Hunting and Carving Pumpkins

The Saturday after the kiddos' birthday we took our annual trek to Trax to pick some pumpkins. The kids always enjoy climbing the pumpkin piles and the other (expensive) activities!  It was a bit nippy this year when we went, but we soldiered on!















Ghosts!


Pumpkins!


Refreshing ourselves with kettle corn, apple dumplings, and hot apple cider.


Later that day we attempted to carve our pumpkins. ATTEMPTED. We broke two or three pumpkin carvers and a paring knife. Next year we will not get warty pumpkins. Daddy did us good in the end though!

Jack O'Lanterns and Pajamas

We decided to carve up our pumpkins on Saturday morning. It was a gray, chilly, kind of wet morning, so what better did we have to do? We were lucky Colin let us even eat breakfast before we got started. He was excited.



Daddy is charged with cutting. The kids and I scoop seeds and guts (in our pajamas).



Colin preferred to use the spoon.



Weasel help!


Gillian directing Daddy to cut the way she wants.



TA DA!




Then it was Colin's turn.



TA DA AGAIN!




Oh, and Momo approved.

Pumpkin Fun

The Friday before Halloween we decided to carve our previously picked pumpkins. It was pretty chilly so we put down a tarp in the foyer and just had our fun there. It was Daddy's job to cut and the kids and I scooped guts.

First up was G's "warty" pumpkin. She chose this one and specifically wanted a bumpy one.


Apparently warty pumpkins are TOUGH.

We had a "tough to cut" contest. My beautiful white and orange striped pumpkin was the toughest (and it was rotten inside, boo), then G's warty guy, and then, the easiest, was Colin's traditional smooth pumpkin. Daddy is going to encourage us to buy only smooth pumpkins next year.

Despite the tough squash, the tops did come off and the kids and I scooped guts.


The kids did a great job scooping. They didn't really like to touc the stuff with their hands (I LOVE that stuff), but they did a really persistent job with their spoons. Colin was cracking me up as he was working, he has talking and talking and talking to his pumpkin. I can't remember exactly what he was saying; he was just making small talk.

Next up, the kids told Daddy what kind of faces they wanted. They picked which shapes to make the eyes and nose, and then what kind of mouth they wanted (happy, sad, scary, surprised).



Colin picked "Suprised" Jack O'Lantern this year. I like it.



Gillian chose a "Happy Jack O'Lantern" for her bumpy guy!

So, 2011 Halloween Jack O'Lanterns!


Goofy kids! Cute pumpkins though.

Happy WEEN!!!!

Turns out we have two little Halloween nuts. I am not a fan of Halloween and Michael is only somewhat into it, but Colin and Gillian? Oh boy, yes. (Well, as long as Colin doesn't have to wear anything resembling a costume!)

The festivities started with pumpkin carving on Saturday! They LOVED IT.

Daddy cut them open and Bean really liked "scooping" the guts out....two seeds at a time.




Colin experimented with the lid...check out the crazy stem on that pumpkin!


Then he took his turn scooping!


But he let Daddy finish...


Gillian kept herself entertained while it was C's turn!


Then Colin got a pumpkin close-up!


Gillian was having fun with Daddy.


After we got the guts all scooped out, we had the kids tell us what shape they wanted Daddy to cut into the pumpkins and we made some pretty awesome Jack O'Lanterns! The kids were VERY proud of them!

First Gillian had to tell Colin: SIT DOWN!


Yep, very proud of those pumpkins!






They looked great all lit up!


Up next....Trick or TREAT!