Halloween Costumes

wings I made for Kristen- completely by hand!  I designed
the shape and constructed it piece by piece out of wire,
which I then covered with tulle by needle and thread. Lastly,
I sewed/glued sparkles and glitter and flowers and jewels.

I have ALWAYS loved Halloween.  I don't understand the people who do not.  Fun decorations and movies like Hocus Pocus, Nightmare before Christmas, Young Frankenstein and Van Helsing add so much to this wonderful Holiday.  Last night I met two sweet girls from India who are here for school and they were experiencing their first Halloween- first time dressing up as anything, even.  They loved it- and how could they not.  I am very sad that the world does not enjoy it like we do.  Halloween was LAME in Europe when I was a missionary.  Never saw one decoration.
So in honor of this fantastic holiday which we just had, I wanted to post pictures of some of my recent Halloween costumes which I love so much.  And let me just say- that when it comes to a costume, for me and my sister- there are no limits.  We have no concept of 'can't' or 'too much,' only HOW and HECK YES, ROCK IT!
I like to wow people- and that takes effort.

So- starting with one of my all-time favorites: the Cowardly Lion.
This group costume idea started when Kristine found some cheap 70's pumps Dorothy shoes and we decided we should all be characters with a modern twist.  Unfortunately you can't even see her shoes in the picture.  My clothes were simple- I just wore a brown shawl-thingy and ugg boots.  It was my hair that made the costume, of course.  And YES, it is my real hair, not a wig- like everyone thought.


The next year was another fantastic hair year.  In college I had taken a class about the history of 'costume' (but that just means clothes, really) which explained the evolution of clothes dating back to Egyptian and Greek/Roman.
So I was in the mood- and when my date said that he was planning on being a greek god of love (NOT a cupid- despite the wings), I decided I could whip up a Greek Goddess of the Sea. And my hair makes great Greek hair.

Btw- at the boat dance we saw MANY other greek/roman costumes.  I don't know if it is usually a popular costume or if that year we were all just on the same page.  hmm...

Okay- so then I missed 2 Halloweens while I was a missionary.  The first Halloween was while I was in the MTC.  All of the sisters found whatever Halloween colors they had to wear that day and we considered switching name tags, since we couldn't wear costumes.  I was sad to miss the real festivities of this holiday, but I was enjoying it with the best people I know and we loved being there.
The next year I was in Geneva with a French companion who had never really celebrated.  As I said, Halloween isn't big in Europe.  There are other times where people dress up in costumes- like for themed dances- but there are no parties or decorations on Halloween.  But my companion and I made some candy stuffed tissue ghosts and delivered them to people we were teaching. We also played a Halloween surprise prank on the Elders who came to fix our shower.  But again- no dressing up. :(
So you can imagine that the next year, when I was home from my mission, I was really excited and ready to go all out.  
You might say I did just that.  Behold- my victorian peacock-which will be a marvelous Miss Peacock costume if I get a great rope or candlestick.

I am so grateful to my mom for letting me do this costume and for doing all of the hard work on my bodice.  I am not a seamstress, though I DO know how to use a sewing machine.  So I took on the learning opportunity to make the skirt/bustle/bustle pillow all by myself, with my mom's supervision and advice, of course.  I am quite proud of my accomplishment.  But it is not without a price.
While I was sewing the skirt- (late at night- trying to get as much done as possible) I was tired and getting careless.  I somehow managed to get my finger under the needle- which of course when through the nail and impaled my finger.  The most disgusting part was having to unwind the machine by hand to raise the needle and pull it out of my finger.  Ew- just thinking about it.  The pain was crazy and the shock even worse.  I did almost faint and I felt sick.  That was not a fun night.
But do not despair.  I still finished the costume, and it was worth it.


And finally- this year's.  For a long time I did not know what to be.  A couple weeks into October it just came to me.  Ursula.  Of course.  No explanation needed.
Karen was very excited to help me and I am SO grateful for her help.  With her knowledge of sewing and my innovative mind- our two creative geniuses have combined into an award-worthy costume.  Since I already had a dress that was perfect, this costume didn't end up costing us too much :)
We designed our own pattern for the tentacles and I spent hours painting on the suckers with glow-in-the-dark puffy paint.   Btw- puffy paint is a PAIN to control with a brush.  It is SO hard- but it wouldn't have looked as great if I had just sqeezed it all into place.  Yes, it would have been faster, but quality is more important.  And I am very happy with the results.  The glowing effect is very cool, as well.
Thanks to a fantastic pinterest idea, (http://www.pinterest.com/pin/438115869970771689/) Karen got to wow everyone with my hair. Yes- there is a ship in it.

So can you see why I love this holiday?  How can you NOT have fun with costumes like these?

Long time no see

Its been a really long time since I've updated this blog.
To see what I did this summer, go to my new travel blog: leannastravels.blogspot.com

Life update: I'm trying to move to Provo.  I have an interview with a marketing company on Tuesday.  Quick trip to Utah!

