halloween sneak peek

The girls' school held its big Halloween carnival last Saturday, so we got to do a little Halloween dress-rehearsal. It was quite a night! The carnival is always crazy pants - a billion sweaty kids in costume tossing rings and bean bags - but this year seemed extra zoo-like. Eve vanished with some friends, Eleanor panicked at the crowd and tried to hide behind my legs for the first half hour, and Sam - my sweet brave little Sam - started off okay, but was reduced to trembling with fear because of a boy in a large blue duck costume. *sigh* After some cotton candy and snow cones eaten in the relative peace of the bleachers, everyone felt much better and launched themselves back into the chaos for another hour of fun. And I went home thanking my lucky stars that it's another whole year till we do it again!

While I am no huge Halloween fan, I love helping the kids with their costumes. And I loved their choices this year! (I may have been a little instrumental in Sam's selection...)

My Seuss-obsessed Eleanor as The Cat in the Hat. I found the little jumpsuit at Goodwill for only $2.99! It was meant to be. All it needed was a new bow. We already had the hat and, when we found Cat in the Hat socks at Target, the vision was complete.


Eve as Cleopatra. This pose was one she insisted on - her most queenly, I think.

Eve told me her book on anciet Egypt had a picture of Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra, and she wanted to look just like that. Yikes! I did my best on a third-grade level. She loved her huge mysterious eyes, but when Sam saw her he burst into tears. "Who is that, Sammy?" "sobbing I don't know!" "It's just Eve in her costume." "Evie is scary!" I think the snake headdress was just too much for Sam. Little did he know about the blue duck awaiting him....

Sam as Charlie Brown. This picture just doesn't quite do justice to the hilarity that is Sam as Charlie Brown. He was a hit at the carnival - well, except for the lady who thought he was Batman. She wasn't joking, either! "Oh, Charlie Brown was my second guess!" Batman only wishes he was this cool!

I love his squiggle. Nora's makeup was pretty fun, too, but I'm thinking I can do a better job for actual Halloween, so I'll wait until then to post her close-up.

Little known fact: Cleopatra needs glass when she goes to carnivals. She tried to go without, but a friend later led a squinty, blind, arms-outstretched Eve up to me. Cleopatra can't win the soda bottle ring toss without her prescription lenses!

Carnivals make The Cat in the Hat very sad and nervous, apparently. Until he consumes large amounts of sugar - then everything is wonderful! This frown didn't last long.