The Great Pumpkin

Whew, times flies when you’re having fun! I played ‘nanny’ for my 7 month old nephew this week while his Mom was at a work conference in Virginia/DC so Halloween kind of feels like it’s snuck up on me. Still, kids made it through their inaugural costume runs at their school parties just fine and we’re all set for trick-or-treat tonight.

No Halloween is complete without some carved squash and with my trip we opted to carve last Sunday night. The kids picked their pumpkins out of the patch a few weeks ago and I think they had as much fund choosing and hauling as they did carving.

It is always fun to see what they will carve. This year was no exception. Emilie’s appears inspired by Edvard Munch’s the Scream. Jack’s is….well I’m not sure about Jack’s. We even did check to see if he meant to leave the lower half of his pumpkin blank, and yes it was intentional. It was also intentional to have the eyes offset. Never question the work of a master.

On a small side note, and I mean small, after finishing her pumpkin. Emilie brought out a very small gourd and insisted it be carved for Peppa, the Guinea Pig. Every family member gets a pumpkin right?

 

Above: LtoR; The Great Pumpkin, Peppa’s Pumpkin, Emilie’s Pumpkin

Adults don’t get left out either. After helping Em with her gourd and carving one for the pig, Kevin opted to go with the “DeWalt” method and used the drill on his pumpkin. I took a little more of the Collegiate route and with with the Coug logo. All in all we got a pretty good look bunch of squash on the front porch.

Above: LtoR; Jack’s Pumpkin, Kevin’s Pumpkin, Cassie’s Pumpkin (in chair)

Finally we did do a little pumpkin experiment and made a bear pumpkin this year. Back in the spring the kids’ Sunday School teacher gave them an empty animal cracker container. She suggested putting one of our pumpkins in it and seeing if it would grow into a bear shape (I guess shaped fruit growing is popular in Asia). We thought it would be a fun experiment and it turned out fairly well. If we can find some other containers we will try it again next year. The hardest part was getting the plastic off without damaging the pumpkin.

Halloween Hangover

We’ve survived another All Hallows Eve. With the kids at two different schools, Kevin still working long days at work (I’m ready for the hills to ‘snow out’ please), my willingness to volunteer, and swim lessons we spent the last week on the go. It wasn’t overly crazy you just had to stay focused and on top of your timetable.

Monday we carved pumpkins. Each year this gets better and better as the kids become more independent. Jack did his whole pumpkin by himself for the most part. Watching him use a knife, even one of those ‘safety’ pumpkin carving ones, to cut out the pumpkin’s face was a bit nerve wracking. It’s one of those times where I pretty much have to fight the urge to snatch the knife away and just sit on my hands and offer only verbal instruction until he asks for help.

 

As for Emilie, yes she carved in her swimsuit. I hide it after I wash it. Otherwise she wants to wear it all the time. She had mixed reviews on pumpkin carving. Mostly it was the pumpkin guts that were an issue. She had no problem scooping them out, but they made her hands slimy and she wanted a washing between each scoop. 

 

 

Jack’s Kindergarten class held it’s class party on Thursday which worked out nicely since I’d volunteered to at Emilie’s class party on Friday forgetting I’d already volunteered to help with Jack’s (yes, I need to join a “volunteers anonymous” program). All the kids wore their costumes and did a parade for the upper grades. Then they went back to their classes and had their parties. The Mom in charge of Jack’s class did a fantastic job. There were 4 stations the kids rotated between. Mini-pumpkin decorating, a spooky craft, cupcake frosting/eating, and a game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The game was my station. I did a pumpkin ball-toss game with a “trick or treat” board. The kids seemed to love it. Especially the part where they got to punch out a ‘window’ for their trick or treat (some had candy, some had little rubber mice/bats/spiders). Many were disappointed to learn it was a ‘one per customer’ game. I found the idea on Pinterest so I really can take no credit besides assembly, still I had three different teachers stop me so they could look it over in order to make their own at some point in the future.

Friday, Halloween proper, consisted of Emilie’s class party, a lunch potluck at the Forest Service office, and Trick-or-Treating. Jack had no-school due to it being the end of the quarter and a half-day at school. Half days result in Kindergarten classes being cancelled since they can’t get both AM and PM classes completed in the allotted time. That meant Jack went to Emilie’s class party with me. I thought I took more pictures there, but I guess I didn’t. How easily one forgets the activity level and stubbornness of a a pack of 3 year olds. Sheesh! They did face painting, a craft, spooky stories, and a bean bag toss. Like Jack’s class they rotated through stations. Unlike Jack’s class they wouldn’t stay at their designated station and I think we spent more time trying to make sure everyone stayed where they were supposed to than actually doing activities. Oh well, what can you do?

After that party we drove over to Kevin’s office to say ‘Hi’ and see what costumes the FS staff had come up with. Got to hand it to that group they are all pretty good about dressing up. The food isn’t bad either. Baked Potato bar and chili cook-off. Sign me up. Kevin entered a smoked beef chili and won second place this year. He did not dress-up though…he still owes me for that. I had my costume on.

