Remember how I spent nearly a week carefully crafting an intricate, homemade costume for Kendall last Halloween?
Well, I was having none of that shit this year.
We settled on a How To Train Your Dragon theme for the whole family after the 2nd movie came out. Miraculously, the only thing that ever changed from the original, family agreement was that Leyna wanted to be Toothless (a dragon) instead of Astrid (a girl viking).
Toothless, according to Leyna, is her “favorite princess.”
So the new and final plan was…
Kendall as Hiccup, Leyna as Toothless, Scott as Stoic, Lowell as a sheep (real fans will totally understand how this fits), and me as… well, some kind of viking type.
Don’t go thinking I stabbed myself with a seam ripper trying to make that dragon costume. I ordered it from Etsy, and that’s the only reason why it wasn’t made in China.
I know I could have probably made Lowell’s sheep fairly easily, but why? This one was way cuter than anything I could have made with hot glue and cotton balls.
Now, I did think I could throw together a pretty nice looking Hiccup on my own. But when I showed Kendall my ideas for his costume, he started to ask me where all the details were that I missed. Like the artificial leg. So, THANK YOU, CHINA. And Amazon Prime.
He was equally excited about this 100% purchased costume this year as he was about the 100% homemade one last year. I can’t quite figure out if that means I’m winning or losing at the Halloween portion of the Parenthood Games.
Either way, I’m pretty sure it means kids are easier to please than we think.
While I’d like to say Halloween prep was 100% laid back and store bought for me, I did break my back a little over this pretty epic beard for Scott. Unlike the children, he was pretty dead-set on having this custom creation. I think he’s still jealous of Lowell’s great beard-o-yarn from last year (click through only if you are prepared to actually die from the cute).
I can’t take one ounce of credit for the creativity behind it, though. I found a great beard tutorial on Instructables. The rest of the details of our “business casual” viking costumes came together with a faux fur throw from Target, a yard of faux fur from the craft store, and some leather scraps & strips. And a viking hat and hammer made in China. Obviously.
My little sister made it in for her first Halloween in suburbia, which I think is as scary as it gets for a young, city-dweller with no kids.
She also helped me and Lowell with front porch candy duty. Where she captured this. My finest motherhood moment. (But please don’t freak out on me as People Of The Internet tend to do because, you guys, I don’t even think it was touching actual beer.)
Scott also learned that kids are easier to please than you think when nearly every trick or treater was OBSESSED with one pumpkin and one pumpkin only.
Wow!
Whoa!!
Minecraft! So cool!
Is. That. A. CREEPER??? OMG!!!
For those of you not trapped in the grasp of Minecraft (yet), it’s the one on the right. Yeah, the one that is LITERALLY just squares. Just straight lines.
So that was Halloween for us. I’m thrilled we pulled off the family costume theme thing. And now we have a viking beard for all the random times in life when we might need one.
And there WILL be times when we will need it again. I will be sure of it.
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13 comments
I am totally embracing a laid back attitude about the Holidays this year. I am over being stressed out about creating the perfect everything. It’s just stupid.
You guys look super cute and I’ve heard beer and candy is good for teething.
xo Jen
This was our Halloween and a link to a little info about how I am throwing holiday stress to the curb.
http://oururbanplayground.com/2014/11/halloween/
It’s totally stupid. Though I can’t yet say if I’ll be this laid back for Christmas. I’m trying to embrace the “give no fucks” attitude, but that’s SUPER hard in December.
You all look fantastic! I stressed out way too much over my kids costumes this year. Next year they will definitely be getting store bought ones! Any chance you have a link where they can be purchased?
I’ll do my best to update it with links! Any costume in particular you’re interested in?
Man I wish I had seen this before Halloween! My twin boys were both Hiccup despite my attempts to get one to be Toothless… and they wanted me to be Astrid but I just couldn’t pull it together!
I love Sam Adams Cherry Wheat! and dipping a lollipop in it? Win!
Such a great pairing, I know!
oh I figured it was the one pumpkin in the middle. lol. I just had a go round with someone on a facebook page (with them getting more incensed) that I just really didnt know about minecraft and I wasn’t the only one, and that really was OKAY. They were truly offended that ‘no one knew’ what it was at halloween. Umm.. okay then! The way to get your like across is probably not with a person who says they are not interested…. but they were determined!
i have watched that video like six times. the cuteness. i die.
Jill, you guys are fantastic. We went as power rangers this year. Half hand made and half store bought. It was a pretty sweet get up. Beer and lollipop? Win win. 😉 and that Skylander pumpkin? Whoa!!
Thanks, Lynet!
I never buy stuff from a craft store I’m not crafty hahaha but I think we’re looking at a How to Train your Dragon halloween this year as well, the faux fur at the craft store, how much (how many) did you buy? I found some at Michaels but it didn’t say online how much was in each pack and I don’t want to make several trips!
I can’t remember, but I’d say try to go to a Hobby Lobby or Joanns. They usually have a 40% or 50% off coupon online.