What were your kids for Halloween?

Halloween is one of those holidays that my sons count down for, beginning in the summer. With William and Alexander having birthdays in September (and us always having a Halloween themed party), they start talking costumes in July (no joke). This year Alexander, Benjamin and Henry all wanted to be something TOY STORY. It's funny, my sons are at the age where Toy Story 3 is really the first time we've ever been into Toy Story. My guys were too young (and not born) with the other Toy Story movies. So the excitement and wonder and awe has begun now for the McClelland boys...

JAKKS Pacific sent the boys the coolest Halloween costumes this year - Woody, Big Buzz and Little Buzz (as we deemed them).

Halloween Costumes at ThredUP

If you're looking for a way to Green your Halloween - look no further...

Moms... you will LOVE THIS!!



thredUP has extended their eco-friendly swapping platform to kids Halloween costumes. Children outgrow clothes every 3-6 months - needless to say, kids' costly costumes are worn only once and typically tossed the following year. This fall, recycle your kids' outgrown costumes and get ones that fit in return!




thredUP's Halloween Costume Swap works like the regular service!

• Build and list a box containing an outgrown Halloween Costume - be sure to flag it as a "Specialty Halloween Box"


• When someone picks your box, send it free of charge (thredUP sends you empty flat rate boxes at registration & even schedules home pick-up!)


• To find a costume for your child, browse boxes of kids clothes flagged as "Halloween Boxes" - pick one you'd like to receive. Pay only $5 + shipping & the box is sent right to your doorstep.

*thredUP's Costume Swap will run throughout the month of October.

Twitter Party TOMORROW NIGHT!

Tomorrow night (September 8th) is our September TWITTER PARTY! Please head on over and join on in... no RSVP'ing required!

Details:

8PM (EST) on Twitter.

Hashtag: #totsyparty

Must be following: @mytotsy @AudreyMcClellan @MomTrends

We're talking Halloween costumes and party decorations and some "spooky" FUN! We'll also be chatting about the Fall Fashion season.

Don't miss out! We have wonderful giveaways - stock up!!

Halloween isn't over yet!

Last year I spent over $100 dollars on costumes for my sons. Superman. Indiana Jones. Elmo. And a Red Hot Chilly Pepper. And then... I bought the tins for Trick or Treating. The pumpkin flashlights to see where we were going. And then decorations for all over the house and front yard. I probably spent close to $200. It was my first Halloween as a mother of 4... and I wanted to have some fun decorating and giving the boys some treats... but I quite literally couldn't believe the amount of money I spent. I will say... the boys looked amazing in their costumes last year... and I still can't get over how adorably-cute my little Henry was as a Red Hot Chilly Pepper (he was 4 months at the time).

But after last Halloween... I got smart. They're still young and really don't (100%) understand exactly what they want to be for Halloween (even this year, they "changed" what they wanted to be every other day). Last year, right around this time... I brought them to Target and let them pick out 3 costumes each. 3 costumes at 75-90% OFF! They were in Halloween Heaven! They bought Star Wars Clone Troopers, Spiderman, Indiana Jones (because you need a new one every year), Darth Vader, Hulk and every kind of mask you can imagine! Halloween last year right about now... was done for this year.

Well, we did it again this past weekend. Every place you can possibly buy a Halloween costume from has their items slashed right now. My sons love it because they get so excited to be picking out more than 1 costume. I love it because I'm saving money. Not to mention, my 2 oldest sons celebrate birthdays around this time of year. We always have a Halloween-themed party for them. We bought goodies for their goodie bags - plastic spiders and eyeballs and pumpkins. We bought stickers and placemats and fingertip toys.

I know it's tough to store and save things for a year... but if you're looking for a way to save a lot of money next Halloween and really let your kids go crazy with some Halloween goodies, check out the stores right now! This year the boys wanted to buy some costumes to "play in" throughout the year, which we loved seeing them do. Looks like we'll be having 3 little Star Wars Clone Troopers running around the house. Just remember moms... Halloween isn't over yet!