At some point on Halloween afternoon, I decided to write off Halloween as a bit of a wash, so to speak.
It was somewhere between the pouring rain, the fact that all four of us were at different stages of a cold, and that Des would not wear his costume without screaming. If he even saw me coming near him with bunny ears in my hands, he scampered off.
Like a cranky bunny, in fact:
There were childhood voices in my head. They were telling me that it shouldn’t rain on Halloween, and that no one should ever get sick on Halloween, even though I remember some very rainy and some very snowy Halloweens. I remember in first grade that I had a high fever, and my loving grandfather took me trick-or-treating on our street. I visited three houses before the fever and exhaustion took hold and I gave up that year. That’s just the way it is sometimes. Fevers and rain don’t read calendars very well.
And I’m a bit of a superhero when it comes to getting sick. I definitely got the least of this cold, luckily.
Imagine Desmond’s bewilderment when he woke up from his nap and two princesses picked him up and dressed him like a bunny.
Then there was Scarlet as Sofia the First. Her costume had a little fake brooch on front that had a photo of Sofia on it. Scarlet asked us to cut it off because, as she said, “People don’t wear pictures of themselves on their clothes.”
She’s right, you know!
Cookies make bunnies stop crying.
Princesses do too.
Then we went out in the cold rain with our half on/half off costumes. I forgot the candy buckets, especially the princess carriage candy bucket that had stickers peeling off of it but I still paid $7.00 for it at the Halloween store. We got to our first destination – a birthday party. The birthday girl, Katie, saw us outside and was screaming out the front door, “Scarlet!!!” Scarlet heard and was frantically yelling, “Katie!!!” but she was still belted into her car seat. And Des got into the act and yelled, “Katie!!”
Then we took our wet, candy bucket-less, bedraggled selves into that party and had a blast. After that we trick-or-treated.
Some highlights:
– I saw a boy in a wonderful, homemade costume coming towards me. He had a gray fish head, gills and fins. I said, “What a great shark!” He looked at me in utter disgust and said, “I’m a bluefin tuna!”
(Oops.)
– One of the first houses we went to gave Scarlet a Princess Leia Pez dispenser and a whole pack of rainbow Pez. Who were you, mystery awesome lady? Do you work for Pez? Are you independently wealthy? Are you independently (or dependently) awesome? Is it all of the above?
– I told you about the place projecting Wizard of Oz on the front of their house! Then we walked to the porch and there were two men and two women dressed head to toe as Dorothy. They gave great candy too.
– I also told you about the woman giving candy out of the top of her house with very long, fake arms attached to candy buckets that she’d drop down and pick back up.
It was the inventiveness and the spirit. It gets me every time. Right in the heart. Turned the cold, rainy, bunny-ears and candy-bucket-less day into one of the best Halloweens on record. And you can quote me on that.
That’s just the way it is sometimes. Awesome, despite our best beliefs that it couldn’t possibly be so. Life surprises you like that.
I’m in a bit of a sentimental mood tonight. I just had a weekend of beautiful faces and places. Des, Scarlet and I spent Sunday going in and out of parties. In one, Des felt comfortable enough to sleep soundly on my friend’s bed for nearly two hours. In the other, he had a shrieking tantrum on the floor of the doctor’s office. Yes, we were at the doctor’s office on a Sunday night. We know how to have fun! In seriousness, it was an open house retirement party for his doctor. It’s a practice full of great doctors, but I feel sad that his particular one is leaving.
Still, though. As we go in and out of so much – friends’ houses, parties, weekends in New Jersey, Halloween parades and birthdays – sometimes it’s all just so much. I wonder how much I can possibly feel in one day. In one weekend. In one life. Can I fit all of that feeling into this mind? I think I can. As the story goes, we’re lucky when we feel so much.
Des in a bunny costume = priceless! And I chuckled a bit when Scarlet was clever enough to figure out that people don't wear buttons of pictures of themselves. Smart girl!
Hope you're all feeling better by now!
