Halloween

san-clemente-family-photographer-0046 san-clemente-family-photographer-9433 san-clemente-family-photographer-9436 san-clemente-family-photographer-9440 san-clemente-family-photographer-9443 san-clemente-family-photographer-9446 san-clemente-family-photographer-9438 san-clemente-family-photographer-9497 san-clemente-family-photographer-9455 san-clemente-family-photographer-9477 san-clemente-family-photographer-9484 san-clemente-family-photographer-9508 san-clemente-family-photographer-9510 san-clemente-family-photographer-9499 san-clemente-family-photographer-9515 san-clemente-family-photographer-9513 I feel like I must be a broken record because every Halloween I find myself longing for a slice of what Halloween used to be: the costume parade at school and one night of the much anticipated candy fueled excitement for neighborhood trick-or-treating. Last year, we were living in a very accessible townhome and got less than a handful of trick-or-treaters. We booked it down to the main go-to street in San Clemente only to be met with hoards of people, the street lined with Andy Gumps, and the impersonal handing out of candy resulting not from ill-intended homeowners but instead from over-whelmed individuals who simply had no choice but to put candy in bags as fast as they could in an effort to combat the long lines and help move things along. We ultimately headed back to our own neighborhood where eager neighbors were outside their doors begging for trick-or-treaters to come and despite us being the lone ducks, it was nice to actually talk to people and have eyes to meet when saying ‘trick or treat’.

This year, Hooper did not have school on Halloween. Or the day after. The school has conveniently used the week for fall conferences. And I get it; they don’t want to deal with the few who may not celebrate the day or the few that may be put off by costumes deemed ‘inappropriate’ or ‘scary’ or – let’s face it – the sugar loaded savages that are our children. I get it. In it’s place they held a school sanctioned trunk-or-treat, turning what used to be one night of candy into two. And it was fun, don’t get me wrong (minus my inability to wrangle the 5 children I had with me and being called more than once up to the center to retrieve a lost child). Guess I just miss the simplicity of having one costume, one night, one round of candy.

Maybe I’m Scrooge. I mean, the boys had a blast at all the festivities and I suppose that’s all it’s about. Yes, I’m Scrooge. I must be. I guess in the end it doesn’t matter — more candy for me to steal.

Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween, free of clowns and drenched in peanut butter cups. Unless your kid has an allergy. In that case, drenched in twix.

Trick-or-Treat

San Clemente family Photographer-74 San Clemente family Photographer-80I feel like a broken record when I admit that Halloween got the best of me because it seems to have the ability to sneak right up on me every year. I start thinking about it early enough to assure myself I have plenty of time and before-I-know-it I’ve done nothing. This year, perhaps, being the worst yet. As in we never even made it to the pumpkin patch. The un-carved pumpkins outside our door are from Vons, for goodness sake.

Though in my defense, both boys decided early on that they wanted to be cowboys and, well, for Hooper it’s the third year in a row he’s opted to be a cowboy (last year, the year before). The third year in a row, mind you, of wearing the same exact cowboy boots that my mother-in-law thankfully must have bought a few sizes up some years ago. And Van, well, he ultimately wanted to be whatever Hooper wanted to be.

The week before Halloween I found myself sifting through their closet to see how I could pull two cowboy costumes out of one. Hooper got the chaps, Van got the vest. Van got the hat, Hooper got the bolo tie and the straw sheriffs hat that my mom happened to have. My sweet friend Shella, from Sweet Threads, came through by sending me the vintage plaid button up Van’s wearing. One pair of cowboy boots resulted in quite a few tantrums until we took a trip over to payless shoes and invested in a second pair. And that was that.

We opted to go trick-or-treating a mile or so from our home down a street that’s notorious for their Halloween festivities; quite the change from last year when we still considered ourselves new-to-the-area and settled for being the lone rangers collecting handfuls of candy from neighbors who were eagerly awaiting trick-or-treaters but got very few. And still I think we came home with more candy last year, from fewer homes, simply based on the fact that the street we went to this year was so jammed backed with lines-out-the-doors trick-or-treaters that the actual handouts were quite small in comparison to the generous handfuls that characterized last Halloween. And yet, the boys know no difference, had no complaints. Less candy for Willy and I to steal, I suppose.

I’m not sure the infamous cowboy costume will survive yet another year, with pieces falling off due not to poor quality but instead to rowdy boys who have insisted on wearing their costumes for several days in a row. Time will tell. But next year I’m determined to carve those damn pumpkins.

