Thanksgiving is just a week away and many of us are gearing up for the big day.  My “to do” list contains things like:

• pick up the turkey and trimmings
• pick up my sister and her family at the airport
• pick up decorations
• pick up costumes

Now, that last “pick up” sounds a little more like a to do list for Halloween, but not at our house.  Every year the younger kids like to wear Thanksgiving costumes for our annual Thanksgiving dinner.  We’ve had the tradition in our family for years.  Even the older kids (from teens to adults) enjoy getting into the act sometimes!

It’s not uncommon to see my children and their cousins dressed as Pilgrims and Indians running around the house while we’re fixing Thanksgiving dinner.  I’m sure the kids like it maybe not so much for the meaning behind the costumes, but just for the fact that they can run around the house like the wild kids they are.   It’s so much fun for them and they look forward to it every year!

This year let your kids have fun while maybe even learning a little about the history of the Thanksgiving holiday.  HalloweenExpress.com has a huge selection of Thanksgiving Day costumes and accessories to make it easy and convenient for your family to start your own holiday tradition this year!

No question about it – Halloween is a great family holiday!  The children love to go out trick-or-treating for candy and the parents enjoy walking them around the neighbor.  It’s sort of a social thing for the parents as they stop and talk with all their neighbors as their kids run from house to house.  A lot of neighborhoods that have streets in a cul-de-sac will set up a long table at the beginning of the street and all the parents will sit there with their candy making it easier for the children.  It’s just like one-stop candy shopping for the kids!

For years it’s been a tradition at our house that my whole family (brothers, sisters and their kids) all get together at my house Halloween night.  It’s pizza and chaos as we help all the younger kids get dressed in their costumes.  Then it’s off to trick-or-treating we go. 

This year I’ve decided to have a costume party at our house once all the kids are back from raiding the neighborhood candy bowls.  Everyone has to come dressed in group themed costumes (or as I like to call it “family” themed).  We’re dressing as all the characters from the Wizard of Oz!  I love the idea and the kids are actually excited about it!  Wizard of Oz costumes are so easy and fun and make for a great family costume idea!  I’m going to be Glinda the Good Witch, my husband is going to be the Wicked Witch of the West (which I think is hilarious), Sydney is going to be Dorothy, Olivia is the Cowardly Lion and my son Caden is going to be the Tin Man.  We still need someone to be the Scarecrow so I think we’re just going to throw a flannel shirt on our dog with some hay sticking out all over!

Here are some other great “family” or group costume ideas for your Halloween:

• Alice in Wonderland
• Superheroes
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Power Rangers
• Star Wars
• Toy Story
• Sesame Street

Start a new tradition this year with your family by throwing a Halloween costume party!  Use themes such as; horror and gothic, humorous or even movie costumes.  No matter what you decide, just have fun and enjoy spending time with your family this Halloween holiday!

“To Infinity and Beyond”, gosh I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that over the years!  My son, Caden was obsessed with Toy Story and when he saw that they are bringing back Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D, well he was beside himself.  He had a Buzz Lightyear costume for Halloween a few years ago and wore it everyday for a year until it practically fell off him. 

To be honest I’m kind of looking forward to it too.  My husband and I loved the Toy Story films!  I know a lot of parents that saw the movie with their children and liked it as much as they did.  Just seeing all the different toys that we used to play with as a kids was cool enough for me.  I laughed throughout the whole movie! 

The 3D movie will only run in theaters for 2 weeks at two different times.  The first is October 2, 2009 and the second is February 12, 2010.  Both of these are in preparation for the release of TOY STORY 3 in Digital 3D on June 18, 2010.  Wow, we definitely can’t wait for that one to come out! 

Disney Pixar did such an amazing job with Toy Story!!  Even though it’s a computer animated movie, the characters are brought to life with their own funny and quirky personalities.   Of course the two main characters are Woody, the cowboy and Buzz Lightyear, the space ranger.  Here are a few other great characters that you couldn’t help but fall in love with.

