Maxwell Elephant

So, I know you all have probably come back for the culmination of our Halloween week

here at the Hauck's nest.  Lucky for you I take the obligation of documenting Max's life

(and ours) very seriously and I have saved the best for last!

 

As we got closer and closer to Halloween...my desire to "make" a handmade costume

waned until it became non-existant.  It's not that I didn't want to - but....more like I lacked the motivation/energy. So, when Grandpa Jim was visiting, he mentioned that Max's cousin, Brooklyn, had been an elephant the previous year.  And, he would gladly send us the costume if we wanted it.

An elephant?  For real?  While Max is probably not aware of it - the elephant is more or less

his "spirit animal". Before he was born, I wore an elephant necklace - and then

we decided to incorporate some elephant things in his nursery...and then the obession continued.      See examples below.  

(His coming home outfit)

(Adorable bib)

(Cutie pie elephant fresh from a bath)

(Elephant hat!!)

 

Clearly - I was sold on the elephant costume even before it arrived on my doorstep! 

 

Grandpa Jim made good on his promise and the costume arrived a few short days later. 

I hesistantly tried it on Max and he seemed to really dig it.  Max smiles at most things these days...but I could tell he reserved a special smile just for this moment. 

 

Rob and I agreed we could make a few alterations to the costume (it originally had a pink belly) and it would be just right. It worked out even better when grandmim agreed to sew these alterations for us. Who am I to argue with help on sewing matters?

 

Now - after we had decided the elephant costume was a go - it was really just a snap to

figure out that Rob and I should be... ZooKeepers!  I searched Pinterest for some costume inspiration...and then it struck me.  The Zoo had done all the work for me.  Just a month earlier - they

had given all of us full time staff  Jack Hanna zookeeper shirts for his "Hanna-versary". 

Boom! Done. We would clearly wear the shirts with our khakis. 

I decided to get real fancy and add a "pith helmet".  Because that's how I roll. 

I think you'll agree the end result was pretty picture perfect. 

 

I present to you - Maxwell James Hauck and his adoring ZooKeepers!

 

 

 

A Happy Halloween was had by all!

xoxo



Costumes of the Past

To prepare for the final day before Halloween and the unveiling of Maxwell James Hauck's
costume (I know you're all waiting in great anticipation)...I thought we'd take another stroll through the archives of Halloween pasts :)
 

2008
(living with Auntie Stacy at "The Nut" aka Chesnut Hill)
This year we headed to our trainer at the gym's Halloween party.  The fact that we had
a trainer at the gym is kind of laughable to me now.  The insane amount of money I was willing
to shell out is also frightening (ah...life before marriage and a child).  Anywho - I was rocking the Minnie Mouse costume!  I feel this somehow encapsulates my personality quite well - Minnie Mouse is adorable, peppy, and girly :)  My favorite part of the outfit was the white gloves (which you sadly cannot see...) which I threw in everyone's face as the night went on.

(Why I'm flashing the peace sign is unclear to me....as was most of the night

past ten o'clock...but that's another story...)

 

2009

Rob and I's first Halloween together.  Now...at this point we had been together about six months which I thought was a totally acceptable amount of time for approaching the idea of a "couple's costume".  Naturally, I wanted to recycle the Minne Mouse costume and Rob should clearly have been my Mickey...but after an argument in the costume store parking lot, and a failed attempt at a cave women's costume - I went solo as Minnie (I mean, I got to wear the gloves again....so...) and Rob went as "Tequila Poppin' Dude".  Yes, you totally read that right.  I think the mustache and sombrero sold him on the idea -- but dear Lord did I have some thoughts about that costume.  I kept them to myself (surprising I know). And as the night went on the mustache grew on me (literally).

 

2010

This was the year my good friend Amanda started working at the Zoo.  She is super crafty and into making costumes.  We decided (much to the delight of our class) to dress as our classroom animals.  Do you see the turtle shell on her back?  It's made out of cardboard box and she hand painted the exact detail of our classroom turtle Cecil's shell markings on it.  I had clearly met my costume soul mate.  I went as our classroom chinchilla, Chula.  It should be noted that while Chula is totally lovable - she is a tad overweight - so I am wearing a pillow under my sweatshirt.  I thought this costume was amazing because I got to wear sweat pants to work for a week.  Genius.

