I Said I Was Taking A Year Off...And Then I Was Too Proud Of My Little Geeks

I think I have finally calmed down enough that I can talk about Halloween without howling and tearing clothing.  I told myself that this year we would just do store bought costumes since last year was so hard and I needed a 2 year break... at least.  Unfortunately we had just completed watching the whole Dr. Who series (to date) as a family (except a couple episodes I deemed too scary) and Ella really, really, really, wanted to do a Dr. Who theme.

As a nerdy/geeky mom and Halloween lover, this was heaven.  One of my kids wanted to do something amazing for costumes.   As a crazy person and realist I thought of a few reasons this was not a good idea: 1) You CANNOT buy Dr. Who costumes; 2) I get soooooooooooooooooo tired of everyone not knowing who we are; 3)  I am still tired of sewing from last year.

I debated back and forth for a while, but realized that they wont want to do Dr. Who forever, and they may not even want to dress up in a couple of years.  Plus, I love a theme.  We started planning in July, and though the costumes were deceptively simple, it took me to the first day they wore them to be completely finished.

Here is the fruit of my very bizarre, self imposed labor:

Ella really wanted to be Rose Tyler.  She is the Doctor's first companion in the rebooted series, and in one episode they go to the 1950's.  Ella was very specific about her costume choice.

Inspiration:

Ella:

Olivia flip-flopped about her costume.  First she wanted to be Amy, another companion of the Doctor, but then I asked what we would do without a TARDIS, and she immediately changed her mind and wanted to be the Time And Relative Dimensions In Space (the Doctors time machine).
Inspiration:

Olivia: Since the TARDIS is stuck as a 1960's phone booth we went with a kind of 60's feel to her clothes.  Her pillbox hat has a flashing light on it, just like the TARDIS!

Ethan really wanted to be a Dalek.

 I was a little concerned about how he would move around, go up stairs and trick-or-treat in a Dalek costume, so we talked about it and he agreed a Cyberman would be an ok alternative.
Inspiration:

Ethan:

The three kiddos together:

 Eric had agreed early on to dress up this year (most years he tells me 2 days before Halloween that he wouldn't mind dressing up, after I've asked repeatedly for weeks).  He had BY FAR the easiest costume.  He went as my favorite Doctor, number 10, and was able to wear his clothes from work to the Halloween party.
Inspiration:

Eric (with girls):

I had big plans for me this Halloween.  I was going to be one of my favorite Dr Who characters, a Weeping Angel.

I started the costume, tried it on and realized I looked less like a statue and more like a giant, grey circus

tent, so I scrapped it and ordered a pre-made Venetian costume I dyed to make look more like the grey I wanted.  I painted the hair piece, and made the wings out of thick foam board.  I was racing the day before our ward party to finish everything and I stabbed my thumb with an exacto knife finishing up the details and spent over an hour to get it to stop the bleeding.  Discouraged, I wanted to keep going, but when I went to screw the wings into the backing and the screw went right through and ripped up all my hard work I decided I was done.  They wouldn't be able to hold up the weight on my back with the ripped parts (but I might use them in Halloween decorating next year OTBS).

I wasn't going to dress up, but then I realized...

I could EASILY be Dr. River Song.  I happened to own all the elements of her costume, except the gun, which is easily remedied at Halloween time.

Inspiration:

Me (with my happy to be there Cyberman):

It took 2.5 hours to curl my hair like River's, but when I was done I realized that I happened to look a little bit like the 50 year old actress that plays her.  At least she is a young looking 50!

Also, OTBS (on the bright side) it gave me the best 2nd day hair EVER:

Here is our group shot:

Lots of blood, sweat and tears involved (all on my part now that I think about it), but in the end so worth it!!!

On The Bright Side of Crazy People

I am having a VERY hard time with our new primary president.  We have fundamental difference on how to interact with children, other adults, and even basic gospel tenants.  The only week I haven't come home crying from church was the week she wasn't there.

We have our ward primary program next week and it has been a crazy fest.  I don't enjoy being told what to do and micromanaged like a low level lackey in a huge corporation, but there was a bright side.  She informed me I would be playing a duet with Ethan.  Didn't ask either of us, just told us we would be doing it.  She told me to just write a piece to play.  I informed her I don't write music and she told me her 12 year old daughter was musical enough to do it if I found myself lacking.

I luckily found a Sally DeFord piece that required minimal changes to it for Ethan.  Ella found out and felt left out.  I couldn't find any other duets for any of the songs we are performing so I was at a loss.  I asked my piano teacher and in his infinite wisdom he basically said "Quit whining.  You can write one."  So I did.  It's not amazing, but it IS prettier than the original and Ella is very proud.  I've ended up rewriting the arrangements for 3 songs now and even though they probably all sound the same I am pretty proud of them.

I still don't want to go to primary but I am thankful to that crazy woman for pushing me.

Here are the kids playing their songs. They originally were playing with both hands, but they were getting nervous, and this is their first time playing in front on anyone, so we simplified.  (note to self, do not wear baggy shirts next to tiny people):