I am joining in the "Sincerely 'Fro Me To You" Carnival fun, hosted by We Are THAT Family. The point of the carnival is to share, in photos, some events from your past (either distant or recent), with an accompanying post. Here are all the details and rules if you want to join in.
This week, I am recalling The Saddest HomeFront Halloween EVER. The whole saga is here and here, but a quick recap goes like this:
It was late October 2007, and it was time for Rob to go on his annual humanitarian mission to Central Asia. He had signed up for the trip way back when Bun was still in rapid cell division, and I thought that I could handle being pregnant and alone with three other kids milling around and always asking me to "cook something." In other words, I was delusional.
Since my kids always think of something original (read: off the wall) to be for Halloween, I usually help them make their costumes. Nothing elaborate since I don't sew, but something that can be pulled together with things we have around the house. This year Fiver wanted to be a AA battery and Francie wanted to be a Phoenix. To compensate, I just bought Sally a one piece monkey costume from Target. I can only do do much before I lose it, my friends.
Halloween came around and it was pouring. I mean get-an-ark-it's-the-end-of-days kind of downpour. Thank God my mother had come over to help me, because when I told the kids that they were not going out there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth (but not rending of garments, since it had taken me so long to make the garments).
To add insult to injury, some parents in our neighborhood drove their children from driveway to driveway to trick-or-treat. My kids stood at the door and handed out the candy while they cried. It was a very Dickensian Halloween.
Our Halloween shenanigans were ultimately saved by my mother (because GeeGee makes everything better), our local zoo, some generous local business sponsors, and a ragtag band of wildlife, but we didn't have a very auspicious start. Pictures don't lie.
There's nothing like the face of abject misery in a monkey suit.
Oh, that is sad and I tried not to laugh! That picture reminded me of my son's first Halloween. He had a similar costume and it was AFRICA hot. He cried and sweated the whole night. Miserable. But he looked cute.
ReplyDeleteSo, does your monkey! Thanks for playing along!
Oh how cute. I hate weather.
ReplyDeleteHAH!!!! We are from the DEEP south and every year we end up buying a costume just hoping like heck it will be cold enough that we wont lose 10lbs in sweat wearing it and every time we do. :)
ReplyDeleteOne day, we'll get a clue.
Thanks for sharing.
THat was a Halloween I shall never forget. IT ended on such a high note and we all enjoyed trick-or-treating at the lovely local zoo you have...we all had a great time, except that Daddy was in Asia...I know that Francie and Fiver will have fond memories of that day...Sally also loved the animals, but she may be too young to remember.
ReplyDeleteAwww bless her heart! She is none to happy. :)
ReplyDeleteYou'll have years like that. Sadly.
ReplyDeleteI almost shared my 1970s pic of my sister & I in our parkas with Raggedy Ann costumes over it for Halloween. It's riduculous! Maybe next week. Your monkey is cute, even if she is wailing. :D
ReplyDeleteFor your daily dose of vintage goodness & a bit of silliness, stop by Confessions of an Apron Queen, the home of Vintage Thingies Thursdays.
Poor thing! She is cute even if she is crying!
ReplyDeleteI tried not to laugh, it's all so sad...but that was funny! Poor cutie pie.
ReplyDeleteAbject misery in a monkey suit? LOL!
ReplyDeletePoor monkey.
Jennifer
I remember that. And that picture still broke my heart and made me smile all at the same time.
ReplyDelete