Halloween 2021: Costumes & Art

I am sooo not into dressing up (I would guess that I was, as a kid, but have lost this interest). I don't like costume or theme parties, and have not a creative, crafty bone in my body (thus, I think everyone knows that I dislike Halloween. A lot. I think I write about this every year). However, I have little kids, who (perhaps only second to Halloween candy!) love dressing up (and art).  The boys asked me a few weeks ago if Halloween was cancelled this year (like it was last year). "No, I don't think so," I had to reply, disappointingly. They were thrilled!

Random costumes and accessories from home...

(Iver wore this wolf at age two for Halloween

The kids were super particular about their costumes for this year's Halloween.

Niall was (wait for it...) Spiderman!

Iver chose Pikachu.

What are the odds that his "twin" cousin, Kingston, completely independently, would have selected the exact same costume?! This is crazy to me!

Iver did some amazing Halloween/Fall/Día de los Muertos "arte"

"Fall hedgehog"

2021 decor:

(HANGING ON for kids' [5-11] vaccines coming soon...!)

Neighborhood decor

Nothing scares me more than spiders, so Iver drew and stuck a "fake" spider near my bathroom mirror!

Clicking to choose the right ICD-10 code and fighting with EMR is something I hate just slightly less than arachnids. 

 

The kids had outdoor school Halloween parades on Friday, which Kelvin was able to attend (socially distanced).

Niall is the "shorter" Spiderman!

Neighborhood Trick-or-treating

We ran into Jon, Kira and Ivan (matching our kids, unintentionally!).

The loot (kids got to eat their age in # of pieces)

Candy thief!

Happy Halloween, 2021!

Mini maestro

Iver was given the opportunity to "learn" violin in his after-school program, with a teacher doing a group lesson for beginners on Wednesday afternoons. He's then supposed to practice for at least 15 minutes per day for the rest of the week.  Kelvin played the violin at one point in elementary school but it's been a long time since he held a bow. Despite a lot of time in various music departments (and playing in an orchestra in college), I know next to nothing about string instruments (other than, technically, the piano) and don't have a ton of help to give.

However, last week, Iver came home with some beginner exercises to practice reading the notes and walking up and down the D and A strings, plucking. (Iver told me his teacher told us this is a technique called "pizzi-PATO," which he remembers is like Pizzi-DUCK, as pato is duck in Spanish! Despite my not being a violinist, I was nearly 100% sure, and Google confirmed, that it is rather pizzicato, but I asked Iver to clarify with his teacher next week since he doesn't believe his non-violinist mom).

My Dad (the musician, and now inspired to get his own instrument), sent Iver a beginning (Suzuki) violin book and some accessories which we may let him open prior to his birthday in December. Fingers crossed for successful "home lessons" (it's been interesting to me to be introduced to the intricacies of a new instrument, too).  If he continues to show interest (and once COVID-vaccinated), we'll consider pursuing private lessons next year.

We also had an extremely rainy weekend here last weekend ("That's great for the trees, so they can grow! And for the fires!" said Niall). Iver sat down with me at the piano and learned the melody to "Good King Wenceslas" over the course of about an hour and we played a sweet duet! He has quite the memory and was aghast that I needed the music to provide adequate accompaniment! I adore Christmas music and am excited to be almost past Halloween into the *real* holiday season.

While I will support my child in any passion he chooses to pursue, it warms my heart so much that he is showing a completely self-directed interest in music, which was such a huge part of my life for so many years.  

Pumpkinpalooza

Between our family trip(s) to the local pumpkin patches and the kids' school activities this fall, we ended up with seventeen pumpkins (!) on our front porch.

This weekend, the kids were excited to carve some pumpkins (which we skipped last year) and it was a perfect rainy Saturday activity.

Iver carved a face with a few more front teeth than he currently has.

Niall, of course, wanted to carve a "Spiderman" pumpkin.

He also wanted to "Paint" another (mini) one.

Proud of their creations!

I also took a stab at pumpkin-chocolate chip-banana bread from my friend Eva's baking blog, and it was a hit!  I also tried to replicate an internet-inspired pumpkin veggie tray for Niall's school Halloween potluck.

It was a pumpkin-filled day, for sure! 

Doggie doc

 

I have no idea who "Mr. Cameron" is, but we hope he provides good treatment! 

Spiderman obsessed

  When you're truly obsessed with Spiderman (, polite, and cute)...

...big brother is talked into drawing you a lovely picture to go along with your "gear"... 

... and Papa was talked into buying you not one but two new sets of Spiderman jammies from Target...

(...but not a second costume)

... and your preschool teacher paints your face on "PJ party" day... 

... and your non-crafty mama makes a cardboard facemask at your request!

More of Fall, Y'all

I'm not sure where Iver has learned "Y'all," because we don't use it in our verbal language, but here you can see it in his pumpkin drawing!

The hospital had a small pumpkin patch, scarecrow contest, and fall fest with a hayride, and the kids, my mother-in-law, and I went on Saturday morning.  You can actually pick your own bouquet from the hospital flower garden and my MIL, who is the flower lover, was thrilled!

We went on a tractor hayride (the operator was thrilled to see Niall's John Deere hoodie!)

Different hospital units decorated scarecrows that were judged (although I don't know which took home the prize).

The OB one was really cute! A nurse I work with, Claire, carved the "baby" pumpkin!

Niall was fascinated by the bloody scarecrow (made by the phlebotomy department, I think) and kept asking "What happened to him?!"

And, ugh, there's not much more that scares me about Halloween/fall than sights like this outside our front door...

Happy Fall, Y'all!