Halloween

I’ve been a mom now for nearly four years and have yet to be on the ball of Halloween (and other things, like birthday parties but let’s just take things one step at a time, k?). It seems to sneak up on me every year. I have major delusions of all of us dressing up or of turning the entryway into a mini haunted house for the neighborhood kids, which, in hindsight would have been a bad idea anyway given the fact we only got two sets of trick-or-treaters. What happened to neighborhood trick-or-treating anyway? Guess it depends where you live. If it was hoppin’ where you are, invite us next year, ok? 
Hooper requested to be a cowboy, which was the same thing he was last year. Last year, however, he didn’t care and dressing him as a cowboy was our choice. This year it was his, so ya know, it didn’t really feel like a repeat. Plus his cowboy costume was something my in-laws splurged on and given the cost, I was happy to use it again. If it still fits, Van will be a cowboy next year. Ha.  
I put Van in a Fred Flinestone costume I had made for Hoop a few years back. He got it so dirty at lunch that I opted to turn him into a firemen for neighborhood trick-or-treating. It was cute and simple and he was pretty stoked about it. 
What did you guys do for Halloween? What’d your kids dress up as?

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Bits + Pieces

I told y’all I had some catching up to do… eating breakfast // eating shoelaces // public restrooms are scary // van & carla, a match made in heaven // new coffee table gift from janet // found a new spot to catch a great glimpse of the valley // tantrums // sarah // the outdoor bike that always makes it’s way inside // cozy coup // lining up cars // putting gas in the cozy coup // brothers.
And a few from Halloween…
Van was supposed to be a clown, but things have been crazier than ever and time ran out on us. Luckily I saw this post and I ran with it…

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The Pumpkin Patch

I’m tellin’ y’all, if I could have taken the kids to a Christmas tree lot before my surgery, I would have. As luck would have it, our favorite pumpkin patch opened its doors a few weeks before my surgery. We took the kids on a weekday and practically had the place to ourselves. We rode the ponies, pet the goats and sheep, ran down aisle after aisle of big round pumpkins, and came home with some fresh picked strawberries.
Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween.

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Here Lies Good Times.

my sister and I. that’s me on the left.
Having kids does funny things to you. They seem to bridge the gap over remember when that was so fun and who the hell cares. When I was a kid, I lived for Halloween. I even remember bringing an extra pillow case one year and getting double the candy by saying I was collecting candy for my sister who was sick at home. Then there were the years I spent arguing that dressing up was overrated and I let the festivities fall to the wayside. Now that I’m a mom, I’ve come full circle. Candy corn rocks my world and I bought pumpkins for the first time in years. I even made a special Halloween cake. Who am I? And somehow it’s all even more fun than it was when I was a child to watch my own kids celebrate the holiday. Is it even a holiday? (Rhetorical question)

We went trick or treating to a few homes in neighborhood, which Hoop thoroughly enjoyed. Then we came home and Hoop organized his loot into neat piles and then rearranged his piles over and over again. He ate a lollipop and was probably one of the happiest kids on earth. We handed out candy, ate a nice dinner, and then I enjoyed my cake. Can’t wait til’ next year, when both of my members will be knockin’ on neighbor’s doors. Hope everyone had a fun night! Feel free to share your links, would love to see your little ones all dolled up!

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Boo

Somehow in the chaos that has been the last week or so, I managed to make Hooper’s Halloween costume in time for his little party at the gym. I use the term “make”, but rest assured there was no spinning wheel involved. Shit, there wasn’t even any thread involved. That little Fred Flinestone getup was constructed out of pure felt and glue goodness. Possibly the most easy and inexpensive thing I can brag about making. I spent around 7 bucks on material and when all was said and done, about 45 minutes cutting, gluing, and measuring.
Van was a sheriff. I scored his little vintage getup at the Topanga Vintage Market a few months ago for 5 bucks with tags attached. Tonight, he’ll be a dinosaur because I honestly don’t think he can fit into the sheriff costume again. That’s one big growing boy, thanks to that dreadful three month growth spurt I keep bitching about.
Anyway, we’ll probably do a little trick or treatin’ tonight and then hunker down and hope some trick or treaters come to our door. I think Hooper will really enjoy handing out candy. And eating the candy. Because that’s a must. Have I mentioned I’m addicted to candy corn. Because I am.
What are you doing?
Side note: My first day back to work was long, but relatively seamless. I wish all days as a nurse could go so smoothly. Thanks to everyone who offered words of encouragement and support, it means a lot. Thank you also to those who continue voting on TBB, we’ve jumped up quite a few spots over the last few days, so that’s always cool to see. Much love.

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