The Year Was 1969...

Halloween is behind us...

...or is it?

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Well like most parents, we started looking through old photos of costumes and parties from years gone by, and we thought you'd like to see not only some of the get ups we whipped up, but some of OUR Moms' crafty goodness.

Yes, we inherited this.

Come along with us as we lead you on a frightening journey through past Halloweens with the players who pitch in to bring you your daily dose of crazy, and the people who love them.

1969, and I was an 8 year old yellow octopus. My sister denies being the pink one. My parents owned a seafood restaurant; can I get some drawn butter?

Sam and his little brother Max in 1973 sporting very store bought classic super hero polyester meltable flammable stuff. The big guy was 6.

The hubs is in the middle as Superman, with his brother hugging a giant plastic pumpkin, his sister Leza hula girling it up, and some kid who wandered into the yard.

My husband, on the right, in 1975, unaware that in 12 years he'd be meeting his future bride, and thereby his Native American father-in-law.

We took no offense.

 

This is where my mother in law pulled out all the stops, constructing a Jaws costume from paper mache' and chicken wire in 1977. Sam won every contest. 

Sharks are evidently fond of cub scout shorts and knee socks. 

 

Sam had his dream come true through the MIL's old Singer and hit the streets as Luke Skywalker. Here's where you get impressed: she also made the light saber, and Max's Darth Vader helmet is 

a milk jug and sunglasses.

I think the neighbor who accompanied them was a carpet sample.

Fast forward to 1989. We're engaged. We were considering a medieval themed wedding after attending our first Renaissance Festival. 

The guy in the middle had no cookies, by the way.

Same evening, partying down at my townhouse. No party is complete without a Ninja Turtle, am I right?

 

But then the days of being amused that there were three inches of Jell-o on your kitchen floor the next morning ended, we took the marital plunge, bought the big house, and the babies arrived rapid fire...

 

First came the world's sweetest candy corn. That adorable little blondie is indeed Sammy in 1992. I'd made a little lion costume for him, but there was NO WAY he'd wear it, so with poster board, glue, and felt I threw together this sandwich board concoction minutes before we took off for his first Halloween party! At this point, he was an only child, wondering why Mommy was so incredibly round in the front.

Look at those chubby little beardless cheeks.

The next year, he was a little more game about the costume thing. In fact, he wore this until it fell apart. Thom was a little chubby pumpkin, and we don't think any of those photos have survived unfortunately.

Leza's decorations were always the best. That, by the way, is my sweet, late father-in-law, and that's me making good use of the maid of honor gown from my sister's wedding.

I'd just had two kids and would be expecting the third within a month.

 

Before wizards were trendy. I outlined every one of those stars in silver glitter paint, and you may notice a lighter tucked in Sam's waist cord: he had flash paper with him, and he would throw fireballs in the air to the amazement of all the children who came to the door.

That plump little kitty came into our lives September 2, 1994. Yes, this is a baby that isn't even 2 months old.

Savannah was 9 pounds, 14 ounces of natural, drug free home birth, and she never lost an ounce from there.

She's 45 pounds in this photo and looking for food.
Okay, maybe not.

We did a little pumpkin carving before suiting up.

You do NOT carve pumpkins days ahead down here.

Auntie Leza Mouse chasing down Thommy Lion.

 This was their first year as a trio, so you'll note the cat theme. And yes, that's Sam with an ACTUAL mullet. Magnificent, isn't it?

1994, people.

Simba had nothing on my Thommy Lion.

The next year I stitched up Pooh, Tigger, and Piglet...or "Pigelt" as the missy in pink pronounced it.

I followed them around the neighborhood as a wood nymph.

Check out those legs.

 

We started doing parties every year after that just for the kids, with parents encouraged to stay so we could get to know them. In case you're wondering, Savannah's the witch, Thom is Mario, 

and that's Sammy as a dragon. 

This was the costume judging; we made up the categories after the guests arrived so everyone got a prize.

Sammy reading the clues for the treasure hunt, one of the most rambunctious messes I ever dreamed up.

 Hungry, anyone?

Pay attention to the apple bobbing, not me in a corset.

Thom as a wizard with his little crush.

 The worst hurricane season in memory brought us Wilma in 2005. Katrina had just taken out New Orleans, so the damage down here didn't make the news as much. We were heavily hurt and had no electricity for weeks afterward, no gasoline, no businesses open, and the streets were impassable. Our house lost a huge chunk of the outer wall. But Halloween went on as usual.

There were no pumpkins to be had, so we made bag-o-lanterns! 

And since sewing machines don't work without power, we pieced together some great outfits with things we already had.

Like THIS.

 Our house became Supply Central, as you'll notice from the stacked canned goods in the background, for people to come by and get water, food, and batteries, and we still went out trolling for candy.

 And yeah, I dressed up to give out candy to anyone venturing into the pitch black city.

 And now, onto the present day victims....