Thanks! The adults seem ok, but the kids are both still coughing. Ugh. I can't stand it!!
My kids won't wear anything on their heads, never mind cute costume head gear. Des does make an awfully cute bunny!! (that picture of him with one little tear under his eye is killing me)
It's good to see the awesome in what could have been easily not an awesome time (weather, sickies, uncooperative toddlers). Get better soon, all of you.
Don’t worry – after the cookie and the photos, he didn’t wear the hat all night. Except in the cold rain. Later that night, he rather enjoyed it! Was kicking his bunny paws in happiness.
Yes, we are lucky! Love the cranky bunny. Poor Des! We thought it was going to rain on our Halloween too but it held off and was actually warm!! The boys had such a blast (and so did mom, dad and the grandparents) b/c what's more fun then the perfect Halloween night in a neighborhood that loves Halloween? On those nights, I'm so glad I can feel so much.
Sending you all healthy vibes to get over those colds!!
Thank you! It’s the worst. They just linger for weeks! Cassidy and I only had it in our noses for a few days. The kids have the coughs and it’s been a week. One more week and I’m calling the doctor!
Ha! I bet the bunny ears were pretty annoying, but they sure are cute! In fact, I love his costume. It looks really warm too – I guess fur does that. It sounds like you all (oh, who am I kidding, I'm southern and really just wanted to write "y'all," but didn't want to get called out for it) had a wonderful Halloween, despite the weather! I didn't dress up this year. I'm somewhere between the weird/slutty Halloween days and the kids days, so I don't know what that means for the next few years.
hahaha, I'm northern and I ALWAYS say "y'all" and "all y'all" so feel free anytime! No calling out here. I love what you said about being in between the weird/slutty days and the kids days. I totally get that!!! And it is an awkward time.
Cute little bunny & princess. Sounds like a cool Halloween & weekend 🙂
Thanks! It was really fabulous and I’m missing it this week.
Just wait til next year… get that kid a superhero, fire fighter, or construction worker costume and he will HAPPILY wear a hat, I bet! I love how you find the bright side of what could have been a bad day. It poured rain all day on Halloween here, too, but it let up just in time to go trick-or-treating… a little later and darker in the evening than I planned, but isn't that what Halloween is all about?
Ooh, you're right. Halloween can be later and darker..and spookier and rainier. And it's at that weird time of year where it can be 70 degrees or 30 degrees.
Des did finally wear his bunny hat later that night but it was way too dark and rainy for me to have my camera at the ready.
What a beautiful Sophia, and a perfect costume for Princess Scarlet. Des did not want to be the bunny, did he? Maybe he wanted to be the griffon or bird for Sophia? Either way, they were just so precious!
The bluebird or the gryffin! Now you're talking. It's just that he hops more than he crawls/walks, so I thought it would be perfect. Oh well. One-year-olds. So unpredictable.
Cracking up at the sad bunny…not that it is funny when kids cry…but when they do it in costume it makes me giggle! 😉 LOVE your Halloween costumes from the past…can't believe you didn't share your Debbie Gibson costume! ;)-Ashley
hahaha! I only didn’t share it because it wasn’t from Halloween. It was from a graduation party in June! Ah, that fateful day.
It is totally funny when kids cry in their costumes. I mean, he did get a cookie out of the deal.
When I saw that big package of Pez I was jealous! It was the first thing I noticed. That lady is the best! I want to work for Pez. Okay, I want Pez to give me a ton of Pez to hand out for Halloween.
In our neighbhorhood, kids get GIANT pillowcases full of candy. It's obscene. Then parents complain the kids have too much candy. The kids either eat way too much candy or the parents take it away, which I find so odd. Come on kids, let's go get a ton of candy so mommy can take it away! Weird. I wonder, should we all buy a big box of legos and give them out for Halloween? And then the kids would have a bunch of new legos to put together instead of a ton of candy? Would anyone but me find this an acceptable alternative? And then what about the kids too little for Legos?
