Paratroopa koopa

This year, Young M wanted to be a villain.  After considering quite a few options, he and I agreed on a flying turtle from the Mario games, also known as a paratroopa koopa.

I made this costume out of craft foam.  Cardboard would have worked.  It would have been much heavier and held its shape better and needed paint or paper for color.  I chose the easier way.  I started by making one hexagon (about 8 or  9 inches across) and six half hexagons out of craft foam.  I made the angles on the half hexagons (where it would connect to the big hexagon) slightly smaller so that the shell would be rounded instead of flat.  (In other words, I trimmed a skinny triangle off the diagonal sides.)  I cut strips of white foam for the edge of the shell and yellow foam for the straps.

For the wings, I traced the wings from the picture above gently using my computer as a light board.  I transferred the tracing to white foam and cut them out, leaving a small area to staple at the bottom of each wing.  I traced the design with marker (pencil was more subtle, but would smear.)  I outlined the hexagons to match the wings.  Then I stapled it all together.

The front of the shell is made from a large piece of foam. After adding a few lines with marker, I stapled a ribbon to the top to tie around the neck.  I also stapled some yarn (ribbon would have worked better) to the sides to tie around the back.

Young M wore a yellow long sleeved shirt with tan pants to complete the costume.

With more time, I would have made green boots/spats out of foam (or fabric) to finish it off.  As it was, Young M enjoyed being a paratroopa koopa (or flying turtle according to the kids at school.)

Mario costume

This year, the Professor's sister, Aunt B, decided that Miss S ought to be Mario for Halloween.  I waited until everything else was mostly done (while the kids were at school on Halloween, actually) and then did what I could.  Here is what we were going for, more or less.

First, I found a pair of overalls (slightly big, but nobody noticed) and a red shirt.  I added a couple of yellow buttons to the overalls.

Next came the hat.  Aunt B had sent me directions (here) and given me fabric scraps she had.  I mostly followed the directions (shrunk slightly to fit the fabric and because Miss S is a baby), except for the M.  I used the computer to trace the M the size I wanted it on a paper pattern.  I used craft glue to glue the M and the circle to the hat.  (Another time, I would glue the M and sew the circle.)  

To finish up, I used the Professor's great idea.  I cut a mustache out of black craft foam and stuck it on a pacifier with blue sticky tack.  To get the shape, I used the top of the pacifier as a guide and then curved the bottom to make it more Mario-like.  I also left a space in the bottom so it fit around the pacifier well.  I liked the total effect, even if Miss S periodically took off her mustache.

(And here we have Miss S and Aunt B (in her fabulous Lucca costume.))

Link costume

This year Young T chose to be Link for Halloween (or, as he put it for a few weeks beforehand, "Zelda wearing green with a sword and a shield.")  

  For his costume, we used Young A's green shirt and belted it to make a tunic with tan pants.

 To make the green Link hat, I cut out a trapezoid and sewed up the slanted sides.

 The Professor finished off the costume with his cardboard/foil skills.  The master sword has a craft foam hilt.  The shield has the Hyrule design colored on the front with marker.  

It is finished on the back with craft foam leftovers making the places to hold it.

Young T loved it.

Halloween overview

This year we had lots of fun with Halloween.  Video games made a strong showing at our house with Mario, Zelda, and Chronotrigger (in the basement) characters.  Young A retained his place as the originality master, and Miss M practiced being more grown up.  All in all, the evening was quite enjoyable.

(I will post more about the individual costumes over the next few days.  Grandmas, please be patient.)

To the mountains we go

To the mountains we go

Laughing all the way

We love to go to the mountains,

Today!*

I spend much of my life busy.  I seldom realize how tense I am until I find myself in the mountains, or near a river, or near a field.  Suddenly, I release the breath I didn't know I was holding.  This fall I've decided not to wait for a day the entire family can go up the canyon.  Instead, I'm going when I can.  What a beautiful world I live in.

*The first verse of a book/song that Miss E wrote/made a couple of years ago.  It has entered our family's repertoire.

On being an adult

This has been a very grown-up month at our house.  I'm hoping it will be finished soon.

We've protested property taxes, registered two cars (only six trips to mechanic-type places and six checks), tried to refinance the house (enough with the shady shenanigans!), filed income tax stuff for the third time (maybe the IRS and I can both get it right at the same time this time), restarted vision therapy, started the process for speech therapy, started potty training, bottled peaches and pears, and organized a playgroup.

Now we just need to finish the dental work we've been too busy to do, finish the potty training, replace the furnace and air-conditioner (before it gets cold), and figure out how to deal with the allergies that won't go away.

Sometimes I get tired of being an adult, or maybe I just get tired by being an adult.

(It is interesting in the middle of a month like this to watch Miss M stuck in between, trying to figure out if she's grown up or not and if she wants to be or not.)

Independence

Rule I inherited from my mother:  Children can climb trees as high as they can without help.  If you need help to get up, you will most likely have trouble getting down.

Young T:  Mom, may you help me climb the tree?  (said with a two year-old accent.)

Me:  No, I don't help little boys climb high.

Young T:  Mom, may you help me climb low?

Me:  No, if you can't climb by yourself you have to wait until you are bigger.

(repeat a time or two.)

Young T disappears into the house for a minute.

Young T: Mom, may I bring the step-stool outside?

At least he asked.