Halloween memories

I'm no longer making costumes in October, but I am doing some reminiscing. Today I scanned a few pictures to share with you. This picture was taken in Utah in 1978. Eric is the clown in yellow, my first costume. I am holding baby Ryan. Are you able to name all of your Jensen cousins?

The older three boys had moved on in their trick or treating style when this Ostler cousins' picture was taken in 1993. Nathan is the jailbird in the back while Janae wears all of her Halloween attire from top to bottom. Nathan was able to be a jailbird for several years. I made three of those costumes one year so that David, Janae, and Nathan could match. Can you name the rest of you cousins?

As you can tell, the costumes ended up in a box and were recycled. Janae is now wearing the clown costume. The Star Wars costumes were perhaps the height of my costuming career. Eric is the Imperial Guard, David is Darth Vadar, and Ryan an Ewok. The Ewok costume sans the hood, also served Ryan well when he was a dancing bear for the kindergarten circus. He danced his heart out to "Footloose."

My favorite Halloween trip was the year we drove to Dewey, Arizona with the Bunker clan to pick a pumpkin from a "real" pumpkin patch. It was a great day! Remember when Nathan and Kyle were pretty much connected at the hip. Great cousins and Good friends!

Janae loved this witch's hat. She wore it over and over. Thank goodness she could work her love of all things Mickey Mouse into her costume. I made the pumpkin goodie bags when I had three little boys. It looks like Janae finally got her hands on one. The plastic pumpkin she is holding in the clown costume has been in the family for over 25 years. Grandma J labeled it the "Love Pumpkin," filled it full of candy, and mailed it to us in Bountiful when she lived in California to the delight of three little boys. It's carried candy at Halloween every year since.

My easiest costume to make was this ghost. Nathan insisted that he just wanted a ghost costume where you cut out the eyes (perhaps from watching the Charlie Brown Halloween special or maybe ET.) I took him to Hancock's Fabrics and let him wander around until he found the "right" ghost material. He cut out the eye holes and was set to go. I added the sash so that he could stay put together.

That ceramic jack-o-lantern was also made by Grandma J and her friend Nellie Parker and has been a part of our Halloween decor forever. There is also a ceramic ghost with eyes which light up. It has a definite baby bump, so I used the pregnant ghost to announce the impending arrival of some of you.

I hope that you are making great Halloween memories with your little ones. These were the pictures that I could find. I know that there are many more in your albums that have made their way to your homes. Maybe you can do some reminiscing of your own.