I seriously wanted to cry. Scarlet LOVES Pez. Not only the dispensers, which are actually pretty cool, she actually loves that candy! Me? I just love chocolate. I don't know what that stuff is, but she LOVES it!! And she LOVES Princess Leia!
Ah, the Halloween love.
Your Halloween ideas are smash. For the little, little ones, there are those giant duplos. Many kids just teethe on them, but hey, they need to teethe on something, right?
The look that Scarlet is giving Des in the first shot is pretty much the look I give my kids when they start crying for something non life threatening. LOL. I adore the costumes. Can't blame Des for running away from the ears even though he is so darn cute in them!
haha, I know. That look is the best!! I contemplated blowing it up and making her expression the whole photo.
Awe poor Des in the bunny costume and look how beautiful Scarlet looked as Sophia the First, but totally made me laugh about the brooch with her picture on it. I will say Emma made me buy her the light up amulet and was too busy playing with that to notice that brooch on the front of her Sophia costume. But I am with you on the illness and just seriously hoping for no more next year (just one year of all of us well on Halloween would be nice).
Oh, that amulet!! It causes so much drama because she loses it constantly and it totally fell off when she was in the bounce house at the party. At least 20 times before she let me put it in my purse for the night!
I can't take these colds, Janine! I'm losing my cool here!
I have to side with Des on this one. I’d probably cry if you dressed me up like a bunny too. 🙂
Note to self: NEVER dress Jennifer up like a bunny. Aw, shucks!!
I always hated when my girls had the cough… that never stopped… for weeks.
Yes!! What is with that?? For weeks! My daughter had one that didn't go away so I took her to the doctor after three weeks and they gave her asthma medicine to take! It cleared it RIGHT up (within two days) but it had me on high alert that she had asthma. This was years ago and there hasn't been a bad cough since so I know we're in the clear but it wasn't good for my tender parent heart!
First, resubscribing did the trick so I am now getting updates again. Whew! Second, so much adorableness in one post! You are prettier than the real Snow White, my friend! Scarlet is one of the smartest little princesses I know and Des…OMG…I want to smooch that crabby bunny’s cheeks. We had a sickie here this Halloween and it rained so I totally get that feeling of “This isn’t how it is supposed to be” and it zapped my Halloween spirit and turned me into a Grinch. Love that line about lucky to be feeling so much. I think I am the same way. I feel EVERYTHING and sometimes all at once.
So glad you get my updates! Honestly, I just figured you were so busy with the school year and didn't have time to visit. Which was totally ok with me, but I'm glad you're back. I hope that you can smooch this crabby bunny's cheeks someday!
Ah! The cranky bunny breaks my heart! The bluefin tuna is hysterical. You know that kid spent the whole night clarifying his species and just getting grumpier and grumpier. I hope everybody is fever-free and the rain has gone away.
Thanks for linking with The Spin Cycle!!
haha, it comforts me to know I probably wasn’t the only one who didn’t get “bluefin tuna” quite right. I wonder if anyone nailed it? Probably someone out there.
Maybe tuna boy will pick a more mainstream species in 2014.
I have it on good authority that the real Sophia the First dressed as Princess Scarlett for Halloween.
I think all households that make more than $80,000 annually should be required to dispense Pez dispensers on Halloween.
You mean bluefin tuna isn't mainstream??
I like the Sofia/Scarlet theory. I'm mulling it over.
And I agree about the Pez thing, although nowadays, $80,000 doesn't do much to support a family in this high times, so I think it should be $80,000 with no kids and $100,000 if you have kids.
Geez, Tamara! You’ve simultaneously ruined Easter and Halloween for Des! 😛
My youngest doesn’t like costume headpieces either. He did tolerate the Batman one for a while this year, but it made his head sweaty so he ditched it halfway through.
hahahaha, I know! And I was totally going to recycle this costume for Easter. Maybe he'll be over his trauma by then.
He did better with it later that night but I didn't take any photos in the cold, dark rain. So now no one knows that it happened!
