Pumpkins and Power Tools

Carving pumpkins is a favorite tradition.  Rachel didn't want to carve one this year.  The kids' least favorite part has always been scooping out the "guts" and I think she was just over it.  Maybe next year.



Aaron and Hannah enjoy having free use of the sharp knives and I cringe with each move they making praying they don't miss and stab themselves.  PK really enjoys this activity, too.  Again, I think it is the use of sharp objects. 

 



This year power tools were mentioned and PK thought that was a great idea, so he pulled out the drill to help Hannah with some details.  I was a bit worried when the power tools came out.

 



In the end, everyone had all the fingers and blood they started with, cute pumpkins and seeds to roast.

Next year I am going to carve a pumpkin using the drill and just make small holes all over it.  I think it will be really pretty when the lights shines through.

Scary Spiritual Pumpkins

Since Rachel has been really little, we have usually painted our pumpkins instead of carving them. It is easier and believe it or not less messy.

Last year the kids decided they wanted to carve instead of paint.

This picture of Aaron is from last year (makes me miss our old house just a little) and the expression on his face pretty much sums up how all three of the kids felt about actually getting the "guts" out of the pumpkin. I was sure they would all want to go back to painting this year.

However, Rachel is the only one who decided to paint.

Yesterday I took the three kiddos to WalMart and let them each pick a pumpkin. Rachel found hers right away. Aaron looked at a couple and Hannah made me dig through the boxes to find what she had imagined to be the perfect pumpkin.

The pumpkins before the kids apply their creative abilities. Isn't the tablecloth fun? I found it on clearance last year. It is vinyl and easy to clean.

I think this is a sweet picture.

They cleaned their pumpkins.

They used dry erase markers to draw the faces they wanted to be carved in their pumpkins.

Their expressions clearly show that they aren't thrilled about scooping out the insides of the pumpkin. Aaron is actually helping Hannah clean out her pumpkin.

Hannah's heart seed.

Rachel painting hers.

P.K. helped Aaron carve his.

The finished products.

We obviously have Halloween traditions that we follow in our home each year. Our whole family dresses up. I'm always a pumpkin, P.K. is always a wizard (he puts his robe from his Harvard graduation to good use once a year) and the kids choose whatever they want to be. I steer them away from anything scary or gory and we just have fun as a family. (P.K. won't be here this year, but that is a different post.) That said, this is where the title of this post comes in. I carved Hannah's pumpkin and then P.K. carved Aaron's. While Hannah was waiting for them to finish she was making her pumpkin say things. Her pumpkin starts saying, "I'm a scary spiritual pumpkin. I'm a scary spiritual pumpkin." Go figure.