Well, we were smart this year and didn't carve our pumpkins until 2 days before Halloween. This is our 3rd Halloween here. The first Halloween we carved them about a week ahead of time. It was so warm that our pumpkins were rotted out long before Halloween ever came. Last Halloween you may remember the "Star Wars" themed painted pumpkins. I wanted to do that again this year. I said (in my most excited-sounding voice), "Oh boy! Let's paint our pumpkins tonight!" But I was immediately vetoed. Tyler insisted that we carve them. I tried to talk them out of it, to no avail. We compromised. We all helped gut them, then the boys got to draw a face and daddy cut them out. They turned out really cute and the boys had a blast.
This is what Maggie did while we were carving them...
She explored the yard and had a great time as well. Here is the finished product. I don't know why I didn't think to put them together for the picture, but oh well. As you can see, it was difficult enough just getting the picture the way it was. I am still in total shock that our family pictures came out as good as they did. I can never seem to get all the kids looking semi-normal at the same time.
Now it was time to decide on costumes. Tyler had picked out a ninja costume at the store, but Jacob was SOOO lucky (or so we convinced him) that he got to choose from a whole box of our (cough-used-cough) costumes! In fact, we were so good at convincing him about how lucky he was that Tyler decided he wanted to be his storm-trooper costume from last year. No way was I about to let him since he HAD to have the ninja costume (think, "I will only be happy if I have a ninja costume for Halloween!"). So it took some cajoling, reverse psychology, bribing, positive reinforcement...but in the end all that worked was some good ole' home cooked threats. I know, I am a model mother. We even went through a couple threats as well--our first one, that he could wear what he wanted but then had to pay me back for the costume, took some quick backpedaling after he handed over his piggy bank. It ended up coming to "Wear the ninja or nothing at all." After I said I realized it is a threat I couldn't follow through on (big parenting no-no) but breathed a sigh of relief when he chose ninja over nudity. I could tell he had to think about it though.... Anyway, back to "lucky" Jacob--he first decided on Buzz Lightyear... Here he is saying, "To infinity and beyond!" or, in his words, "To bindy an meyonnnn!"
But he changed his mind (TBA....) Here is Tyler after the "discussion" of what costume to wear. He got very into character.
And inspired his brother to do the same. Jacob ended up with Batman because he could have a cape and a face mask (even if it was black eyeliner). He loved the eye mask so much, in fact, that taking it off was another episode, this time with child #2, of cajoling, encouraging, blah blah blah. We didn't have to get all the way to threats though--he was satisfied with knowing he can wear it again next year...probably because he was no concept of how long a year is.
Skip ahead a little. A teacher from Tyler's school called me and said there is a group of teachers who wanted to get their toes done. They all live off-post so asked if I could come to the teacher's lounge after school. I did and it was so fun! Adult conversation, no kids (thanks to a friend)...I loved it. They loved it too. So much, in fact, that they have me scheduled to come in every other Tuesday until the end of the year! These two were a couple that I liked.
Back to Halloween. We decided to trick-or-treat with some friends. The group got a little big--my three, my friend's 4 and my other friend's 3. We had quite the gaggle to keep up with! This picture was dark so I enhanced it, that's why it looks so bad.
After we got home, Maggie had the most fun dumping out the bowl of candy over and over again. I guess I could have put it up where she couldn't reach it, but it was too much fun to see her knock it down and giggle about it. Her costume did have a big head bow but she kept grabbing it off. Oh well.
Now we are fighting candy bellyaches and the boys wanting to go trick-or-treating again...as in, again tonight. Can't wait 'til next year!
Well, we were smart this year and didn't carve our pumpkins until 2 days before Halloween. This is our 3rd Halloween here. The first Halloween we carved them about a week ahead of time. It was so warm that our pumpkins were rotted out long before Halloween ever came. Last Halloween you may remember the "Star Wars" themed painted pumpkins. I wanted to do that again this year. I said (in my most excited-sounding voice), "Oh boy! Let's paint our pumpkins tonight!" But I was immediately vetoed. Tyler insisted that we carve them. I tried to talk them out of it, to no avail. We compromised. We all helped gut them, then the boys got to draw a face and daddy cut them out. They turned out really cute and the boys had a blast.