OK, so I have to admit that I literally laughed out loud at the first picture of Des crying in the bunny costume. I'm not sure what that says about me as a human being, but I thought it was hysterically funny.
On Halloween day, I was going to write about some Halloween memories I had from my childhood (including one where I was sick and couldn't go trick or treating) but lost track of time on Thursday, and ended up not getting a chance to do it. Now, I feel silly writing about it 4 days later, so maybe next year I'll remember to share!
As a human being, laughing at that photo shows that you have a good sense of humor. It’s hilarious!!
I’d love to hear your Halloween post. Never too late!
Wow- where do you trick or treat?! What a cool experience for the kids!! A princess PEZ and a bunch of PEZ…major score! And dressed up people? What fun!!
It was not our neighborhood but was more towards Northampton downtown. It was nuts! It reminded me of being in a Halloween movie, like Hocus Pocus or something.
Poor Des! If it makes you feel any better, my little one refused to wear her strawberry costume. I gave her a free pass since she was recovering from pneumonia, but we have absolutely no Halloween pictures of her this year. Sigh. Another #parentingfail! But she still managed to rack up a considerable amount of candy in her street clothes. Which I am now consuming while she’s at daycare!
Aw, pneumonia is tough!! #parentingfails are rampant around here. And I have done the no photos one and I'm a freakin' photographer!! Ah well.
Enjoy that candy. Save me some Milk Duds?
Oh my goodness, I love those pictures of Des even thought he's crying! My Lily wore a bunny costume when she was little, and I just loved it so much! I think I'm going to need to find those pictures for Friday's post.
Poor Des – but those two bottom teeth made the photo so priceless! I keep giggling about that one. Interesting thing about the spilled out candy, I scanned the contents for what I want – I spy two Almond Joys.
I can't stop thinking about Des and his crying because of the bunny costume! He is so cute and he doesn't even know it. It reminds me of when I tried to put this cute hat on JR that he just didn't like. How about you in those college photos! So adorable! 🙂
I am so glad that rabbits like cookies. I was really lucky that my guy loved wearing hats. He didn't always like the costumes, but he loved the hats.
Lucky!! Socks and hats. Des won't keep them on. Doesn't he know his head and feet are getting cold??
your last line summed it up for me: “We’re lucky when we feel so much.” You guys had a blast. Truly a blessing. Good for you all. And poor Des was so not into the bunny costume in that first picture. LOL
I know – I wonder if I scarred him for life from the Easter Bunny? I doubt it because all of these photos were taken within five minutes, but still!
LOVED the costumes, including yours.
Natalie has that Sofia dress and necklace. Although the necklace broke. :/ Boo.
And I see a peanut butter cup in that pile of candy. Yum.
Yes, and the peanut butter cup is STILL there, after four days. What gives?
poor des not wanting to dress up. just classic! your halloween stories make me want to do something really fun and creative one day when we have a home and can invite all the neighborhood kids over!
Yes, it’s the best! I think it was in our self-written wedding vows that Halloween would be our holiday.
Oh I can't wait!! Did I link up too early??
No, not at all! You can link up anytime during the week. I just wait until Friday. 🙂
You can have them! Scarlet will never eat them. I won't either.
Can you imagine if he knew how cute he is?? He'd use that power for bad, I'm sure.
Thanks!! Can you imagine attending parties dressed like Supergirl or Snow White? I can't imagine you looking less than fabulous in ANYTHING.
Your kids are adorable 🙂
Thanks! I like them and think they're adorable, but then I wonder if it's just because they're mine and I can't see objectively.
Scarlet is a bright girl. Why do they put pictures of princesses on the dresses? She's right – no one wears a picture of themselves. Duh. And cookies make me stop crying too.
It is a bit silly! And yet she wants a crown that "you can tell it's Cinderella's crown." And I can't be more creative than to think that means she wants it to have a picture of Cinderella on it! That can't be right, though.
