I love this month.
I feel like it’s the official beginning of autumn.
I love the pumpkins, the candy, the leaves, the cool air, the candles,
and above all the watching of old “scary” movies with my husband and of course, Halloween itself.
I love Halloween.
But…for us, around here Halloween is the season of explanations.
(And this year is going to be no different.)
It all started 5 years ago.
It was the first Halloween that Simon was old enough to choose what he wanted to be for Halloween.
And he wanted to be spaghetti and meat balls.
So that’s what he was.
However as he trick or treated not everyone understood his 3 year old vision…
and thus began the explanations…
which have continued throughout the years…
…as my kids have chosen to be things like:
a firecracker
a homemade robot (that Simon “built” himself out of a giant box spray painted silver and covered in things like dryer vent tubing, kitchen utensils, and push on lights from the dollar store)
and then there’s my personal favorite…
….the shrieking eel!!!
As you can see the eel has an explanation pinned to the front of her costume.
Over the years we got tired of explaining at each house what our kids costumes were.
So now we’ve taken to just pinning the explanation onto their costumes.
Sure…it would be easier to just make them be something normal or at least recognizable but there is this part of me (actually it’s kind of a big part of me) that savors my kids choosing wacky costumes.
I enjoy their creativity and their confidence and so we’ll continue with the explanations…at least for one more year.
Simon has announced that this year he will be the “Department of Duh!”.
(Don’t worry if you don’t know what that is…we didn’t either…he made it up…He said it’s like when you say Duh! and he’s going to be the department of it.)
Yeeaaaaa….that’s going to take some explaining.
And as for Grace, after she tried out Simon’s old Spaghetti and Meatballs costume the other day she’s thinking about the prospect of being a hot dog.
But who knows what she’ll end up choosing!
(With this girl—you never can tell.)
****
In related news…
Today we are over here:
awesome. just awesome. I love this! spaghetti and meatballs, seriously – how great is that?! and the department of duh – HA! Creativity certainly runs in the family!
Hahaha, that’s awesome! My son always picks random and obscure video game characters. This year it’s one of the Skylanders Giants, but NOT any of the ones they sell in the store, so we’re going to make him a costume and I just know NOBODY is going to know who he is. I like the idea of the label – maybe I’ll get one of those “Hello, My Name Is” stickers and put it on his chest! My daughter wants to be a zombie cheerleader; that one should be easier to recognize, ha!
One year when my oldest was 4 he wanted to be Old Faithful Geyser (we had gone to Yellowstone that summer), even though I had it written clearly on the little sign just like they do at the park, people still asked what he was. I loved the shrieking eel! Very creative little minds you have going there!
Oh my gosh! I love that you let them go with their creativity–I am all about that!!! Thank you for the morning laughs! And PS I was a fried egg in 6th (?) grade. I thought it was preeeettty cool. (I think it was in a Judy Bloom book??)
I love the costumes your kids come up with and that you make. 🙂
So funny! The department of duh….I can’t wait to see how that looks! I’m so busy this year, I’m buying costumes. I feel kind of sad about that, but it’s the only way to make it work. Except Olivia wants to be Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) and I just couldn’t buy a blue gingham dress – I’m thinking I can make one in about 15 minutes. I adore that spaghetti and meatballs, though, I wonder if my Grace would go for it…. love the sign idea, too. I kinda want to go trick or treating with you guys. 🙂
I love their costume ideas! The Shrieking Eel is definitely my fav. Because, seriously, who wouldn’t be scared of that? Great choice.
I remember one year my mom saw this costume idea and she made it for me (I think I was 12??). I was Dr. Frankenstein getting a piggy back ride from Frankenstein. Most confusing costume ever.
Awesome, I love the spaghetti and meatballs costume. I wish my daughter would let me do more creative costumes for her. But she is the typical 4 year old and wants to be a princess or maybe Doc McStuffin.
My 7 year old is going as Bacon. It will take a special guy (in the future) to marry a girl whose first true love is bacon. She even asks Santa for it (before toys!)… This started when she was 3, and he always delivers 2 boxes of redi-crisp bacon. Ah, amour!
Ahh! The explanations! Last year my son asked to be Curious George Dressed Up Like a Monster. Needless to say, the adorable little three year old kept saying, I’m Curious George Dressed Up LIke a Monster. Over and Over and Over! But this year he wants to be a pirate and wear a store bought pirate costume that he got for Christmas from someone else. I’m so bummed that I don’t get to make him on this year… I might just make myself one to go along for the ride!
I think that spaghetti and meatball costume is pretty great. As Tim would say, “You made it work.”
LOL! I cannot wait to see the D.O.D. costume!!
I thought of your post tonight as we watched America’s Funniest Home Videos! They have a segment called “The Department of Duh!” for some silly videos! 🙂