Tuesday, September 25, 2012

 Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious


I've been planning our Halloween costumes this year.  We always try to have a matching theme as a family.  We've done Alice in Wonderland, Nightmare Before Christmas, The Snow Carny, The 50's and I'm sure there are more (my brain is shot, I've had 2 kids and a husband with strep throat, and I can feel myself getting sick as I type.  
Who knew fingers could weigh 5 pounds each).  
It's funny how much my kids love dressing up as a family.  I know the year will come when one of them will finally protest.  But a couple weeks back my girls both came to me asking what "WE" were going to be for halloween this year.  
I love it.

So if you're looking for a costume idea here is what we did last year…
K… I'm going to admit something.  Most young girls have crushes on the Justin Beiber's of their day.  I had a crush on… I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but it's the truth. 

Dick Van Dyke. 

Yep.

No lie.  
My dad owned a video store, one of the first in our town.  Back then you had to rent the movie and then the 50 pound VCR just so you could watch the video.  
It was called Video Express.
I still remember adding the "be kind rewind" stickers onto the tapes, (most of the stickers made it onto my clothing and face rather than the videos) and helping myself to the candy and soda pop in the store.   I also remember thinking the teenage employees were soooo cool.  There was particular girl with long gorgeous blond hair who would wear it in a side pony tail that twisted.  
I felt "like, oh my gosh, so totally rad" when my mom would do my hair like hers.
(I still remember when she came to our house and taught my mom how to do this hairstyle on me.  I felt so special).
One of the first "kid" videos he purchased was 
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  
We would watch it over and over.  Perhaps that's where it all started.  But man, I thought (and still think) Mr. Van Dyke was darling.  Now the funny thing is… I kind of married him.  
People who know J will laugh in agreement.  
J walking around dressed as Bert, interpreting his gait and attempting that cockney english accent was perfection. 
He honestly could have gotten a job at disneyland.  

Then we have…

A bit of a stretch, but it works.
I found this pattern for the wings 
The skirts & masks I just made up on my own. And then there is me as...
 I had the coat.  The hat is a bowler hat (from a costume store).  I beat it up, added a few staples here and there and then glued on the flowers and cherries.  The umbrella was the only big halloween costume purchase of the lot.  I got it at the Disney store.

Now if only I could snap my fingers to clean the house.  (Although I don't know if I could manage to snap… remember, they feel like they weigh 5 pounds each).
Halloween… such a jolly holiday! 

4 comments:

  1. So darn fun!! Beyond amazing... Great job... Feel better...

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  2. Aaah, video express! Many happy memories associated with that place. You are the perfect Mary poppins, and when I saw the boys my first thought was that Jared kind of looks like dick van dyke :)

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  3. Most excellent!!! Mary Poppins was my favorite movie as a child and I still rent it from time to time. GREAT job with the costumes! You are a magnificent Mary Poppins and the chimney sweeps are perfect. The birds are going to be a huge hit.
    Enjoy to the max!!
    ~Christina in Cleveland

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  4. Troppo bellooooooooo!adoro questo film. Baci kriss

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