easy.

Before there was trick or treating, however, there was school Halloween parade. One child got fully into the Halloween spirit while the other decided that he didn’t want to wear his costume in the parade because people always point and stare at him and say he’s Harry Potter. I tried to explain to Thomas that this must be how the “real” Harry Potter feels  and could be part of getting into character, be wasn’t having it. Instead he spent all day answering the question “who are you dressed as?” with “myself”.

Parents of five-year-olds, a tip. Enjoy taking photos of your children now because, by the time they turn eight, getting them to even look in the direction of the camera is next to impossible. Thomas spent a good 10 minutes hiding from me while Samuel turned the corner and gave me this:

Later, after a classroom party and a short period of time where I tried to get some work done with the kids at home, Harry was reunited with Hermione…

 

…and a few other characters…

And then we walked around the neighborhood like one giant pack of misfits.

Love the pumpkins on this porch.

I headed home after a few houses to start handing out candy. Mostly, I volunteered because my witch shoes are not made for long walks around the neighborhood.

This crew knows that they have to pose for a photo before they get any candy at my house. Samuel helped me hand out candy later and I had to explain that I don’t require a photo from everyone who comes by. I don’t want to be known as THAT weird neighbor.

We turned the light off at about 8pm, but not before I remembered to take some photos of the pumpkins we hastily carved the night before.

Someone posted a hand-written sign on our front porch next to the bird pumpkin the following day saying we won second place in the pumpkin contest. I think they made a mistake, though. Kei carved the bird and, clearly, my ghostly eyes and alien were far superior (and I carved TWO designs). Maybe they lost my first place sign.

And that’s a wrap for Halloween 2013. Many thanks to the weather gods for keeping the skies warm and our costumes dry.