Halloween & Pumpkin Fun

For Family Home Evening this week, Caitlin and I created pumpkin masterpieces!  Despite the fact that we forgot to buy a pumpkin carving kit (highly recommended by the way - the mini carving saw makes life so much easier), we still managed to muster vaguely recognizable pumpkins: a kitty and a jolly gourd head.

Unfortunately, Caitlin's pumpkin had been abused before purchase.  The mushy bruise on the side (approximately the shape and size of Africa) developed about a day after we picked out our favorite ones.  This called for a last-minute design adjustment due to the predetermined optimal carving angle now being compromised.  Luckily the pumpkin's innards were still intact!

My pumpkin, however, was unblemished.

The stem is Caitlin's favorite part of a pumpkin.  I kept finding really good ones for her...but the stems just never seemed to be adequate.  In the end, though, we had two very fine-stemmed pumpkins! 

Here we are showing off our creations!  (This is where it is nice to have a 5 year-old child to pose with the pumpkins...otherwise, it turns out, you just look like a 5 year-old.) 

And the final product!  Our two new pumpkins out on the porch with our giant, light-up friend from Deseret Industries.  Apparently our decorations were enough to convince the neighbor children we were fun, because we had our first trick-or-treat'ers as an old, married couple!

Our favorite little trick-or-treat'er was so cute.  He had the stature of a mighty 2 year-old, but he was surprisingly articulate.  He was dressed in an extremely padded superhero suit--I want one.  I have no idea where his parents were (hopefully at the bottom of the stairs or something), but he was flying completely solo.  He knocked really softly--twice before we heard him--and when Caitlin opened the door, he asked in the most timid voice, "May I trick-or-treat, please?"  Caitlin bent down and asked if he would like to choose his own favorite candy.  "Yes."  Then, after getting his 3 Musketeers (good choice, might I add), he backed away slowly and gave us a little thumbs-up, saying, "Thank you very much.  Have a nice Halloween."

I think it took a year off the time Caitlin is willing to wait before having children.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!