I've been working out a lot and I love the gym.  Pretty happy with the way I feel.
That's about it.
Here's my latest picture- showing off how great I feel in one of my favorite dresses that definitely looks better on me now!

I know I look different since I started working out (mostly just cardio work- but occasionally some weights) but all of my pants seem to fit the same- I haven't noticed huge changes like that.  And my weight hasn't changed dramatically (though that isn't the most important thing- people can drop dress sizes and not lose much weight) but I feel amazing and pictures seem to be more forgiving than before.  

Granted- I planned this picture and I know how to pose and position a camera to be as flattering as possible- so there is that.  But still- this picture would not have been the same a year ago.  So yay me!

Good Advice

Really great advice I found on the Internet:

How to talk to your daughter about her body, (and how you should think about your own)
step one: don’t talk to your daughter about her body, except to teach her how it works.
Don’t say anything if she’s lost weight. Don’t say anything if she’s gained weight.
If you think your daughter’s body looks amazing, don’t say that. Here are some things you can say instead:
“You look so healthy!” is a great one.
Or how about, “you’re looking so strong.”
“I can see how happy you are – you’re glowing.”
Better yet, compliment her on something that has nothing to do with her body.
Don’t comment on other women’s bodies either. Nope. Not a single comment, not a nice one or a mean one.
Teach her about kindness towards others, but also kindness towards yourself.
Don’t you dare talk about how much you hate your body in front of your daughter, or talk about your new diet. In fact, don’t go on a diet in front of your daughter. Buy healthy food. Cook healthy meals. But don’t say “I’m not eating carbs right now.” Your daughter should never think that carbs are evil, because shame over what you eat only leads to shame about yourself.
Encourage your daughter to run because it makes her feel less stressed. Encourage your daughter to climb mountains because there is nowhere better to explore your spirituality than the peak of the universe. Encourage your daughter to surf, or rock climb, or mountain bike because it scares her and that’s a good thing sometimes.
Help your daughter love soccer or rowing or hockey because sports make her a better leader and a more confident woman. Explain that no matter how old you get, you’ll never stop needing good teamwork. Never make her play a sport she isn’t absolutely in love with.
Prove to your daughter that women don’t need men to move their furniture.
Teach your daughter how to cook kale.
Teach your daughter how to bake chocolate cake made with six sticks of butter.
Pass on your own mom’s recipe for Christmas morning coffee cake. Pass on your love of being outside.
Maybe you and your daughter both have thick thighs or wide ribcages. It’s easy to hate these non-size zero body parts. Don’t. Tell your daughter that with her legs she can run a marathon if she wants to, and her ribcage is nothing but a carrying case for strong lungs. She can scream and she can sing and she can lift up the world, if she wants.
Remind your daughter that the best thing she can do with her body is to use it to mobilize her beautiful soul.

I'm on the news! sorta

I am really only in this for a couple of seconds, but it was a fun day at the aquarium when a video guy got us feeding the sharks.  He spent close to 20 minutes filming, just for a short segment on the news.  Check it out!

San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com

http://www.cbs8.com/story/22133846/day-in-the-life-of-a-birch-aquarist

Provo!

I didn't get finished putting pictures on this blog because they were not uploading.  So now I am way behind.
UTAH TRIP OVER CONFERENCE WEEKEND



I was in Provo from Wednesday to Friday and it was been a fun-filled, busy time.
I have loved being able to see so many people.
The only planned activities were a hike in the canyon and my mission conference.

In all the filler time I have been more spontaneous than ever before.  We went to see Elise's choir performance (which was was greatly looking forward to because my MTC teacher, Brother Vincent, is in the Singers with her so I got to see him and HUG him for the first time!)
Then we went out to dinner at a great restaurant called The Awful Waffle and 6th street Pizzeria.  They had SPECULOOS gelato!!!  Their pizza was delicious too.
At 8, one of my mission friends, Joshua Boatright got off work and he came to meet me at the restaurant.  Then he got a phone call from his friends who needed him at a kickball game or else they would have to forfit.  So I said, "I'll go with you!" It was really fun to meet some random people that I will probably never see again, but they were really nice and I had a lot of fun.

Then Josh and I went to pop in on another mission friend; and on the way home to Elise's complex, he said that Soeur Smith's sister lived in the same complex.  Soeur Smith was my trainer, btw.  So he gave me her number and I sent her the most random text ever.  It was something like, "hey, I'm your sister's companion and our friend josh gave me your number because he said you live in the same complex as my cousin, where I'm staying.  So if you want, I'd love to meet you. -Leanna Read"
random right?
well she texted me back 10 minutes later and she was excited, so I went downstairs and spent a lovely half hour or more with Hannah Smith.  It was beautiful.
On thursday morning Karen and I went out to breakfast in preparation to give blood, but the red cross didn't open until 1.  So we went and explored the BYU bookstore to fill time until we went to Elise's choir practice.    I got to see Alex Vincent again and he asked me if I was going to volunteer at the TRC.  I asked him about it because I hadn't known you could go just for one day.  So that became my plan.
After lunch Karen and I went to give blood.  I finished, but it got hard at the very end to endure when my chest felt light and hot (which it normally does much earlier).  But its all ok.  After a few icepacks and yummy juice I was just great!
Then Karen dropped me off at the MTC.  That was awesome!  I wasn't sure if I would run in to David.  My heart was racing like the whole time just knowing that he was probably in the building just five steps away from me.  Of course I WANTED to see him so bad, but I also knew that it wouldn't be helpful to him and I would have no idea how to play it cool.  I didn't see him, but it was TOTALLY worth it to be on the MTC campus again- it brought so many memories.  I had a huge mental battle over whether or not I could get away with exploring the campus.
Being able to speak french was awesome!  I could have volunteered there for the full three hours!
That evening Karen and I had dinner at a grill that didn't impress us.  She went home and I stayed on campus to see Josh's dance recital.  It was awesome to be at a BYU dance event.  There were SO many people- and about equal amount of boys and girls, which is shocking.  Dance is legit!  Everyone needs to do it!

