I managed to get the last costume done just moments before I pulled it over Blue's head. She had very specific ideas about what her costume should look like. She had so many requirements, in fact, that I told her that if she was going to be disappointed if her costume didn't look like the one in her head, we should just go to Target and choose one off the shelf so she could know what she was getting and could approve it ahead of time. But she decided that she would take a chance on my rendition of a bat. Ivy just wanted to be a sparkly mermaid.

See how Blue's face is all covered up? She got that idea from a trip to a Red Robin restaurant we went to with my sister and niece in Maryland. The life size Red Robin made a big impression on her and for the last 2 months she has talked about her "all black bat costume with my face covered up like the red robin so no one can see who I am and my hands and feet are all black too."

When we were walking down the street and Blue said "Mom, this is the best costume ever." well, you know that was the best reward I could have asked for. Worth every moment of bat-frustration.

Ivy has had lots of practice holding up the skirts of her princess dresses when she walks, so she did well carrying her tail. I intended for the tail to go in back, but J pointed out that it would look cuter if she wore it in front, and he was right. Once I got over my balkiness, that is.

I am thankful that one of the businesses in town decorated so nicely for my pictures. I only wish by the time we got there the kids had been feeling more cooperative.

And yes, I am completely aware that my children broke every single one of the safety rules invented for Halloween. All black costume, eating candy before we got home, costume that you can trip over, mask that covers your face and hinders vision. Thankfully I got them little LED wrist flashlights for safety. They immediately used them to blind each other.

In other news, my internet vacation is going well. The first day was hard. The second day was easier. It is amazing how many times I have had to stop myself from going to the computer. If nothing else, this exercise is a good reminder about intentional living.