This is what Maggie did while we were carving them...
She explored the yard and had a great time as well. Here is the finished product. I don't know why I didn't think to put them together for the picture, but oh well. As you can see, it was difficult enough just getting the picture the way it was. I am still in total shock that our family pictures came out as good as they did. I can never seem to get all the kids looking semi-normal at the same time.
Now it was time to decide on costumes. Tyler had picked out a ninja costume at the store, but Jacob was SOOO lucky (or so we convinced him) that he got to choose from a whole box of our (cough-used-cough) costumes! In fact, we were so good at convincing him about how lucky he was that Tyler decided he wanted to be his storm-trooper costume from last year. No way was I about to let him since he HAD to have the ninja costume (think, "I will only be happy if I have a ninja costume for Halloween!"). So it took some cajoling, reverse psychology, bribing, positive reinforcement...but in the end all that worked was some good ole' home cooked threats. I know, I am a model mother. We even went through a couple threats as well--our first one, that he could wear what he wanted but then had to pay me back for the costume, took some quick backpedaling after he handed over his piggy bank. It ended up coming to "Wear the ninja or nothing at all." After I said I realized it is a threat I couldn't follow through on (big parenting no-no) but breathed a sigh of relief when he chose ninja over nudity. I could tell he had to think about it though.... Anyway, back to "lucky" Jacob--he first decided on Buzz Lightyear... Here he is saying, "To infinity and beyond!" or, in his words, "To bindy an meyonnnn!"
But he changed his mind (TBA....) Here is Tyler after the "discussion" of what costume to wear. He got very into character.
And inspired his brother to do the same. Jacob ended up with Batman because he could have a cape and a face mask (even if it was black eyeliner). He loved the eye mask so much, in fact, that taking it off was another episode, this time with child #2, of cajoling, encouraging, blah blah blah. We didn't have to get all the way to threats though--he was satisfied with knowing he can wear it again next year...probably because he was no concept of how long a year is.
Skip ahead a little. A teacher from Tyler's school called me and said there is a group of teachers who wanted to get their toes done. They all live off-post so asked if I could come to the teacher's lounge after school. I did and it was so fun! Adult conversation, no kids (thanks to a friend)...I loved it. They loved it too. So much, in fact, that they have me scheduled to come in every other Tuesday until the end of the year! These two were a couple that I liked.
Back to Halloween. We decided to trick-or-treat with some friends. The group got a little big--my three, my friend's 4 and my other friend's 3. We had quite the gaggle to keep up with! This picture was dark so I enhanced it, that's why it looks so bad.
After we got home, Maggie had the most fun dumping out the bowl of candy over and over again. I guess I could have put it up where she couldn't reach it, but it was too much fun to see her knock it down and giggle about it. Her costume did have a big head bow but she kept grabbing it off. Oh well.
Now we are fighting candy bellyaches and the boys wanting to go trick-or-treating again...as in, again tonight. Can't wait 'til next year!
4 comments:
What a fun Halloween. The kids look like they had a great time. And I'm not surprised at the teacher toe parties for the rest of the year. I wish you could come and do mine, especially since I can hardly reach them!
All the costumes looked fantastic! Being a parent sure does require lots of psychology, trying to get kids to make the right choice without threatening physical violence! Wonderful news about the new toenail painting clients....I'm sure it's more fun for you than it is profitable. I still can't get over that my daughter is so artistically talented!!!
Sounds like you are becoming famous with the toes! Sounds like well deserved girl time! Glad you had a fun Halloween.
Great pumpkins, great costumes, and great toes! Looks like you had a fun Halloween, and wow, you have started up your own buisness, if only I were as talented!
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