Halloween 2010

Have you seen the movie "How to Train Your Dragon"?

Well, my boys LOVE this movie!

I'm not talking about just a little... I mean ALOT!  Like their all time favorite!

Before we even went to see this movie in the theaters, I took Ian to Barnes & Nobles to pick out a new book for our long car trips to Effingham from Indy for Sean's interviews, and he chose a "How to Train Your Dragon" book.  This book has become so "well loved" by both Ian and Noah that it is now held together by packaging tape!

When we saw the movie in the theaters, it was an instant hit!  There were many squeals of delight and laughs from the boys while we watched it.  I think the people around us got as much entertainment listening to our boys as they did watching the movie themselves!

It was a great time!  Needless to say everything has been dragons since then!  So of course when Halloween came around, and I didn't have to ask the boy's twice if that was what they wanted to dress up as!

I had my work cut out for me though!!!

Since the movie is so new, there weren't that many great looking costumes out for this movie yet.  So, I decided to be brave and make the costumes myself!  WHAT WAS I THINKING!?!

First of all, I have barely ever touched a sewing machine!  Sean bought me a sewing machine probably 3 years ago for Christmas...it was taken out of the box once, I attempted threading it, gave up and it has remained in it's box since collecting dust! (This is a rather embarrassing confession on my part.  First that a present my husband got me that I specifically requested was not being used as I vowed it would, and second, that I could barely figure out how to thread and set up a sewing machine!)

So, here I was a mom wanting to make her kids cute, homemade Halloween costumes, and had to not only figure out how to get that blasted machine to work, but how to make all the different pieces of the costumes!  It was a big job!  I had SEVERAL nights (OK, practically the whole month of October) of staying up late, teaching myself to sew.  There were several times that I had to unpick things.  I learned how to put a sleeve onto a shirt, and  how to put a zipper on a skirt. However neither had a polished look like I would have liked, but it kind of worked since we were a bunch of Vikings!  In the end it was a fun project though and I'm glad I took the time to finally learn a new skill.  Who knows, maybe I'll start making things more often?!

Luckily, we had a week long of Halloween Festivities and all my hard work wasn't for just a one night use!  We had the opportunity to be in the Effingham Halloween Parade put on for the community.  Sean's work had a float, and so we all dressed up!  It was fun seeing Sean walking in the parade being able to hand out toothbrushes, plastic drinking cups, trinkets and treats to the people and kids we were passing.  The boys were able to sit on the float and help throw candy to the crowds.  It would have been WAY to much walking for their little legs!  Noah absolutely loved riding on the float!  I was scared he wouldn't sit still while on it.  But the theme for the parade was "Toy Story", and in the group walking behind us there was Buzz, Woody, Jesse, and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head!  He got to look at them the whole parade!  It was a blast!

The boys were also able to wear their costumes one day when we had our preschool Halloween party!  Then there was our ward Trunk-or-Treat, so fun!  And finally the little town of Altamont that we live in held their Trick-or-Treating on Saturday instead of Sunday so everyone could observe the Sabbath!  It was perfect!

We didn't get pictures of every event, but here are the ones we did get!

Here is Sean from the back, at the Halloween Trunk-or-Treat party for our Branch.  I love that Sean is a good sport and will dress up in crazy costumes!  It was funny, many people said they barely recognized him!!!  Crazy story about Sean...during the parade when he was passing things out to the crowds, one man called out, "Look, it's Jesus!"  Crazy guy! I don't think a Viking a Christ look that similar!  Maybe the beard???

 

 Here is Ian in the costume parade for the kids in the Branch!

Instead of Noah participating in the parade he decided he wanted to play the piano!  This is one of his favorite things to do when we go to church!

On Saturday night before Trick-or-Treating!
Noah was dressed up as Tuffnut, and Ian was Hiccup!

Noah smiling, and a big "CHEESE" from Ian!

Isn't my little Noah so cute! I love the faces he makes!

Ian winking at me!  He seems to growing up SO fast!  I can't believe he's going to be 5 next month!  Then next fall he's off to the school!  Can't I slow down time?  This next year I'm going to have to try to get in all the Mommy/Ian time I can!!!

My Man and Little Men all dressed up!

I love these guys!  They are my life!

I love the boy's faces in this picture!  Noah has such a cute little grin, and I love how Ian leaned in against me!  They just make me melt!

I am one happy and blessed Mommy!

Yeah! One of all of us!
Hope you all had a Happy and fun Halloween!