Let the Countdown Begin...

It's official, Halloween is only a month away - yay! Last year we pulled out all the stops and went crazy decorating the exterior of our old house, but this year is going to be even better. We've already sketched out the holiday design that we want for our new house/yard, and the best part is the fact that this year there are prizes to be won! Our home owners association has a contest for who can come up with the best Halloween yard decorations (they do it again at Christmas time too), and we'll be in the running to win a $100, $75 or $50 restaurant gift card. Last year we had Uncle Joe at our house scaring the kids at the door, but since he's going to be busy putting on his own Halloween show at his house this year, we're going to streamline the collaborative mishmash of EVERYTHING related to Halloween that we had in the yard last year and turn our focus to gravestones, skeletons, bats and spiders. I can't wait - it's a lot of work, but it's going to be awesome! Here's just a reminder of what it looked like last year, for those of you who didn't get to come experience it for yourself. Photos just don't do it justice since you can't get the full effect of the lights and fog.

Devil Spawn and Pirate Boy in the Boneyard

The creepy corridor (before we stashed away the ladder lol)

I'm also very happy to announce that the boys' Halloween costumes are 100% completed! I put a lot of time and effort into these darn things, everything from hand knitting the two custom hats to cutting, gluing, painting and sewing about a million little odds and ends. They're not the world's greatest costumes, but they're DONE, and honestly, that's kind of all that I care about anymore lol. The boys like them, and really that IS all that matters. Just to keep the creative juices flowing, I hand painted a Halloween shirt for myself last night too (who says that only the kids get to have fun things to wear on holidays?). I can't take credit for the design, because I stole the picture from someone else who has more drawing talent than I do, but I did take the time to meticulously paint it all, so that has to count for something :P

The characters of Yo Gabba Gabba - the green guy on the right is Brobee

Sawyer's Brobee costume (we'll paint the smiley mouth on his face)

The Brobee hat - knit by Mommy - with felt covered sponges for the "spikes"

Sutton is going to be DJ Lance Rock

He even got a Mommy-sewn boombox trick-or-treat bag!

My Halloween day shirt - Mommies get to have fun too!

Tonight we're going to the costume shop to check out this year's new costumes and decorations. Mitch and I still have to figure out what we're going to wear to Kari and Joe's party, so hopefully we'll be inspired by something. We're also going to get this really cool (and surprisingly cheap!) ghost costume to stuff and set out in our front yard cemetery. Look out, $100 gift card here we come!