Pumpkin Masters

Last year we carved out pumpkins about a week before Halloween, and I don't know if it was because it was too hot or because it was just too long for a hollowed out pumpkin to live, but by Halloween our pumpkins were black, moldy and very stinky.  Even Garrett was ready to throw them away.  This year we waited to carve our pumpkins.  I have a love/hate relationship with pumpkins.  I really enjoy doing this with the boys, but can't wait until they can take over!

Tripp with his pumpkin

Pulling the top off, it was much harder than it looks.

"You want me to put my hand where, and touch that!"

I put Garrett in charge of the "how to" directions.  I just love Tripp's enthusiasm.

Tripp liked cleaning out the pumpkin one seed/string at a time, so it didn't take long before he was demoted to "Go just play in the yard" status.

Garrett digging in.

After about 5-6 handfuls of pumpkin guts, Garrett volunteered himself for "Go just play in the yard" status, and I was left to do the dirty work.

This is what I saw when I looked up a few minutes earlier. Great idea boys.  If you can't see it Garrett has a rope tied around his waist and Tripp is pulling him up into the tree.  They had been asking for a while for me to "help" them climb the tree.  "Helping" involves me lifting them up into the tree so they can sit on the low branches.  The rope has been confiscated.

Tripp picked out this lovely shape for his pumpkin.  Cute.  And after I cleaned the pumpkin, and then spent around 30-45minutes "dotting" the picture, only to pull off the paper to a bunch of random dots, we improvised.  I had to convince him that no one wants a spider pumpkin, after all they are scary.  So he was forced picked a face with diamond eyes, a half circle nose and a happy toothy smile. 

 I traded my marker to satisfy the missing spider. Feel free to come and look at the back, it is very pretty.

The finished product.

Garrett and his pumpkin.

...And I gave in...

See love/hate. 

Garrett wanted a Batman pumpkin. I didn't have a pattern for that, and since I was unable to convince him otherwise, I ended up sketching this from one I found on the Internet.

The finished product.

Garrett: Mom, can I eat a pumpkin?

Me: Sure, go get a piece and try it.

Garrett: That is gross!!!

Garrett taking over the camera.

Tripp took over next.

This year Garrett wanted to roast the seeds.  My job was to cook them, and his was to separate the seeds from the gunk.  He didn't get to far until he decided we didn't really have to roast the seeds.

Happy Halloween!

Excited to put the candles in!