• Mr. Potato Head
• Jessie (cowgirl)
• Hamm (the piggy bank)
• Bo Peep
• Rex (T-Rex)
• Slinky Dog

I even loved the army men in the beginning of the movie as they completed their covert mission of parachuting downstairs to find out what toy Andy got for his birthday.  The whole movie was a blast! 

This year Toy Story costumes are going to be all the rage with children and adults alike with the 3D movies coming out.  Oh did I forget to mention that since adults love the movie so much they also love the costumes as well.  What a great idea for a couple costume – Buzz Lightyear and Woody OR Woody and Jessie.  They’re perfect and sure to win you first place in any Halloween costume contest!

There is nothing I like better than personalized holiday decorations!  I think they are simply adorable and add the perfect touch to any home.  Having your last name on a ghostly welcome mat at your front door is a great way to welcome all the little trick or treaters in your neighborhood.

HalloweenExpress.com now has personalized Halloween items on their website and to tell you the truth I just spent about an hour checking out everything from welcome mats and candy bowls to trick or treat bags and apparel.   I think I want one of everything!

One of my favorite items that the kids love as well are the personalized trick or treat bags.  It makes it so much easier with their names on them so that we don’t have any fighting over who took who’s bag by mistake.  When it comes to their Halloween candy it’s amazing how children know exactly what candy is in there!  Now if I would ask my son what he did in school today, he wouldn’t have a clue, but ask him what kind of candy he has left in his Halloween bag he can tell you piece by piece!  It’s amazing isn’t it?!

Children love personalized Halloween clothing as well.  Each year my kids have a Halloween party at school and they’re allowed to be out of uniform that day.  Instead of costumes they want the children to wear something that falls in line with the Halloween theme.  That’s where the personalized sweatshirts come in handy.  With “too cute to spook” or “pumpkin princess” written across the front they’re perfect for any child.

So this year don’t forget your personalized Halloween decorations!  It’s the perfect way to add that little extra something to your home and/or yard.

Fourth of July will be upon us in a couple weeks!  Summer is in full swing and the kids are having a blast being off for the summer.  Pool parties, concerts and graduation parties are marking everyone’s calendars making the weekends fly by.

One big universal party is coming up – July 4th!  Everyone loves the July 4th holiday with cookouts, parades and of course fireworks.  I’ve noticed the street side stands going up within the last couple days in our community.  The kids love to stop in and get the sparklers, bottle rockets and fire crakers. 

We always decorate the yard with a ton of those small plastic American flags plus one big one that we leave up year around.  The kids get to decorate with the flags any way they want to.  We ususally end up with flags everywhere and so do the neighbors.  My son Caden dresses up as Uncle Sam and waves at the parade as they go by.  Everyone in the parade gets a big kick out of seeing him in his Uncle Sam costume.  Of course the girls don’t want to be upstaged, so Sydney wears her Statue of Liberty costume (complete with torch) and Olivia runs around in her red, white and blue cheerleading outfit. 

Once the parade is over the family comes over for food and fun.  My husband and brother-in-law let off the most amazing firework display at the end of the night. 

If you want to add a little fun to your Fourth of July, dress up in a Patriotic costume from HalloweenExpress.com. 

Wow, it is cold today here in Northern Kentucky!  I can’t believe that the Cincinnati Reds have their opening day game and the temperature is only getting to 39 degrees!  Plus besides the wonderful drizzle of rainfall we might get snow flurries!  And they say this is Spring? 

Well that’s the fun of living in the midwest!  You never know what Mother Nature has planned.  I’ve been to opening day games where it’s been absolutely beautiful with temperatures in the 70’s and plenty of sunshine and I’ve been where they had to stop for a few innings because they couldn’t see through the snowfall!  No matter what the weather, opening day here in Cincinnati, Ohio is always a blast.  With the parade, a brand new state-of-the-art scoreboard and the first pitch thrown out by Nick Lachey, what more could you ask for?  At least we’re playing the New York Mets and this weird weather won’t be new to them.  They always get what we get just a couple days later!

