Hallo-weenie*

*The title does not reference anything specific, I just think it's fun to type (and read) "weenie."

Halloween might be my favorite holiday, combining, as it does, two of my favorite things: candy and asking strangers to give me stuff. And also a third thing that I really love- dressing up. Here is a small sampling of some of my dress-up escapades through the years, omitting the more recent years that might have already appeared on the blog. 

shorts over pants? I was such an amateur in those days...

adding the cape and the knee-high socks took this look from just "cute" to "ALMOST crazy, but still cute"

if you ever wore tights under your shorts, you know that the hat is actually the only part of this get-up that wasn't my everyday casual wear

just a typical night out with the girls

everything, even Girls' Camp, is more fun when you dress like a deranged person 

I've gotten a lot of mileage out of that camo gear over the years. You really need to invest in good pieces when you have a lifetime of dress-up ahead of you

"Clueless"- with college roommates

2006- Slash, Lil' Lion and Jem

 This was the first year in a long time, and possibly only the second time EVER, that I have not dressed up for Halloween. Here's how that happened:

When Charlie requested that I buy him a Storm Trooper costume for Halloween, I immediately thought about how perfectly Antonia's hair would twirl into Princess Leia buns, and how Eve already kind of looks like Yoda. A "Star Wars"-themed family costume seemed to be written in the stars. A vision began to form in my head: all five of us dressed in fabulous Star Wars costumes, blowing everyone out of the water in the Trunk-or-Treat costume contest. A Storm Trooper was not part of that vision, so I first had to convince Charlie to instead wear the Jedi costume I bought at Target. I couldn't find a suitable Princess Leia costume, so I hacked a few Pinterest ideas for that, and bought the Yoda costume at Target as well. As Halloween neared, I had yet to complete costumes for Will and I, and time was running out. My nights were restless, and I would wake up thinking that I would never have time to finish everything. And then a voice in my head would say "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

Ultimately, logistics were my downfall. It ended up that we had to drive home from Utah and go straight to the Trunk or Treat, so it was all I could do to get the kids in THEIR costumes and be at the event in time for the costume parade.  So Will and I were costume-less this year. I was bummed. Will was not. I'll put those costume ideas in my back pocket for another year, I'm sure I can get the kids on board for another year of Star Wars costumes. I feel quite certain that the  "Infant/Toddler" Yoda costume I bought will fit Eve until she's six. And believe you me, when we finally do it, it's going to be EPIC.

"Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

"Tired, I am! Past my bedtime it is."

The Galaxy would most definitely be safe in the hands of these three

The kids had a great time at the Trunk or Treat, and then Trick or Treating on Halloween night, as well. Charlie tried to run to every house. Antonia didn't want to run ever, or talk to anyone ever. Eve fell asleep in her stroller but I continued to take her pumpkin around and collect the goods on her behalf. Except it was really on my own behalf.  Will and I ate all the good candy from Eve's bucket, and used the undesirables to trade with Antonia and Charlie for the good stuff. Interestingly, a lot of the undesirables are still hanging around, four months later...

Finally, here is the promised video of Eve's preferred form of motility. For the record, she also learned how to crawl the traditional way, but generally opted to scoot on a smooth surface like the Pergo floor.  Take note, the video features a trumpet lesson in the background, so it is a little loud.