Happy Halloween 2016

Hey, y'all -

It's been a tiring couple of weeks. I had some of those weird headaches like the one I had a few years ago, so I had to go have one of those awful brain scans. Turns out there's nothing (new) wrong with me, so that's good news. It's like the day you turn forty, you start falling apart. I'm basically a washing machine one day past its warranty.

For Halloween this year, Laney wanted to be a butterfly. Her costume was a monument to failing upward, and a constant reminder that I should have listened to my mother every time she tried to teach me something about sewing because I obviously absorbed nothing.

I found the green dress at the thrift store for $3. Score. Then I ordered the wings, but they weren't wide enough to reach all the way to her fingertips. But I couldn't return them for the adult size, because those were enormous. So I cut the feet off a pair of old socks and made armband wing holders. Then the armpit bands meant to hold the wings in place started bugging her, so we cut 'em off. Then the dress started falling down in front, so I sewed a foot of pantyhose to make a halter top, which could both hold up the dress AND give me something to stick the wings to. And it matched her skin tone. Now we're cooking.

Then of course the temperature dropped to 40 and she couldn't possibly trick or treat in a strapless dress. Well, she COULD, but then I'd have to explain at every house: "Please don't call the authorities on us; this child runs hot and wanted to wear flip flops, so it could be worse." Instead, Laney went into her ski clothes collection and picked a nice base layer which went GREAT with those nude hose.

Eh, whatever. You got plenty of candy.

Then there's Hagen. Hagen wanted to be a dragon puppy. I will refer all follow-up questions in re: dragon puppies to Hagen, because they're his invention, and he will happily talk to you all dang day long about a dragon puppy's diet and habitat and fire-breathing/snuggling abilities. I found a bear suit missing its head at a yard sale for $1 last year and had a feeling it would come in handy one day.

We went trick-or-treating with our friends the Newhouses, including their kids Emmy and Kai. Emmy was Rey from Star Wars and Kai was - of course - Batman.

Your dad dressed as a ninja in all black, thus violating every Halloween safety rule there is, and annoying the heck out of his wife. Can't tell you how many times I hollered "Has anybody seen Thor?!?" only to discover he was standing right next to me. Bet it takes you a second to spot him in this picture:

If you were a fan of how Hagen complimented the neighbors on their patio furniture last year, and wanted to talk their ears off about landscaping, you should have been with us THIS year. Every time someone said, "Oh my! What a cute dragon!," he came back with, "Well, actually, I'm a dragon PUPPY. You can tell because of my snuggly body..." etc. etc. with the dragon puppy facts, until the homeowner looked at me like "Is this kid for real?" Even my friend Jess, who is a paragon of patience had to tell Hagen at one point, as he was caressing an outdoor planter, "Yeah, yeah, the decorative kale is beautiful. NOW GO GET THE CANDY."

He started by telling this poor old man who we had never before seen in our lives that his witch decoration was a little scary. Then, "Why don't you have on a costume? You should get a costume. but not a scary one. You know what you could be?..."

I walked up to pull you away just in time to hear him say, "OK, I'm going to go inside now."

I think he was worn slap out.

About 45 minutes into trick-or-treating, Hagen said, 'Well, I think I have enough candy. I'm going home now." So Dad walked him home. But this one wasn't even slowing down:

We ran into Laney's best friend Laila, which was great fun, and then we ran home to take inventory; I'd promised we could stay out 'til 7:30p or your bucket was full, whichever came first. Next year, I'm getting you a smaller bucket. 

Love,
Mom