Halloween cookies

 

These photos are obviously from last month.  It was one of those things I thought would be fun to do with the kids, and then I got all into it and controlling and wanted to decorate them myself.  Rupert and one of the girls helped with the bats.  That was a tube frosting - such a mess.  I also messed up on the white icing.  We don't have meringue powder and thought arrowroot powder would be a good replacement.  It just made the icing thick and hard to work with.  I finally got the right consistency for the yellow icing - look at those moons!  Still sloppy (except for the moons which were just dipped) but this was stills much fun, and of course we all enjoyed eating them.  I also forgot how much of a mess it makes decorating a few sugar cookies.  Worth it though!

Zara helped with the faces on some of these ghosts.  She has always been a good little helper!

Now I need to decide what Christmas sugar cookies I want to make!  I guess I'll wait until after Thanksgiving though.  Maybe.

Halloween 2020

Halloween looked a little different this year but we were fortunate that it wasn't too different.  We had a fantastic day and I kind of wish Halloween was on a Saturday every year.  I still took the kids trick or treating, and Elliot and Andrew stayed home to give out candy.

In the end Andrew set up this table outside and made sure there was always candy there while he and Elliot watched Harry Potter 4 for Elliot's first time.  Elliot read all the books this summer (we finally let him) so he's been looking forward to seeing this movie since he turned 13.

Classic front porch photo.  It's tradition!  It's also the only group photo we can see Elliot's face.  The kids trick or treated around our neighborhood by evergreen and back by the stake center.   A lot less trick or treaters this year, and fewer houses handing out candy but still a lot of fun.  Then we went trick or treating in the north part of our stake by uncle Ammon Opie's parents.  we've gone there for years now.  Such a great neighborhood!

Elliot was an army soldier.  I took the girls to thrift costumes at Goodwill with Kristy and Lizzy and scored this green jumper for Elliot, hoping it would fit.  We got lucky!  He's so hard to find clothing that fits or he likes. ;)  We ordered the hat on Amazon and the neck scarf/mask Andrew already had.

For Avery we were so excited to find this pretty white dress for $10!  We found some scrap fabric for the veil, and dug up the flower headband in my stuff.  For the makeup I also used what I already had and looked at inspiration photos on pinterest.  We were impressed with how well it turned out!  Such a transformation!  She felt really special and we all kept looking at Avery thinking how she doesn't even look like herself with this makeup.  She was a really good Emily for The Corpse Bride.

Zara wanted to be a Roman.  We lightly turned her hair and then dug up this headband in my things that I had forgotten about.  Another thrifted dress from that day.  Zara just wanted mascara and lipstick.  It's hard to tell but Zara has the prettiest long, curly eyelashes that the mascara just magnified.

Rupert's, Zara's and Baa's costumes were also from Goodwill.  We really lucked out!  But shopping mid September really helped.  Rupert's night in shining armor costume also came with a cape that he didn't want to wear this time. ;)  Because he got the costume for his birthday he asked for and received a shield, helmet, and sword as presents that he's played with a ton, just not on Halloween.

Be a actually has several costumes we thrifted including an Anna dress from Frozen, and old witch costume, and a yellow sparkly dance dress, but this is the one that was clean Halloween night.  All the dresses are in constant rotation.  She likes feeling pretty.  I went a little extra with the makeup with a burnt orange eye shadow all around her eyes.  I though it was very Halloween like, and bright orange lips.  We took her in the wagon this year so she could eat to her hearts content between houses.  The girls even grabbed the candy for her sometimes to go faster.  She was in heaven.

Beatrix stayed home for the second part of trick or treating.  After a few houses Rupert and Zara stayed at Ma & Pa Opie's house since Ruth and Ammon's kids were there watching a movie and their legs were tired.  I took Avery the last stretch.  This is her last year trick or treating because she'll be 12 next year.

Andrew and I didn't dress up this year, maybe next?  It was a great day, even with Covid precautions.

 

2014 Halloween

Isn't October such a great month?!  The kids are really excited for Halloween and got to wear their costumes early for a couple Halloween activities we went to last week.  Elliot has wanted to be Robin Hood ever since we went to Sherwood Forest this summer.  Still haven't gotten around to post photos from that trip but it was really fun.  Avery choose Snow White because she wanted to wear makeup and felt pretty with her red lips.  Zara is an angel because it's Avery's old costume.  Thankfully she loves it!

I have a monkey costume for Rupert but it's a bit big.  Speaking of big, I caught this BIG smile on camera last week.  He smiles more than my other babies did their first month and he really is a joy to be around.  He turned one month old on Sunday.  You know they say you take less pictures with each child.  Well, that's not true for him.  His first month is well documented.

Other things that have happened lately was my 10 year high school reunion.  Tear 'em up Westwood!  For being a big milestone it was actually pretty low key.  It was great seeing old friends and I was glad to have Andrew with me.  I heard there will be another one in five years.  I hope so because 10 years is too long.

My sister Julie announced they're expecting again.  My sister-in-law Sara is due in December and I'm glad Julie is continuing family pregnancy chain.  I'm not sure how long it's been going but I picked up after Ruth and last year there were five babies born.  Rupert was grandchild 20 so Julie's makes 22 and the oldest is 8.  It's been great raising our family at the same time as everyone else in the family!

Rupert had his 4 week check up last Thursday and he's growing juuuust fiiiiine.  He was 7lbs. 6oz. at birth and weighed in at 9lbs. 8oz. at the appointment. I'm a little sad he's growing so fast but also appreciating the fact that some babies are born bigger than he is now.

Elliot lost his 4th tooth today.  The second big one on top.  He's really proud of the fact that he's the only one that has lost more than one tooth this school year in his class.  You should see his smile :)

Happy Halloween and be safe!

Halloween

Halloween was a busy, long, fun day.  We're still in recovery mode from sugar overload, sleep deprivation  and a messy house but I managed to get the kids to eat part of their dinner before all the fun and Elliot and Avery can boast of a decent amount of candy considering they only went trick-or-treating to about 5 houses.

Yesterday morning we went to the Zoo with some friends while Elliot was at Kindergarten.

That got a little interesting towards the end.

After dinner we visited Lita in costume.  It's a tradition.

After that we went to a party and visited my parents and hurried on home to bed by 9:30.

Here are our two attempts of a family picture.

Andrew dressed up as a corporate pirate.  He wore it to work sans "facial hair". I'm a black swan.  I made the mask last minute.  Not bad!  Elliot is Iron man, Avery is an angel, and Zara a monkey.  Here's us last year.

October was an amazing month but I really look forward to November!

goodbye Halloween, hello Thanksgiving

Before Halloween is too far behind us I had to share our costumes.

I wish I had a better photo of all of us but you get the idea.

Although we didn't coordinate costumes somehow they all ended up matching.

Now I can move on! I am really excited for Thanksgiving.

I actually decorated a little bit this year.

Here is my front porch. Avery loves watering the flowers.

Apparently she takes her job seriously.

I always have those glass jars on my piano but I love the harvest look.

Speaking of harvest, I finished my sign we worked on the other day.

Do you like it?

Happy November!

feeling creative

I love it when I get creative. The holidays seem to do that to me.

Andrew and I agree that we both want to do more homemade Christmas gifts this year.

We say that every year but we're actually doing it this year.

I have already started on some projects.

Here are some homemade things from this weekend.

The baking was Saturday and the paper signs were today.

How have you been spending your Halloween?

Tonight I'm taking the kids trick-or-treating for the first time.

They've done trunk-or-treating, but that's different.

Do you have any cool ideas of crafts for the holidays?

Please share!