Halloween Happenings

     This year it feels like every holiday is a much appreciated treasure!  Jackie and I spent many days preparing her costume.  She had her heart set on being Astrid from How to train your Dragon.

After doing a lot of online research, we came up with our plan.  First stop was our local thrift store, where we got a leather skirt in Jackie's size for $2.00!  I suggested using plastic skulls for the belt, but Jackie wanted it more realistic.  On Astrid's belt there are bird skulls, not human ones.  We decided to sculpt and paint them ourselves.

Our next dilemma was getting the studs on her skirt.  After much deliberation, we came up with shaping aluminum foil and gluing it on the strips.

Astrid has armor on her shoulders and Jackie thought of using cardboard with duct tape covering it to get the desired effect.

Jackie wanted glovelets that looked kind of dirty, so we came decided to use an old pair of socks.  I cut them straight across at the toe and sewed them so that they fit her arm like a glove.  I used part of the sock ankle to make finger straps.  Jackie came up with using crayons to scuff them up.

We slipped into Papa's closet and used some of his shoestrings for the arm ties and cut the sleeve off of an old shirt for her headband.  I think the finished product was worth the effort!  

Priscilla's biggest decision was deciding which Disney princess she would be.  She looked absolutely adorable as Ariel.

Here are Grandma's girls.

It was not quite as easy getting Jake into the picture.

Our best shot was having one with Mommy.  I LOVE this picture!

  We followed tradition, and went to Joe and Leah's house for trick or treat with the cousins.  It was a wonderful night as always.  Here is the whole gang before setting out on the night.