At least school spring breaks are still going on and families are heading to warmer climates such as Florida or out west.   A week of sunshine would be wonderful about now.  We’re one of those lucky families because not only do we get to head to a warmer climate, but we get to visit our much-missed family as well.  I’m looking forward to relaxing on the beach while watching the kids have a blast in the ocean with my husband.  Me, I’m fine just sitting on the beach!  As much as I love the beach, I don’t like the ocean at all!  I can’t stand not being able to see what I’m stepping on and the salt – well, that’s just got to go!

I am looking forward to spending Easter with everyone though!  Mass in the morning then a great day with a neighborhood Easter parade, our own family Easter egg hunt, lots of ham sandwiches, plenty of fatening desserts and a visit from the Easter Bunny!  The kids are going to love it!  The Easter Bunny costume that my sister’s neighbor is wearing is perfect!

If you haven’t got your Easter Bunny costume yet, there’s still time at HalloweenExpress.com!  Make this Easter one that the kids will always remember! 

Wednesday was April 1st or better known as April Fools Day (or All Fools Day).  A big day in the calendar year for all you jokesters out there to play pratical jokes on your family and friends.  Did you kow that in some countries such as; UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa the jokes only last until noon?  After that anyone who plays a trick on someone is call an “April Fool”.  Of course in the US, Ireland and France the pranks last all day!  So if you’re still in that “prankster” mood check out all the great pranks and gags accessories at HalloweenExpress.com.  There’s something to scare the living daylights out of just about everyone you know!

Today is Friday, April 3rd and there’s only one more Friday (Good Friday) to go before Easter.  Spring is in the air and the tulips are in full bloom.  Another thing in the air is rain – lots of it!  I guess the old adage is true ”April showers bring May flowers”.  It started storming last night and is still raining outside now.  I do love to sleep in a good thunderstorm, though.  I do hate when the lights go out during storms but at night when you’re getting ready to go to bed it’s dark anyway, so I don’t mind if we lose electricity at night. 

Today is also the first day of live racing at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.  They only have live racing (actual horses running on the track) during April and November.  My nephew goes to the University of Kentucky and a big group of them are all heading over to see the horses and place their bets.  Going to Keeneland is a long running tradition at the University of Kentucky.  Live racing goes through April 24th so if you love horses, love the excitment of the race, and  want to see one of the most beautiful race tracks in the country you have to go to Keeneland!

You still have time to order that Easter Bunny costume I’ve been talking about for weeks to save yourself the headache of waiting in line at the mall for pictures with the Easter Bunny.  Have a family member or friend be your Easter Bunny this year with a great costume from HalloweenExpress.com.

There are so many fun things to do as a family during the Easter holiday and a lot of it has to do with eggs!  The annual Easter egg hunt at the local park, the annual Easter egg hunt for the family in the backyard and the coloring of Easter eggs are the three most important things on my kids Easter “to do ” list.

I love coloring Easter eggs and can remember doing it with my brothers and sisters when I was little.  It was a big deal then and still is today with my children.  I buy three dozen eggs (one for each child) and after boiling and cooling them, the fun begins.  I’m still pretty old fashioned when it comes to coloring eggs.  I like the tried-and-true Paas Easter Egg coloring kit where you drop a colored tab in a mixture of water and vinegar and use the bendable egg holder to drop it in and get it out when it’s done.  I love the wax crayon that comes with it so the kids can write their names on the eggs before dropping them into the color.  Today though there are so many different ways to color eggs.  We’ve tried them all, but my favorite is still Paas.

The city park always has a big Easter egg hunt every year and the kids love it.  It’s a lot of fun to go to but can be overwhelming for the little ones.  When they tear away the ribbon and all the kids take off it’s mayhem!  But the kids love it and the parents are all cheering them on from the sidelines (and of course telling them where the eggs are).  My favorite part is the Easter Bunny himself.  The same “Easter Bunny” has been doing it for years and he is wonderful with the children.  It’s the most amazing Easter Bunny costume and you’ll never believe where they got it??  Of course…HalloweenExpress.com! 

