administration = 0, good guys = 1

As I mentioned, I was preparing to go to parent teacher conferences at the high school when the Halloween dance jumped up and said 'Boo!' right in my face.  

Reggie wanted to dress as something that would compliment his friend.  Since I wasn't home the  night before, no combo costumes were mapped out.  Great!

I was trying to eat my breakfast, but I started offering him some ideas:  Chewbacca, leprechaun, or Elmo?  No, no, and NO!  These costumes all reside in the basement storage room.  He explained that no masks were allowed, so that would eliminate Chewey right off the bat.  I made that costume (with no pattern -as many of my more creative costumes were made) for Eddie when he was in kindergarten.  The only part of the costume that would work for Reg was the mask.  No mask, no deal.

Anyone could pull off this cookie -
 Reggie wansn't feeling that 'sweet.'

Back when Mini was Cookie Monster, I made a soft sandwich board looking cookie.  Curly dressed as the cookie.  She was about 3 years old.  That costume can easily be worn by a full size being.  Reg was playing a cool customer.  He barely blinked.  Just stared straight threw me like I was practicing being invisible for Halloween.  12 year old boys often make a tough crowd in these parts, how about in your world?  Are they all full of  'Great idea Mom, you rock!' sentiments?  Or stone face, trade-my-mom-for-an-upgrade pouty pusses?

Anyway, I had to jump in the shower, so I left him pondering the choices I had made.  I don't know about you, but taking a shower often brings me clarity and great ideas to boot.  Today was no exception.  

I hopped out of the shower and ran into Mini's room to drag her always-tired butt out of bed.  'Hey, I need you to get me the Tank's cap and gown.'  Of course.  I forgot, she had mentioned her plan to wear a cap and gown to the dance.  She was going for an easy, quick change after school.  

Is it just my kids, or do your kids NOT get their shit together the night before either?  Wow, I'm full of questions today.  Again, mother wasn't home when they went to bed, so here we were . . . scrambling.  

My mom-radar was sharp this morning.  I felt the cap and gown's presence in the laundry room.  I started moving stuff around and opening cabinets and there it was.  Hooray for me!  As I headed back downstairs to deal with Mr. What-Should-I-Be, I tossed the cap and gown (that Tank never actually wore) to Mini.  Well, I tossed it in the general direction of where her bed should be.  The girls' room is in such disarray they could've moved furniture and I wouldn't be any wiser.  

Just before I left the sty, I pivoted.  'Hey, Mini!  Grab the boxing gloves and put a sign on your back that says Tank Shenanigan.'  Mini actually bounded out of bed.  She loved the idea!  (you have to click the link to find out why Tank never wore the cap and gown).

Impersonating a brother like Tank rocks!  Update:  Mini came home from school and said a teacher eventually told her to take off her costume.  He sited props.  So no masks, no weapons, and not no props?  Odd because every other student was allowed to wear props.  Pretty sure the administration just didn't like it.  I didn't expect them to.  

'Hey, Reggie, I had a great idea in the shower.  Why don't you dress as a caddy?  Your buddy could be a golfer.'  Reg agreed.

At this point, I should've been wearing a super-woman costume.  With my conference schedule looming, I raced around and collected a caddy towel, a caddy hat, a caddy shirt, and a pinny.  I swiped a sweater vest, Irish cap, golf glove and khaki pants out of Reggie's closet and stuffed those in a bag as well just in case his buddy wanted to join him.  Mini emptied out a small golf bag for him.  We assumed a golf club would be considered a weapon.  No weapons, no masks - kids today have it kind of bad at times.  

I think my most accomplished feat was locating BOTH boxing gloves from the basement.  You understand - we are living out of boxes, surrounded by dust, and nothing is where it belongs.  

Reg was a bit annoyed that his costume wasn't 'funny,' since Mini's was going to get some laughs.  I encouraged him to grab Eddie's old full-size cast out of his mudroom locker.  'You could be a one-armed caddy and we could put a sign on your back that says Eddie Shenanigan.'  He liked the idea until fumbling around with an over-sized cast that had been sawed in half.  He ditched the Eddie impersonation and went with the straight up caddy.

Tank, who had no school because of conferences, woke up.  In true Tank fashion, he asked Mini to thank him for the costume inspiration.  

(Perhaps you can read this post a few more times out of consideration for the fact that I accidentally DELETED it AND the one prior and had to start over.  Ouch.  The original post was too long - my specialty.  So I decided to split it in half.  I screwed up - I think we can safely blame the ear piercing sound from the floor installers.  Nothing like watching your work disappear and breaking out in a sweat even though the flooring people have the heat turned down to 65. Good thing I have nothing to do, like, um- I don't know, pack up the first floor and all the food we need to take to my folk's house on Monday when we have to leave our house for 3 days.  Good times).