Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween 2009

I have never been a fan of Halloween. I think I've probably mentioned this before. I don't like being in costume unless I'm in a play and it's a really kick ass costume that some professional made for me. I don't like being scared. I don't like horror movies. I don't even like commercials for horror movies. I once had nightmares for about a month when I heard about the Blair Witch Project. I never even saw it. I just heard about it. And in Judaism there's another holiday where you dress up, Purim, and I hate that one too. And I'm convinced there are two kinds of people in this world - the kind who love Halloween/Purim and the ind who hate it. My theory stops there pretty much since I do have friends who are in the love category. We've just come to accept each other.

The holiday has become a little less annoying now that I have kids and get to dress them up. But the lead up to Halloween is stressful. My son went back and forth ten times between wanting to be a broiler and wanting to be a shark. He went as a shark in the end and was quite happy with his costume which my husband sewed for him yesterday. And my daughter. Well even though no one knew who she was except our neighbor Claudia, she looked positively AMAZING as the incomparable Frida Kahlo. The likeness is uncanny. With a little help from an eyebrow pencil...

And where it used to be that the only redeeming quality about Halloween was the candy, it is now that the thing that bugs me the most. True, I could give out pencils or glow bracelets or fruit. But I don't. I give out candy. And I give it to the pre-diabetic 150 pound third graders too. And then I have to deal with my own kids who want to eat a bag full of it until they throw up. So I gave them each a few pieces and put their bags away. This morning they wanted their bags and, based on some good advice from Courtney and Whitney over at Rookie Moms, I made them each pick five pieces to keep and the rest gets traded in for a toy. I have a stock pile of small toys in the attic for precisely this kind of bartering.

And now the Halloween 2009 round up.




14 comments:

lori vliegen said...

your children are absolutely precious.....even dressed up like a shark and frida (and you're right.....she's a PERFECT frida!!)! and i'm loving your "extra toys in the attic" idea.....mind if i trade in our leftover five pound bag of candy for an attic goody?! :))

Anonymous said...

This year Frida...
Next year Evita!

No mono brow
Just gel for her hair.

Then she can whisper to all who ask:
"I'm Evita."

everything's rosie

Susie Lubell said...

Lori - send me the candy. I am SURE there's a little something something up in the attic for you... ;)

Susie Lubell said...

I forgot to mention that part, Ma. Whenever someone asked who she was my daughter whispered Frida. so funny.

Desert Savta said...

Adorable. Thanks for posting the pictures. They are so cute. I love the idea of a "whispering" Frida. And what a friendly shark. Let's hope he'll be happy being a shark next year, too and can wear the same top.

aimee said...

they look darling! now what are you doing with all that traded-in candy? i'd like to know...

Susie Lubell said...

I put it somewhere for very safe keeping. My thighs...

Everything's Rosie said...

that's hilarious. better your thighs than mine.

Lori said...

I am SO with you on Halloween. Freida! How cute is she? She looks EXACTLY like her. And what a great shark. He's handsome!

painted fish studio said...

! i so love that your daughter went as frida khalo. that is so damn cool!

RookieMom Whitney said...

Frida looks AMAZING. My daughter has been blessed with dramatic eyebrows as well. Perhaps next year! In Jerusalem! I mean, Berkeley!

I saw another blogger (male) whose wife and two daughters all went as Frida.

I can't find the post I have been wanting to highlight for so long about the gold stars. Can you send me the link?

Susie Lubell said...

dramatic eyebrows! are you in marketing... ;)

Jenna said...

wow! she does look like a perfect frida! the likeness is crazy!

AG Ambroult said...

props to your husband for that shark costume! AND FRIDA!!! I think I would have gotten it, had you come "candy taking" at my house.
ps "candy taking" is how my daughter once referred to trick or treating. I imagine that term would only make you hate halloween even more, huh?