I thought our neighborhood was awesome for Halloween, but yours sounds epic! Poor Des. It's awful when you do so much planning, and then your kid throws a fit. Hopefully, though, you and yours are feeling better soon!
Well it wasn’t our direct neighborhood, but it was our town! We don’t get any trick-or-treaters at our house.
And thanks! So far three of us seem far better. Just waiting on Des now.
The kids are adorable! I see that no matter what you dress up in, you are simply fabulous Tamara! You make me want to attend some parties in the future!
I love the behind photo of bunny. I love those pink feet. Im glad a cookie brought the smile back!
Yes, the pink feet were the best!!
Des is soo cute as a bunny…crying or not. The princesses were also beautiful. I'm glad the rain, your cold and your bucket- less-ness didn't hinder you from having a good Halloween. It sounds like you live in an amazing, close knit community.Loved this.
It is such a nice town! A little big, but you always run into people you know wherever you go.
I hope y'all are all feeling better and over those colds!!! Never fun especially when the entire family feels just bad enough to be "off"!!!
And – poor Des!!! He is so stinkin' cute in that bunny costume and yet when you look at him you can see in his eyes – he knows that these pictures are going to come back years from now to mock him!!!!
hahaha, I know! I thought about that too. How Scarlet might take them out and show them to his future wife.
O.K. I feel your pain, but that picture of Des crying in the bunny costume is absolutely priceless! We are lucky. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by all the emotions that I forget how lucky I am.
I agree!! I thought the crying made for some hilarious photos.
Love all of your costumes! And I love the way you captured all of the little memories and feelings of this Halloween weekend. And OMG…TOTALLY love that idea of giving out candy from the 2nd or 3rd story with long, fake arms! How cool!! That definitely beats everything we saw on Halloween night. Sounds like you guys had a blast despite the rain, and I hope you're all feeling better!
Right? Why don’t we all give out candy from the tops of our houses?!
I have photos of Fiona as a baby crying in her bunny costume. Des reminded me of her. I'm glad you day turned around. Halloween is the best when it comes to magic. My expectations may even be higher than those of my kids.
That is magical. And Fiona and Des did have a special bond!
Aww, poor Des! You all look so cute 🙂 I used to love Halloween, but sadly haven't done anything for it in the last couple years. I look forward to having an excuse next year to dress up and go out trick-or-treating again.
Oh yes – you have many years ahead of you of Halloween fun!
This Halloween has been somewhat of a flop for us. The kids weren’t into the trick or treating as I thought they would be. It was also pretty cold compared to last year. Poor Des! He is not a happy camper in that bunny outfit as well but Scarlet looks great as Sofia and so do you as Snow White!
Thanks! It was the same Sofia costume you have!
I think you are right – it is good to have all the feelings. There is so much to be seen and felt and done, after all.
You were adorable bunnies and princesses! 🙂
Thank you! I never thought I’d hear that but it seems to fit.
Loooove the college pics! "Fevers and rain don’t read calendars very well." <—Hilarious and sadly accurate.
Thanks! I wish I had more photos from college. It was a crazy time.
I missed trick-or-treating with the kids this year but I heard they had a great time…its the little things that make these holidays memorable and you seem like you have had a great time even with the bumps and hiccups along the way
Glad they had a good time, and sorry you missed it! Did you get to see photos?
Yeah, those were the ones I posted on FB 🙂
Des in that bunny costume <3! We had a wonderful Halloween even though it rained on us as well. The cutest costume I saw was Pippy Longstockings! She was adorable! And how fun that is to have a birthday party on Halloween!
That sounds so cute! I’d love to see/do a Pippi costume.
Life is interesting, isn't it, with how it surprises us sometimes when we just go ahead and push right on through? I sometimes wish I had a crystal ball so I could see when it was worth it to push through and when I should just throw in the towel, put the kids to bed early, and follow shortly after myself.
I'm glad this Halloween was one of those nice surprises for you, Tamara.
Oh, I hear you. That crystal ball. I think it would be fascinating.