I left and walked home before the end of Josh's event, but he made 5th place in the finals for his dance.  Go Josh!
At some point during that day (I really can't remember how it fit in the schedule) Karen and I drove up Provo canyon and up to a great lookout point of the city. Their smog doesn't make for great, clear photos, but oh well.
Friday morning, after a GREAT breakfast at Kneaders (my new favorite bakery) Karen and I went BACK up the canyon, intent on taking pictures with the beautiful fall colors.
Actually, that's wrong- that wasn't the plan, but since the views were irresistable and all our stuff was in our car, we just changed into cute clothes (luckily no one was around- Karen ripped her pants, but still wore them for the pictures).  I have got to say, I am a pretty talented photographer with no tripod and a 10-sec timer.  Plus, I was frequently having to run 10 or more meters of wild, rocky terrain in heals- all within 10 seconds to get to my position.  Quite a scary workout.  I seriously almost fell into really cold water once.  Karen and I laughed a lot that morning.  Often, I wouldn't get there in time and we just got me in funny poses with awkward expressions.  But I am also a master at photoshop, so as long as we get good poses in some of the pictures, anything is possible.  One of these pictures is actually totally fake and I am sure you can spot it if you know what to look for.

We were very pleased with the photos.


After our canyon adventure we went to have lunch with Josh and another mission friend named Trever at the Red Robin.
Then, during some down-time I straightened my hair and finally got to relax.  But then Karen, Elise, Mike and I drove to a little river in Provo where we found some great places to take some photos.  This was something Elise has asked that I do for her sometime during this trip. I never turn down an opportunity to take a great photo- so thats what we did!  I think it is kinda funny now that Elise has red hair- the three of us are so mixed now.  And if my hair wasn't straight, we'd all have out Read curls.
 When we were done, it was time to go back to the apartment because I arranged my ride up to Salt Lake with Josh and my MTC teacher. Our mission reunion started at 6:30 and we left at about 5:15.
 It was a great car ride, but we hit bad traffic for a stupid football game and we made it to the reunion at 6:35.  Luckily they hadn't even started yet.
There were so many people there that I hadn't seen yet since being home. Many of them were a surprise to see. The best surprise was Mattie-June Smith, my trainer.  She lives up in Rexburg and I had NO idea she was planning on coming down.  I almost cried when I saw her, and the hugs we gave eachother throughout the night cannot be counted on all four of our hands.  4 of my companions were there.

One of the highlights of my night was something I was looking forward to since I knew I was going to the reunion.  I was pretty sure that the Thomases would be there.
They are the missionary couple from the Lyon institute. So in anticipation, I brought a plastic Kinder egg on the trip with me.  As I sat in the meeting I wrote a note to them and put it in the egg.  I found a sneaky excuse later to slip it into Brother Thomas' jacket pocket.  He never found it himself.  So when I sat down to talk with him I stole his phone out of that very pocket and proceeded to enter in my number.
By the end of figuring out his phone he finally felt around in that pocket and found the egg.  He laughed SO hard.  It was everything I could have hoped for.   I'm glad he didn't find it when I couldn't see his reaction.  It was perfect.
I can't describe how wonderful it was to listen to real french people (the Caussees bore their testimonies).  Frère Caussee is going to give the Nov. 4 CES broadcast and I am so excited.  His french accent is awesome.
Though the plan was to end at 8, we definitely didn't.  Karen picked me up close to 10 oclock with Kristen Nicholes.
Saturday morning, we ended up not going to Conference and instead watched it at the Nicholes and the afternoon at Spencer and Joanel's.  I got to meet the first great grandbaby on the Read side.  His name is Rhythm and he has the cutest head of hair, as you can see.  What an adorable baby!

At sunset we drove up with the Nicholes to see more autumn leaves.  It was chilly! But we had a wonderful drive.  Kathy had a delicious dinner waiting for us at home and after dinner we had some delicious desserts. Kathy made a cherry pie and Karen and I bought beautiful pastries from Kneaders.
Sunday morning Karen and I got up at 4 to leave.  It was early and FREEZING, but I am glad we left at that time- we made it home SO fast without any traffic. Yay!