 

For the actual Halloween party - I again tried my best to get Rob to agree to a couple's costume.  But, alas, the party got canceled and then rescheduled last minute - so we couldn't pull anything off.  Luckily though - Rob was more than happy to resurrect his beloved "beer bottle" costume and I happily wore my pumpkin outfit.  While this costume isn't doing anything to up my sex appeal - it's pretty forgiving when you have some Halloween candy beer bloat going on - so win win, I say.  

 

 

2011

Again - the ZooKid ladies decided to do a "group" costume and since Amanda was on maternity leave...we kept it simple by going with a superhero theme!  Super Carrie! I actually really liked this costume too - because who doesn't want to wear a cape all day?! Now...to decide on my super power...flying? being invisible?  probably just being able to eat whatever I want and never have to work out again.  Yes, yes...that sounds good. 

 

Now...when I was working away on my costume...I could tell Rob was vaguely interested in what all the hot glueing was about.  So, I pitched the idea of being a super hero to him (I'm pretty sure I used the Incredibles movie as support for my argument)....and wait for it...he ACTUALLY WANTED TO DO IT!! Now, let's take this outfit from the top...to our awesome masks...and all the way to the bottom...where we are wearing black leggings.  Or...even from the back - where our capes had our initials on them.  Leave no detail behind is always my motto.  Super Haucks to the rescue!!

 

(I loaned the pumpkin costume to my bestie Lynn...and her and her husband Tom were rocking a couple's costume of Linus waiting for the great pumpkin.  They pretty much killed it.)

 

2012

To go along with my owl pumpkin - I decided to create an owl costume as well.  I enlisted the help of my mom, a thrift store fleece, some felt, and about 15 glue sticks.  When you can't sew, the glue gun quickly becomes your go to crafting supply.  My mom helped me cut and glue all the feathers to my fleece and create wings the tied around my neck.  I later went on to create an owl headpiece too. Again, Rob was all to happy to shimmy into the beer bottle costume once more.  It's kind of his Halloween staple at this point.  He even shrieked to me at one point in despair because he couldn't find it...to which I replied calmly - "I decided to put it on a hanger last year...it's in the closet".  He was probalby just surprised that I wanted to devote closet space to that.  I am too.

 

 

 

2013

I'm going to keep you in suspense for our family costume...but since I know you have probably only read to this point in hopes of seeing some Max goodness...please feast your eyes on his Halloween wardrobe below.  (Hint: there is a tiny sneak peek of his Halloween costume).

 

The real question is...have you started on your costumes yet?  :)

XoXo 



Pumpkin Carving Time

I'm not really a less is more kind of person.  I know, right? 

 

I'm more like a pile it on, can't say no, overscheduled, over-stressed, need to record every last detail kind of gal.  So when I'm in to something.  I'm in.  Like, all in.  And, you know what I'm into - Halloween!  And in particular - PUMPKINS!  I like thinking about them, attempting to grow them (spoiler alert - some freaky spiders took over our plant this year...and it turns out I can't take care of a baby and a pumpkin plant), shopping for them at multiple pumpkin farms, and carving them!

 

Let's take a walk through years past of our pumpkin carving endeavors. 

 

2009

The first Halloween Rob and I were together.  Rob and I walked to the pumpkin farm.  I picked out an extremely large pumpkin and Rob carried it all the way home. It was true love. I'm pretty sure mustaches were super in then, plus we thought it would be funny to put one on a pumpkin. I remember Rob saying he hadn't carved a pumpkin in years.  But, I did not let that deter us - we forged ahead and carved a pretty awesome pumpkin that Drew kept on his porch well past the appropriate time.  Either way - note the eyebrows and the mustache (and how young we look!)

 

It should also be noted that every year I always want to have a pumpking carving party.  In 2009, I was living with Stacy and somehow convinced Emily, Liz, Courtney, and Stacy to carve pumpkins too!  Turns out - Stacy and I carved one together and Liz was the only other participate.  On top of mustaches...we also had a pet theme that year...

Dot did not seem to care about the pumpkin we painstakingly carved him. 

 

2010

Rob and I moved in together.

Pecan Sandy had also become part of our household that year...so apparently we decided to

dedicate our pumpkin to her (and also my face?  It's hard to say why I had whiskers on??).

