This year the girls started with a theme in mind for thier costumes. From the beginning Jade knew she wanted to be Padame from Star Wars and Cambrie was set on being Princess Leia. Hailey started out wanting to be Princess Leia as well, then she wanted to be Padame, then I showed her a Super Girl costume that I borrowed from a friend, and she was sold. (especially since her birthday party this year was a super girl theme) Originally they wanted to make Colby a wookie, but when Hailey broke the theme, which I was almost grateful for, Colby was allowed to be what ever he wanted.- Which in the end was a Dog, because that's what a friend of mine had on hand. But he did have the sound down perfectly. Still Jade and Cambrie were absolute on what they wanted. Luckily I found a Padame costume at Toys R Us, but there was no decent Princess Leia costume to be found. The night before our ward trunk or treat, I was at a loss for Cambrie and started asking her what else she would like to be. With a sad look on her sweet little face she said " I guess I could be something else."
That was it. I would be making a Princess Leia costume. - oh no- the sewing machine was coming out. Well actually mine stayed packed away and I went over to my friend Karen's house to use hers. It wasn't buried quite as deep as mine was. Karen also had experience making hoods, which was one of Cambrie's favorite parts of the costume, so I knew I would be needing help!! With a quick trip to JoAnn's for some fabric, I was off to meet up with Karen. We grabbed some dessert first at Applebee's where I sketched out what I thought I wanted to do on a scrap paper, and we tried to figure out the best and easiest way to make the dress. I didn't have a pattern of course, that would have been to easy. I almost never do things the easy way. So we head back to Karen's and started laying out the fabric. We used one of Emily's (Karen's daughter Cambrie's age) dresses to sort of trace. After a few interesting cuts, I decided to just start sewing and see what happened. As I got started sewing, Karen started on the hood- I tried to describe the type of hood that I was hoping for... I kept telling her it would be cool if it was one of those big plush hoods. For some reason I kept using the word plush, which to me meant one that billows down and is really full at the bottom, to Karen it meant something more along the lines of softness. At the time which was already fairly late in the evening I couldn't find any other word to describe it. Finally after searching for every synonim for plush to get my point across, she crossed over to the "dark side" and saw the vision I had in my head. So as far as late night projects go, which is usually have cocked and with much laughter, we actually were doing pretty well. Although at my first attempt at sewing a sleeve on I sewed it on inside out, but what's a sewing project without a little seam ripping? I did in the end get it sewed on correctly, and I was so proud... I SEWED A SLEEVE!! Yes this was a first for me. You can call me super mom. Anyway last but not least was the best part of the whole costume "The Hood". Karen had folded and pleated and done all kinds of things that had me confused and lost. When it was all pinned together and ready to sew onto the dress, I carefully took the hood. It was like handing a new born baby to it's mother for the first time. I was careful and unsure, but so excited. (I know, all this over a hood... but yes, it was like a right of passage for me!) Anyway, on a wing and a prayer I somehow sewed the hood with all it's pleats and gathers to the dress and... Tada!!!! I made her Princess Leia costume. Granted we finished it about 3:00 in the morning, but hey it was done!! Not only that but since her hair is still pretty short I got some brown yarn and made her some serious Leia buns. The next morning when I showed her the dress, her face lit up!! "You made me a Princess Leia dress, Mom?" It was all worth it for that!!!
Well... it is what it is right?!? Halloween a day where everyone gets to pretend to be someone or something they aren't and they are rewarded with candy for doing so. You've gotta love Halloween! Jade was Padame in her battle suit,(Star Wars) Cambrie was Princess Leia (I made her costume) Hailey was Super Girl, and Colby was a Dog! 
Brian and I even took a little stab and prentending to be someone else this year. If you watch the show NCIS you would know that I was Abby the freaky forensic scientist, and Brian was a 70's dude, with the tan leather, butterfly collar jacket and all! This year the Pace's were kind enough to host the gathering of creatures big and small. Everything is more fun with friends right!! Even Nana and Papa came to see the crazies! We had pizza and some yummy appitizers, including a disney pasta salad and a cheese ball in the shape of an owl (way cool Karen)! The kids had a blast just playing and eating with thier friends, as they always do. Then we hit the streets.
The girls took off in the first wave of "runners". Luckily Becca had the energy to head up that group. Brian, my Mom, Dad and I helped bring up the rear with some of the smaller, slower and more easily distracted animals. Literally... Colby was a dog Dakota Lewis was a monkey and Calli was a Tiger. Colby was chillin' by Dakota for a while until he got tired of walking, (just 2 or 3 houses later). He was more interested in opening the candy he got, than he was in going and getting more candy. 
Finally he took refuge in Karen's bike stroller with Calli. The funny part of it was Karen kept trying to get Calli to sit in it so she could push her, and Calli for awhile wanted nothing to do with it. But Colby on the other hand would jump right in, weither he was welcome or not! (In Calli's opinion, he wasn't always welcome)
everybody dumped their loot out into piles to be compared and inspected. There were quite a few kids running around and candy everywhere! Somehow everytime I saw Colby go by he had a different sucker in his mouth. I am not sure where he got them or how he got them open, but boy was he happy! It was like there was an endless supply. I don't think he ever finished a whole sucker, he just kept putting new ones in everytime he found one. Oh well, it's Halloween right?
I am so grateful that I live in a country where we have the right to express our opinions and fight for the things we believe in. Many of you may or may not know about what is going on with Proposition 8 here in California. For all the details you can go to http://www.protectmarriage.com/. In regards to us locally Brian was asked to be the zip code coordinator for 95367, all of Riverbank. We have been working for the past 2 1/2 months putting together routes and coordinating walks for polling, going through over 5,000 names of registered voters, making calls, inputting data, organizing rallies and more. We have had some wonderful help from many great people, but some of my favorite volunteers helped on this last demonstration. 
thumbs up in support. Only a few opposing which is to be expected. Hailey loved dancing around running up and down the sidewalk, hooting and hollering and holding her sign. She was a great little cheerleader! Colby was pretty good in the backpack for awhile, but then he wanted to take part as well. So we gave him a sign and put him to work too! It actually felt really good to be out there as a family supporting something that we believe so strongly in! I was so happy to see such a great turn out of families in support of this action! 
One of Colby’s favorite things to do right now is reading books. He absolutely loves when you read to him and then he tries to mimic some of the words you say. Lucky for Colby, Grandma Stacey loves reading to her grandkids. It is always so precious to see the kids cuddled up in Grandma’s lap, listening to the stories. Of course if Colby was on Grandma’s lap, Gavin wanted to be there as well, and visa versa. Double trouble. Thank goodness for a patient and loving Grandma.
