For the Love of Pumpkins

I can't remember the last time I carved a pumpkin.  It's been ages--pre-kids even.  For the first few years, I told myself that the boys were small enough that they wouldn't even notice that we didn't carve up our pumpkins. 

Last year I had good intentions, but ran out of time before Halloween. No one noticed. 

This year, I've considered it a major victory that I even got the pumpkins brought home. Forget about the big trip to a pumpkin patch, there's been zero time for that.  Connor's class did take a trip to the pumpkin farm, so I'm considering that good enough. 

Anyway, I've gotten so used to not carving pumpkins that it hadn't even crossed my mind. 

Until Connor asked me right as I was making dinner last night "When are we going to carve my pumpkin?"

Um...

A quick mental review of the upcoming week told me that the time for carving pumpkins was now or never. And, since the boys had latched on to the idea, out came the knife. 

Before we destroyed the pumpkins, we did the obligatory fall pumpkin photo. 

Sidebar: I really do.not.like.halloween.  I don't like having to come up with costumes, deal with the spooky stuff, and having to carve a pumpkin.  Thank goodness the boys can go to the store and pick out a costume as I'm creatively challenged. 

After I scooped out the seeds, I had the boys draw their jack o lantern faces on the pumpkin. I started to carve, but then, here came Darren to save the day. 

After last night, pumpkin carving has become his annual job. He's better at it than I am, and the boys think the power tools are fun.