cheerleaders, vampires, and sharks...oh my!

I must say that I dread Halloween a little bit.  I like the holiday, I just dread having to come up with costumes for my kids.  What will they want to be?  Is it something I can make for cheap?  Can I even make it?  Better yet, can they make it?  Many times, they don't seem to be able to make a decision until the week they need the costume.  We have been guilty of wearing the same costume a couple years in a row...if it was even CLOSE to fitting (a little high-waters never hurt anyone).

This year, Morgan decided to be a cheerleader.  Wonderful!  She could use her uniform from dance class.  Colton wanted to be a shark.  Bryan had been a shark about four years before.  Only 2 months previous to Colton's declaration, I had thrown Bryan's costume away, wondering why in the world I had held onto it for so long.  Who asks to be a shark?  Apparently one other person besides Bryan.  Luckily it wasn't too difficult a costume to make...again.  I was able to plant the idea in Kyle's head that he would make a MARVELOUS vampire...especially since he lost his two front teeth - very fanglike look for him.  A friend of mine had a vampire costume he could borrow.  Perfect!

The Friday before Halloween (which was Sunday this year), Morgan, Colton, and Kyle went to school dressed up in their costumes (minus Kyle's scary vampire makeup due to school rules).  

The district doesn't allow a Halloween parade, but our school has gotten around it by linking it to a book.  You bring the book to carry with you during the parade and dress up as your favorite character in the book.  This means that kids, rather than bringing their favorite book, search for a book that fits the character they were going to be for Halloween anyway.  It all works out.

All the kids also had Halloween parties in their classes.  I helped out at Kyle's...

 His teacher, Cinderella, reading a Hallween story to her class.

 Concentrating on coloring a bookmark - love his tongue!  It means he is concentrating.

 Bingo...

 Decorating cookies...

 ...and eating them!

 The book parade!

The book parade ended with a rally by the principle in the gym.  On a side note...he announced their school, after state testing, came back as the 7th best school in the state!  So cool!

That night was our ward's "Trunk Or Treat" celebration. The kids were especially excited for "Trunk or Treat" since they wouldn't be trick or treating on actual Halloween due to it being on Sunday (trying to keep the Sabbath day holy). Bryan was unsure if he would dress up. At thirteen years old he wasn't ready to give up the candy of Halloween, yet he thought he might be too old for a costume. Thirty minutes before the party, I suggested he go as a cowboy. Mark had the hat, boots, gun belt with holster...he was excited to have something cool to dress up as that would let him get some candy. The party was a success!



 NOW Kyle could wear his vampire makeup!  Doesn't he look scary? ...In a very cute way, of course.