Halloween Over Here

There's no Halloween over here in Turkey, but we've come up with a fun tradition. It is an absolute highlight for the kids!
To begin, my friend Kim had all with-children staff members over for dinner. We all brought big pots of soup.

Twinkle Toes did not have a costume as of the day before. We hopped on the internet and decided she'd make a great angry bird. I had a red sweatshirt with room for a pillow. Her papa turned my dark sunglasses into an angry bird mask. Sweet Cheeks donated some orange striped socks to complete her look.

Firstborn made her own costume. We found a tiger striped mop head at the pazar for $1.50. You really never know what you will find there. Papa helped her get the TY sign just right, and she was an adorable beanie baby.

The little gal turned into an Ewok. Believe it or not, this was found entirely in my closet. No comment.

Big Ben had perfectly good Batman and Spiderman costumes, which he plays in on a regular basis. But he got in his head he wanted to be a jedi knight. Then his dad got in his head he wanted to be a jedi knight. All costume pieces came from the teen girls' or my closets. Here are all the kids in the Star Wars theme.

I wanted to take CC's picture with his matching jedi knight in training. CC kept suggesting new poses ...like, "Ok, now serious.... Now with light sabers." I think someone enjoyed this a little.

Miss Middler (this is classic for her!) went out to the street and found a piece of ripped styrofoam. Her dad helped her turn it into a partially eaten Hershey's bar. Brown paint from my bathroom accent wall. An artistic husband who could get the letters just right. Foil. Perfect.

The other kids were adorable, too. We had a Roman soldier. (from a church play!)

 We had Braveheart and another scary warrior. I think it is so cute and fun that these kids are pushing 18, but they can't wait to dress up. There is so little peer pressure to be too cool to do fun things! I love that about here!!!

And yet another scary guy! SI! 

 And so they all took off and trick or treated at the staff apartments. Some teachers shocked them and dressed up, too! Libraries who kept saying, "SHHHH!" The little old lady who lived with shoes (and had shoes pinned all over her). Nerds. The kids love it! Simple, but special. 

I was home alone for a solid two hours! I enjoyed the quiet and even got to have a nice long chat with  my mother-in-law! But it was sure fun to answer the door and see these precious kids having fun. When Big Ben arrived, he said, "Look, Mama! I'm a jedi knight and so it Papa!" (Right son, we've been putting this costume on for a week now! So cute!)

Here's our amazing 2013 staff kid lineup! 

What was your favorite costume you saw last night?