Oh poor Desmond! I hope he is feeling better now. Love the superhero costume – I think all us moms secretly should be wearing them always. Love the photos Tamara!
He's still got the lingering cough but the rest of us are doing better. So his chances are good soon! I agree about the superhero moms!
What an awesome neighborhood you have! Pez dispensers!?!? Sweet! My kids went out on their own and found a place that gave GIANT chocolate bars. They were so amazed that they all switched parts of their costumes (mainly their hats) and then went back to the same house!!!! I couldn't believe it! They thought it was the best thing they've ever done (I have a sneaking suspicion that the people knew it was the same kids! lol ) Poor Des – he looks super super cute though!
Leah, that story is SO funny!!! I bet it happened a lot to those generous people!
I’m back with a new blog!
I’m so glad!! I have you added to my feed!
We are so lucky that we feel so much this day, this week, and this life. Because without the tenderheartedness and the sadness and the wonderfulness, what would it all actually be really? Bunnies may not like cookies in this other life. Princesses may not understand. And that, my lovely and beautiful friend, would be just gray. Which, as your photos show us all, is not. Life is not gray. It's colorful and messy and just as it should be. Tears and all.
xo
I wouldn't want to live in a world without bunnies liking cookies, and princesses not understanding. Or a world without you as my blogging friend!
Poor little dude. That brought back thoughts of a Christmas Story! and the bunny costume. You sure were a beautiful Snow White. So, to clarify, all FOUR of them were dressed as Dorothy? Hilarious!
Yup!! All four. I was expecting one of each of the main four characters, ya know? Nope.
People don't wear pictures of themselves! How insightful. Halloween is one of those events that are more fun for the children (usually. I dressed Ryan up as a clown when she was about the same age as Des and it resulted in the same reaction). It's tiring and hard on the parents.
haha, do you have any photos of Ryan as a crying clown?
Hope everyone feels better soon. Allison has been pretty sick this week. Now that is one adorable bunny and Princess!
Thank!! We're all on the mend. It's just a long recovery from the simplest illnesses!
ohmygosh Des is the cutest, sweetest, crankiest bunny!! Your kids melt my heart. Sounds like it turned out to be a pretty magical and awesome time in the end.
It really was! So glad that was before the colds hit!! ‘Cause we have nothing too huge to do for another week or so. Is it sad that I pretty much schedule our colds?
He made an adorable bunny anyway. We had very cold temps here, in the upper 20s, so layers all around.
Ooh, that is very cold! And thank you.
"I wonder how much I can possibly feel in one day. In one weekend. In one life. Can I fit all of that feeling into this mind?" Sometimes Tamara, I feel like you and I are kindred spirits. I have had this exact thought so many times.
Poor little Des. What a trooper. I'm so happy you had a good Halloween in the end.
We are kindred spirits, totally! That's why it was sad for me when you were away, but luckily happy for you!
Great photos!
Love the Princess Leia pez, too. I spent many a Halloween wearing a white bed sheet tied with a string and declaring myself Princess Leia. If I had been willing to spend more time on my “look,” I might have bothered to roll my hair up into side buns. But why bother? The neighbors gave me candy anyway. 🙂
haha! When I was Princess Leia a few years ago, my hair stylist did my buns for me. What attention to detail I had! This was before two kids.
The babies look adorable 🙂
My Halloween was also cold and rainy too–boo!
Des teary-eyed in the bunny costume reminds me of one of my all-time favorite movies The Christmas Story… “Go on put it on Ralphie”
Your neighborhood sounds awesome.
XOXO
haha, totally "A Christmas Story." I need to use this costume again for Christmas. And again for Easter!
OMG!!!
I landed at a lovely place.
Lot of lovely pics and descriptions
Cute little ones and ha of course
the lovely bigger ones too LOL
Good to be here
Keep posting
Keep inform
I just joined in
Best Regards
Phil
aww…they are so cute!! and oh the good ole days!!! you gotta love halloween!