So this year we had FIVE homemade costumes… I don’t think we have ever had so many to make! Ken and I each had some part in an aspect of each costume. Be it crochet or sewing. I think they turned out rather well and all were done the day BEFORE Halloween!!!

We did a costume try on on Friday in the backyard with out amazing leaves. I was so pleased to see that everything fit well and that the kids were all happy with their costumes.

We have a tiny witch…

Rapunzel…

A triceratops…

An ice wizard…

And a fire wizard…

Ken even made the staffs from the limbs of trees Baba cut down last month.

The hats were all made from the witch’s pattern on crochetspot.com. I have a toddler version up for sale on my Etsy store if anyone is interested HERE.

I used another crochetspot.com pattern for Trinity’s flowers. We sewed those to a fabric headband and then tied ribbons to the back which were braided into her hair.

Ken was 100% in charge of the cloaks! Didn’t he do a great job?

For our resident dinosaur I found a great pattern for a Triceratops hat thanks to Ida Rott HERE. And then Ken made the tail and the gloves with claws. (his overalls outfit thing and Trinity’s dress were lucky Goodwill finds as was Echo’s broom)

I, myself even gave dressing up a go and went as a gamer girl… Ken had to have a photograph… the shirt said Do Not Disturb I am Playing Video Games… I think he just wanted a visual record of the fact I was actually wearing jeans and socks. Men.

We did our yearly traditional trick or treat with the Novaks and then hang out after. This year we came early and had pizza. The kids had a blast and we came home with WAY TOO MUCH candy!

Jacob and Echo

We did not do a full on Halloween unit this year… what with the printer being mean and refusing to allow the ink to last (we think there may be a leak… devastating for a homeschool family…) and the busy busy life we have had I simply did not have the time. However, we did do some great print outs from Activity Village HERE, and read some amazing books… oh and watched a couple films! So I will share that info below!

Free hot chocolate!

Movies:

• The Nightmare Before Christmas
• The Haunted History of Halloween (The History Channel) I have also included a link that has information all about Halloween thanks to the History Channel HERE

Books:

• Halloween by Natalie M. Rosinsky HERE
• Halloween by Mari C. Schuh HERE
• Halloween and the Day of the Dead Traditions Around the World by Joan Axelrod-Contrada HERE
• The Story of Halloween by Carol Greene HERE
• John Pig’s Halloween by Jan L. Waldron HERE
• Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson HERE
• Trick or Treat, It’s Halloween by Linda Lowery and Richard Keep HERE
• H is for Haunted House by Tanya Lee Stone HERE
• Skeleton Shake by Liz Conrad HERE
• Halloween Is… by Gail Gibbons HERE

Gavin chose to do a quick fact list on Mummies so he used to following two books for that:

• Ancient Egyptian People by Sarah McNeill HERE
• Mummies & Their Mysteries by Charlotte Wilcox HERE

Echo and Zombie Alex

Kids with their Halloween treats from Gammie and their popsicle stick and yarn spider webs

Pizza!

April 20-21

I do love a good weekend… and this one has been a combination of busy and quiet. We really had no plans for Saturday and with a thick layer of snow still in evidence we could only go to the Home Depot and LOOK at our tree choices. With Earth day on the 22nd, and snow still here our plant a tree for the day is really not possible… yet! But we are going to spend much of next week discussing Earth day and what WE can do to help the Earth. And then, once the snow melts, Nana and Baba will have a tree added to their landscaping.

Emanuel took some time out and made us a Triceratops out of Play Doh… he is such a dinosaur pro now!

Sorry, Ken took the picture

It was crafting completions for yours truly. I completed TWO projects… a bag by CrochetSpot for an upcoming birthday.

Bag

And a hat for Miss Lily… pattern from Stitch11.

Lily’s lovely hat

There was also straw to be stacked in anticipation of warmer and dryer times! (apparently there will be planters)

Ready for planters

Sunday was special for Ken and myself… we had a DATE date. An afternoon (and a bit of the morning) without the kids, with some bonus money and a list of wishes… at the top of the list… a new bathing suit, my first in years and my first one piece in even longer! Bettie Page Clothing for the win!!!

Retro!

I actually managed to do quite well, with money left to think about! 

Such a selection

Ken took a picture for me during our lunch from Pita Pit… hair down and everything.

Lunch for 2

I did unearth a dress that Nana and Baba brought Echo back from the Dominican last year… so of course we had to take photos. 

Little Sweety

Pretty in Pink

So even with the snow we managed a rather enjoyable weekend! I promise better swimsuit pictures very soon!

Feathers and all!

I chose this dinosaur strictly on its crazy nose horn. A relative of the triceratops this single horned herbivore was found in the Cretaceous period and unlike many other herbivores is believed to run in herds of ONLY its species. In fact, a muddled 15 different different dinosaurs (of the same species) we found in a jumble at one of the dig sites. The Einiosaurus has been found only in Montana and was a solid and heavy dinosaur.

While there is only one video for this dinosaur from I’m a Dinosaur it is also available in the 360 imagery on the iPad app Fantastic Dinosaurs HD.

And now for the links. You can access EnchantedLearning’s fact sheet HERE. Age Of Dinosaurs has a map, facts and an interesting article HERE. The Smithsonian has a lengthy article that I skimmed a bit for Emanuel HERE. Prehistoric Wildlife has their information HERE. Dinosaurs.about.com has a fact page HERE. DinosaurKing has general statistics HERE. We used the top image for our colouring page HERE and of course don’t forget about Wiki HERE.

All 3 boys enjoying the lesson together