Costume Roundup

By golly, the past three months have been so riddled with costumes that you would think our household resembled a Disney parade, a Halloween-themed sitcom, or a highly trained improvisation team with a specialization in historical characters.  Yes, it was a banner few months at the Roberts casa, with the Amazon Prime guys working overtime to facilitate the needs of the costume crack we regularly consume, much to the aggravation of Kate Middleton (the dog, not the princess. Ooooo, brain flash!  Next UPS box might need to be a royal doggie costume!)

The highlights: my husband wore leggings and a kettle suit in front of thousands of people (Tallahassee Democrat said 30,000, but gentle readers, you must err on the side of skepticism when it comes to the Democrat), my son went completely gray, and my daughter swapped candy with Abe Lincoln.

Lest you think I am exaggerating, I present for your viewing pleasure the Costume Roundup of Fall/Winter 2013:

Tom Sawyer Day, early October: We eased into it with a red gingham shirt and braided pigtails.
To quote City Slickers: "Scoop o' chocolate, scoop o' vanilla. Don't waste my time." 

Fall piano recital (don't let the guitar fool you): dress up required for this occasion. 
We went with the free, go-to costume for all red-blooded
American moms with blonde-haired daughters. 

Halloween was just a drop in the bucket.  As mentioned here, M followed the theme du jour: Scarlett O'Hara.

Boys went all-star--Star Wars that is--complete with little Yoda (green Eeyore? Shrek baby?)



And---BOOM---historical worlds collide!  Who knew that Scarlett
was head and shoulders taller than our tallest president?

Turning the corner to November: okay, not my people here, but I DID shop for this rad gladiator ensemble. Veni, vidi, vici!

Reidy's kindergarten class had the cutest pilgrim hats. If he had been my firstborn,
I would have preserved this getup.  As I recollect, it got squashed in the dark recesses of the car.

December, bring on the candy-themed fun.  The whole Roberts gang participated in the Winter Festival Parade in rockin' downtown Tallahassee.  I innocently asked M if she'd be willing to wear a gingerbread outfit.  She pictured facepaint, her sassy MK Shetland boots, and a puffy pen-decorated T-shirt. I deviously pictured Gingerbread Man from Shrek.  (insert wild laugh here).

All night, kids asked to have their picture taken with Ginger.  She hated loved it!

My cute cookie working the local crowd.

Which brings me to the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Hubs dressed up
as Red Kettle Man (or, as folks in the crowd shouted, "Hey Mr. Cupcake!  Red Guy! Bucket Dude!")

The entire SA gang just before the parade began.  Note that Ginger's little sister (green pants, center) got to wear the very ensemble that Madeleine was denied.  (insert second wild laugh here, this time by AM.)

And introducing our artist-in-residence, Andy Warhol, who created a to-scale masterpiece for the 4th grade exhibit of the (Mini) Metropolitan Museum of Art.  If you want to chat about Pop Art,  50s feminism, or Warhol's raison d'etre, Collin's your guy.



In honor of Charles Dickens, M used her stash to purchase this lovely green-and-red, fur-lined, plaid-accented getup to attend a Victorian Christmas Party.  Perhaps she can save it for next year's Winter Festival and pass Ginger off on her unsuspecting brother?

  

Happy New Year to you all!  Sorry I can't offer any Deep Thoughts in honor of the big day--I'm still fried from all the (mercifully costume-free) Christmas festivities!  2014---here we go!