Another fun Easter egg hunt is the one we have for all my children, nieces and nephews at our house every Easter.  We have a big Easter party later on in the day so that all the kids have plenty of time to get their Easter baskets at home and have time to enjoy playing with their treats.  Also there’s always Easter mass on Easter morning to go to.  Once everyone is here the kids all go downstairs while the adults hide a ton of those plastic Easter eggs with different things in them all over the backyard.  For the little ones, it’s candy and for the older kids of course nothing would do but cold hard cash.  It’s all small amounts, some eggs with ten cents other eggs with $1 or $5.  It’s always so much fun watching them take off and find the eggs.  Each child gets the same amount of eggs so that we don’t hear, “That’s not fair!” 

So this Easter try a little “egg” fun!  Whether it’s coloring them or hiding them around the yard, the kids will really be glad you did! 

Wow, dejavu on the Friday the 13th date.  Didn’t we just have one last month?  That’s pretty rare because sometimes it only happens once a year!  Consider yourself lucky or unlucky since it is Friday the 13th!

Well college spring break is in full swing and the beaches down south are hopping!  With this little cold front that just swept through the midwest this week it’s freezing here!  Monday it was in the 70’s and today we’ll be lucky to hit the mid 40’s!  My sister lives in Ft Myers and she said it’s been in the 80’s all week.  I’m seriously considering moving! 

The first official day of Spring is one week from today!  Even though it doesn’t feel like it now, it looks like we’ll be warming up by this time next week.  Is everybody ready for St Patrick’s Day?  Only four days away and everything will be coming up green.  Green lakes, rivers, food and most importantly beer!  Pick up any last minute accessories or St Patrick’s Day costumes right here on HalloweenExpress.com.  Do you have your Leprechan hat or green beads? 

A couple weeks after that we go right into Easter!  That gives you plenty of time to pick up that Easter Bunny costume you’ve been wanting.  You’ll be the hit of the neighborhood and the kids will love it!  Don’t forget your bunny teeth and jumbo carrot!  What about your little one?  Don’t you think they’d look absolutely adorable in a Tom Arma Bunny costume?   I do!

Have fun this Easter and dress up your whole familiy in Easter Bunny costumes!  HalloweenExpress.com has every size you need from infant and toddler to kids to teens to adults.  Order yours now and make this Easter one to remember!

 Over the Christmas holiday I wrote a blog about the wonderful idea of taking my children to get their pictures taken with Santa Claus at the mall.  Well, maybe the thought behind it was wonderful but the waiting in line for hours just to have my youngest daughter change her mind right before sitting on Santa’s lap was not.  Although a few years down the road I may look back on that holiday picture (two of my children smiling happily on Santa’s lap while my youngest screams her head off) and smile, I definitely would not want to go through that again.  Hence my blog about Santa costumes and the benefit of having Santa come to your house for some great holiday memories!

Well it’s Easter time again and the same thing can apply to the Easter Bunny!  I know the lines aren’t as long at the mall to get your children’s picture taken with the Easter Bunny but you still run the risk of your child losing it on the Easter Bunny’s lap. 

At HalloweenExpress.com you’ll find everything you need in the way of Easter Bunny costumes to bring the Easter Bunny to you.  My sister’s neighborhood has an Easter parade every year where the kids wear their Easter best and form a little parade down their street.  At the end of the parade route the Easter Bunny is there to greet the children and the kids love it!  I think this is a great idea! 

Whether you have the Easter Bunny come to your neighborhood or your home, your children will be more relaxed and really enjoy getting their picture taken and “hanging out” with the Easter Bunny for awhile.  How many kids can say they’ve hung out with the Easter Bunny?  Last year we did the whole Easter Bunny thing at our house and my neighbors thought it was such a cute idea that we’re expanding it to our neighborhood this year.  The Easter Bunny is going to have his hands full this year!