I like the use of the "eye parts" that got carved out and then repurposed into cat ears. 

There is truly no stopping my creativity sometimes.

 

2011

I like to scout out not just the pumpkin farms in Columbus...but also Dayton. So the below pictures were from a trip to Grandma's Gardens...where I found the holy grail of pumpkins...two that grew together!! I know. Stop it right now!  Of course, it was coming home with us.  I'm pretty sure Rob didn't even bat an eye.  Some might scoff and ask why not just buy them for $4.99 at Kroger -but Rob does not.  And this is why I love him.  He is okay with paying per glorious pound of pumpkin.

#he'sthebest

 

 

This was also the year we got married. 

And, my ampersand obsession began (and has not stopped).

(awww....)

 

2012

The year we broke out the heavy duty pumpkin carving tools. Say what?! 

Rob helped me make my Martha Stewart dreams come true.  I have seen the "owl"

pumpkin in her special Halloween publication for years.  But...it always seemed to complicated. 

Until 2012 - and then we dominated.  This was also the year we got smart and stopped using candles on the inside - because every year I burn my fingers.  We wised up and used our battery operated

christmas lights).  #genius. 

 

2013

The year of Maxwell James Hauck!!  While I was at the dentist, the boys got to work cleaning out the pumpkin guts.  The first order of business when I got home was figuring out how to get Max inside.  Two leg holes later - we present....Max O'Lantern!

He was super cooperative and really didn't seem to mind.

And you guys - our pumpkin...is IN A PUMPKIN. 

My heart can barely take it.

 

Later - after the pumpkin had gone to bed...we continued the fun.  

Before Max headed off to sleepy town - we traced his chubby little hands. 

Then, we made them the "eyes" on our pumpkin!

I should give Pinterest a shout out for this idea and the folks over at Young House Love because I pretty much copied this idea from them. 

 

 

One thing is for sure - fall is full of festivals, zombie runs, scary movies, and

costumes galore - but me?  I'm in it for the pumpkins.

xOxO



A Perfect Fall Sunday!

We have just a few weekends left of what I consider "fall" - so we had to make the most

of things this past weekend. While we had grand plans to go to "Boo at the Zoo" on Saturday - the

crazy strong winds and terrible weather made us think twice.  Max has just within the past few days started to really seem like he's over his last cold - so...we didn't want to take any chances.  But don't think I didn't dress him up all weekend long in the Halloween gear.

Sunday morning - my favorite ZooKid ladies came over for a Pumpkin Painting Party (BYOP of course :).  We ate a delicious breakfast...and drank fabulous mimosas before getting to work on our masterpieces!  I love how I can see each of one of our personalities in the pumpkins.  The polka dots scream Candice, the swirls are decidely Amanda, the hashtag #zookids4life had to be Becky's (she's the tech guru)...and of course the funny face and colorful hair belong to Elizabeth.  It's a rare and wonderful thing to find co-workers you lactually like working with...and then to make the effort to continue seeing them well beyond work is even better!  Each of these ladies brings something special to my life and I'm so glad we got to spend some time together on Sunday reconnecting!

 

A nap for Max and Mama and then we were ready to head out into the crisp fall air (minus the terrible winds).  We went to a new to us park by our house called "Murphy Park" and did a few laps on the paved trail just soaking up the changing leaves, cool fall air, and adorable baby of ours! 

 

 

 

The park was just gorgeous - and for whatever reason lots of the trees were this beautiful yellow color.  Max seemed to be enjoying himself as we narrated the scene playing out before us.

 

 

He really is simply irresistble in the elephant hat!  And before long - I decided he

neede to come out of the stroller for some photos :)

 

 

 

Lately he has become obsessed with zippers, scarves, necklaces, earrings, and hair...so I think he had fixed himself on trying to grab the string on my coat in that last picture! 

 

The fun did not even stop there!  When we got back home it was just in time for Auntie Stacy to visit!!  Hooray!  And she brought us goodies from Target...Christmas onesies!!  She also got to feed Max some delicious green beans and avacado :)  He was a fan!

 

 

 

I know I say this all the time - but this past weekend was the best!  Friend time...fall time...family time! I can't get enough.

XoXo