Thugs N' Woodland Creatures

Growing up, my Mom was so creative - she always came up with fun & frugal ways to create our requested Halloween costumes. One year I was a bride. She dressed me in my older sister's lacy baptism dress (which she sewed herself, by the way) & crafted a veil out of white flowery wire and tulle. Another year, I was a ballerina. I already had slippers & a leotard from ballet. She added to it by making a quick & easy tutu out of hot pink tulle. Another year, I was a bunch of grapes. My Mom braided my hair straight up into the air and weaved wire through it to make it the stem. Then she inflated & pinned dozens of purple balloons to my coat. She used a lot of what we already had on hand and only made small purchases, if necessary, for accessories.

Naturally, I have been anxious to keep the tradition of homemade costumes. Since this was Hannah's first year actually participating in Trick-or-Treating, we did just that for her. Logan really wanted Hannah to decide what to be for Halloween. We asked & asked & finally realized that she calls herself "Hannah Ladybug." That's perfect and she was right on board! We'd ask, "Hannah, what are you going to be for Halloween?" "Hannah be ladybug," she'd respond.

I actually re-vamped a costume idea my Mom used for my little sister when we were growing up - the caped ladybug! It's a simple costume of red & black felt, which doesn't need to be hemmed - great for a 1st timer like myself. The Simplicity pattern is out of print, so I just started with scrap fabric & made my own pattern. As I constructed the costume, I'd make alterations, such as rounding the front corners & adding bias tape to the edge of the cape. Also, I made the hat & antennas with felt so I didn't have to purchase an additional headband & accessories to made the kind the pattern calls for. Logan did help, by the way. He cut out all of the black dots & gave lots of input! Hannah loves her costume & still wants to wear it around the house.

Oh, and Hannah also picked out Logan's costume. One day as we were driving in the car, we asked Hannah, "What should Daddy be for Halloween?" She was quiet for a moment & then responded, "Daddy be teddy bear!" After busting a gut (as that is undoubtedly one of the cutest things she's said) we decided to make it happen. So, I designed some quick teddy bear ears on the computer, printed them on card stock & sewed them to the hood of his brown pullover. Hannah didn't care what I was for Halloween. So, in keeping with the theme of dressing up as Hannah's stuffed animals, I wore bunny ears & went as Bun-Bun. They were yellow & white, too! Perfect! Hannah would say, "Mommy be eeser bunny (easter bunny)."

For Halloween, we invited Grandma Lark & Grandpa Ryan to town. But, they didn't bring costumes. So, we were about to kick them out (just kidding). No, but they did play along. We pulled out our Halloween stuff from past years. Lark was a thug & Ryan was...hillbilly Elvis? Whatever he was, it was funny.

Cousins Emily, Adam & Paisley came with us to go Trick-or-Treating. It was especially fun for Hannah & Pais to have each other for company. They had a great time climbing stairs, looking cute & getting lollipops - lots of lollipops.

At one home, a bowl of Dum-Dums was just left on the front porch. Hannah & Pais approached & began drooling & foaming at the mouth...well, not really...but you could imagine as it WAS Halloween. For real though, as Pais was going in for handfuls, Hannah daintily pinched one lone little lollipop & dropped it in her bucket...But, then the bowl was still full in front of her...and no one was watching...and her lone little lollipop needed one friend - maybe two friends - three friends, four, five, six, faster & faster she counted aloud & plunged them in her bucket! It's a good thing she can only count to ten! I'm not sure what she would've done if she'd gotten that far - start over at one? Or maybe list her ABC's?

Well, these little tikes lasted well beyond our guess of 30 minutes - try 1 hr 15 min! Afterward, we were pooped. So, Lark, Ryan, Logan, Hannah & I headed over to Big Judd's for a Triple Burger & fries. Logan & Hannah both nearly dislocated their jaws while trying to bite into this beast. It was a tasty beast, though. We split it between all of us. I think Hannah should've taken the challenge & eaten the whole thing by herself. She's tough - she could do it! Thanks Lark, Ryan, Emily, Adam & Paisley for sharing this memorable Halloween with us!

Oh, and to explain the title of this post - Logan's little sister, Tootsie, saw the above photo with Lark, Ryan, Logan, Hannah & I and commented on Facebook, " Thugs n' woodland creatures. Quaint. Grandma and Grandpa should have been hunters." Ha - Toots is hilarious.