Monday, October 21, 2013

Pumpkin Carving and New Traditions

I didn't grow up celebrating Halloween. To be frank, we didn't celebrate many holidays and most of my memories of my childhood are tied up in people and not holidays. I don't consider that to be a bad thing. It's just different than a lot of people.

The only time this was a real problem for me was in 2nd grade. I made a C on an art project. I had to make a Halloween pumpkin. For a child that had never participated in such an event, this was hard. I made a pretty pumpkin with big green leaves and a stem. I remember that C. It was big. It was on the front of the drawing. The drawing was posted on the bulletin board with the rest of  jack-o-lanterns (is that what they are called?) for everyone to see. I can still to this day, more than 30 years later see that pumpkin and that C on that bulletin board.

It's because of that gut wrenching feeling that I want my kids to experience ALL of the holidays. Personally, I rather dislike Halloween, but I want my girls to have positive feelings and positive experiences, so guess what? I joined up with a couple of my friends and invited myself and my girls into their Pumpkin Carving Tradition! Thank goodness for good friends!

So last Saturday afternoon, we went over to Christi's house and carved pumpkins, made haunted graham cracker houses and had fun. Let me say this...it was MESSY!! I am not made for this kind of mess. Thank you Christi!

We carved pumpkins on her kitchen floor and she had a system fine-tuned from years of experience. She quickly cut the top off of Kylie's pumpkin and we got to work. I bought the sticker patterns and they worked great. Kylie could actually cut the pumpkin and had a blast!




I helped after a while. We would have been there all day! Sidenote: look how skinny I look. Thanks Christi for the great picture taking! You can take pics of me anytime! :)


And Lexi did a FABULOUS job on her pumpkin. She would NOT use a pattern and drew her own design completely. She then cut it out herself too! She was a natural!


After Lexi finished with the pumpkin she created her haunted house. She and her best friend Emma worked together and had a blast!

After the worked, they ate lunch and chilled. All the kids were great

until.... 

Picture time.


Yeah, who is missing from the photo? Yeah. Kylie through a FIT and would not be in the picture. Great. But yes, I did include her in a shot so that I can PROVE to her later that she was there and being a turkey!


Lexi's finished pumpkin!


Overall, even with Kylie's 4 year old attitude, it was a great afternoon. The girls had a blast and who knows, if they are asked to draw a pumpkin in school maybe they won't make a C on it!

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