Halloween rants

I have a love/hate relationship with Halloween. I love the parties, the atmosphere, the cooler weather, trick or treating with my kids, making treats to give to neighbors, serving homemade root beer to the kids whose parents let them take a home made treat from a stranger (we also have store bought candy), stealing my kid's candy while they are at school, other people's costumes...

That's right, other people's costumes. I love seeing what people come up with. I'm always impressed. But I hate, hate, hate, coming up with costumes for my family. Basically for costumes there are several categories- the over priced store bought things that make you question weather or not it will survive one evening of running around the neighborhood. The REALLY overpriced ones that are GORGEOUS, which might be okay if you only had one kid, but when you are trying to outfit 4, you'd have to take out a home equity loan to afford. There's the homemade ones, which take both skill, patience, and creativity, none of which I have. Then there's the costume that can be done running around to thrift stores and/or craft stores, but takes up an inordinate amount of time, and a whole lot of skill and/or creativity is involved.

I went to a Halloween party a week or so ago. It was fun. Dressing up was optional, so I did what I have done for the past three years, I threw on my awesome greenish black witch hat purchased for $10 at Wal-Mart on a whim three years ago. I also added my "Of course I'm in a bad mood, someone dropped a house on my sister" t-shirt. You know, the one I wear every single week, the day after laundry day. And the witch hat necklace John bought me the first time I saw Wicked. Anyways, people commented on the mileage that hat was getting. This year Madison is taking my costume into her own hands. She has made me devil horns, tail and pitch fork out of red construction paper, paper towel tubes, and lots of tape.

I've always agonized over the costume thing. Once my mom made me a cute bunny costume. That was a favorite. And who can forget The Virus costume?

But then I got a little older and the responsibility to come up with a costume fell on my shoulders, and let's just say that it went downhill from there.

In the 5th grade I just raided my grandma's closet. I think I was going for "Rock Star" but I told people I was a gypsy.

6th grade wasn't much better. I found a multi-colored metallic wig and went as a punk rocker. Or something to that effect.

Do you ever look at a picture of yourself and get a little sick feeling in your gut? Like you remember thinking you were hot stuff at the time, (hence the fish nets) but now, not so much. I broke down and purchased three costumes for my three youngest. I procrastinated and this one website was having a sale, so they had to pick from what was available, and only Christopher got his first choice, but I still got them taken care of for less than $75. Which still feels ridiculous to me.

For Nick I ended up taking the Thrift store route. I had one of those rare moments of genius, the problem is just making it work. I picked up an outfit for him, but at Saver's it's not like beggars can be choosers, so I am hoping the Men's medium shirt I bought won't look ridiculous on him. Including gas, I still think I ended up paying as much as I did on each of the other kids.

Long story short, $100 dollars later, my kids are ready for Halloween. And apparently, thanks to Madison, I am too. And it only cost the price of a whole roll of tape. (You'll have to tune in later for the big reveal. Knowing me, I'll get around to it mid-January)

*My other big gripe about this time of year is the uncharacteristically bad allergies. Ugh. I spend most of my day wishing I could claw my eyes out. The weather is (Finally!!) gorgeous, and I can't enjoy it. It was in the 60's today. The 60's!!! That's practically jacket weather. It's definitely a take-Christopher-to-the-park day and hope some other mothers are doing the same. Instead I am hiding out in my house. Because my only alternative is Benadryl and that stuff kicks my tail like nothing else. If I pop one of those little pink pills I should just plan on nixing any plans for the rest of the day and hope Christopher stays safe while I am unconscious.