Pumpkin Carving!

     One of the staples of October for my girls, has always been carving pumpkins.  We have done it with Ashley, every since she was a baby sitting in her Bumbo.  Of course then she didn't contribute much, but she sure did love playing in the bowl of pumpkin guts!  So every year after, we made it a tradition, as most families do, to carve a pumpkin.  

      We have learned over the years to not get the pumpkins too early.  Usually we are so excited for the season of wonderful holidays ahead, that we can't wait to get started.  We used to get our pumpkins at the pumpkin patch.  The problem with that is, if you wait too long into October, the pumpkin patch gets really busy and crowded, but if you go to early, the pumpkins will be mush by Halloween.  So now we've got it down to a science.  We go to the pumpkin patch usually around the first week of October and just pick up some fun looking pumpkins and gourds to decorate the porch with.  Then the weekend before Halloween, I pick up a pumpkin or two from the grocery store to carve.  

     This year, the girls were excited as always to carve a pumpkin.  Ashley had been asking me every week when we were going to do it.  So when the time finally came, she was very happy.  Last year, Lilly really enjoyed getting her hands in the pumpkin and feeling all the guts and seeds.  This year, not so much.  The only way that she would stick her hand in, is if she was in charge of the scooper.  Even then, though, she didn't get anything out, but at least she tried!  

     Lilly soon got bored with it, so we cleaned her up and sent her to play with toys.  Ashley and I held strong though.  She helped me finish cleaning out the pumpkin, and then helped me with separating the guts and seeds.  We then handed it over to Daddy, who did the carving for us.  Since Lilly's favorite animal is an owl, that's what did.  

     It's hard to see that it's an owl this close up, but when you step a few feet back, you can definitely see it!  We finished off the night by cooking up the pumpkin seeds, which my husband and I think is the best part!  The kids don't really like them, but that just means there are more for us!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!