Pumpkin Carving!

Last night we carved pumpkins! Amy ("mimi") joined us and we had so much fun. Our approach was three tiered: first we drew our faces on the pumpkins w/markers (well, first Bryndyn sketched his out on paper--such the perfectionist), then we cleaned out the insides and finally we carved away (OK, well the adults carved away). . . The drawing phase:

The kids didn't quite get the drawing FACES part of the phase, but regardless they had fun!

Second, the cleaning out the insides phase:

Tia didn't like this phase so much, at least in the beginning. I think she thought daddy "broke" her pumpkin.

She is reluctantly trying to figure this whole pumpkin carving thing out!

It didn't take her long to get back to all smiles. Neither child would put their hand inside the pumpkin. Caelleb was very emphatic about this. In fact I had told him earlier in the day that we were going to be carving pumpkins that night and the first thing out of his mouth was, "I am NOT sticking my hand inside that pumpkin!" They had done this at preschool and apparently one time was enough! When I asked him why he said because it was "NASTY!" :) But w/the help of spoons the kids had fun cleaning out their pumpkins!

I think it was a "bonding" experience for Amy & the kids! :)

And finally, the carving phase:


By this time, Amy was talking about calling in sick the next day because pumpkin carving was so "HARD!" :)

After all was said and done we admired our creations & took lots of pictures. . .