Two parties in one morning can take it out on a body, especially the 5 and under set so we took it easy for the afternoon. Come sundown we all donned out Despicable me gear and headed out to trick-or-treat. With the kids deciding to be a yellow and a purple minion, Kevin and I went as Gru and Lucy Wilde respectively. Yes, Kevin did dress up for trick-or-treat

As usual went went to our friends’ place over in Kimberly and trick-or-treated their neighborhood. This was the first year we trick-or-treated without a stroller and it went pretty well. Emilie walked about the first block or so then had to be carried between houses. She was soooo excited she was falling all over herself and every step and curb along the way. Jack has this down pat now. He knows you only ring at houses with their porch lights on. You say trick-or-treat, get your candy, say thank you and hustle to the next house. Once we can get him to stop staring into his candy bag and instead watch where he is going, we’ll be set. Emilie pooped out 3/4 of the way through so she and Kevin went back to our friends’ house for hot cocoa and Jack and I kept going. He just about filled his bag by the time we finished all the houses in the neighborhood. He was slowing down, but was keeping up a steady trudge.

It was a fun and sugar-filled time all around. Thankfully a Friday holiday meant we got to spend the weekend working off the sugar induced hangover and easing into the coming Holiday season. Oh yes it is coming, you can’t deny. Saturday morning Emilie drug this out of the drawer….. even she knows

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A Visit from Grandma & the Kids

Okay, so it was really Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Mandy, Matty, Noah, and Owen, but the title took me back to a video series from  4th grade Washington State History that had some of the best dialogue ever. “Want to go Hell?….Hells Canyon that is!” In 4th grade that line was not only scandalous, but hysterical.

4th grade history aside, this weekend my parents, younger sister, and her 3 boys came for a short visit. We haven’t seen this bunch since May and as usual there was tons of happy chaos. The kids had fun decorating cookies, carving pumpkins, and wearing each other out.

My folks and sister introduced us to geocaching and in return I introduced my sister to a couple of good morning workouts (I don’t think she thought that a fair exchange…probably thought I was secretly trying to kill her )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owen, the youngest nephew, impressed with his attempts at becoming bipedal. He’s 8 months old and, though I know some kids walk that young, mine were both closer to a year before they reached his current stage. He looks like a little old man when he’s standing upright and taking small shuffling steps. Seriously, they should get him a small walker and a sweater vest and he could go as Mr. Fredrickson from ‘UP"’ for Halloween.

Both my folks are doing great. Dad helped Kevin pick up a load of firewood to add to our pile….a huge help! He also split and stacked the better part of a cord. The man is a wood chopping machine.

As usually the visit was too short for my fancy….though I didn’t mind the silence and calm that took over after they left Tuesday morning. As much as I love all those kids. Five under five create a constant din…even when they are being “quiet” Not to mention that my living  room looked like I’d hosted some sort of wild Frat Party. Oh well, it’s all worth it in the long run…..

Pumpkin Harvest.

With the cold temperatures becoming a staple and several nights below freezing the garden is pretty much at the end of it’s yearly lifespan. The pumpkin vines been dead for a week now so we went out and picked pumpkins Friday.

As you can see pumpkins grew pretty well this year. There are several of them that look to be perfect pie pumpkins and even a handful of nice ones for carving. The kids had a blast picking them and then lining them up on the front porch (along with corn stalks they helped me pull), their home until they are eaten, carved, or composted later in the year.

Somehow, I don’t think this gets us a free pass on a trip to the pumpkin patch though…..

Halloween Rundown

Playing a little catch up here. It’s been a busy week…not much going on just lots of little things and running hither and yon. I meant to put up Halloween pictures last week but just never got to it. So here they are.

First off… Pumpkin Carving!

Jack has really got the gist of Halloween this year. Between watching ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!” fifty million times and preschool he’s got pumpkin carving and trick-or-treat down pat.

For example. If your pumpkin is too heavy to carry you should roll it. We learned this from Linus during the opening moments of the Great Pumpkin. Then you must ask for a knife and cut the top off (thank you Lucy for that little lesson). Great Pumpkin also inspired pumpkin faces consisting of 3 triangles.

While Emilie does not fully get the whole pumpkin carving thing she’s down with coloring so designing her own jack-o-lantern face with a crayon was right up her alley (especially if Mom & Dad let you eat the crayon!). I think her design ended up a little complex for Dad’s carving skills though, so he helped her revamp to something a little more traditional.

Now, as I’ve mentioned before Jack and Emilie LOVE to watch Charlie Brown movies. Favorites include “Snoopy Making Hearts” (Be My Valentine Charlie Brown), “Snoopy Making Popcorn” (Happy Thanksgiving Charlie Brown), and of course the Great Pumpkin. This love for Charlie and the gang totally inspired our Halloween costumes this year. Yup, they were none other than Charlie Brown and his best pal Snoopy.

Trick-or-treating was a blast too. We went over to our friends the Olchawa’s neighborhood and trick-or-treated around there. Jack had no problem ringing bells and saying “trick or treat!” this year. Emilie didn’t say the words but she sure figured out how to stick out her candy bag. In fact most of her candy was devoured before it even hit the sack. Tootsie rolls, chocolate, lollipops, it didn’t matter she ate it! Oh, and if you tried to take, or she thought you were trying to take her bag the shrieks she made were pretty impressive. Total sugar monger there.

The kids didn’t get to have all the fun either. Kevin and I both dressed up this year. He wore his baseball uniform from high school. (Yes, it still fits…except for his hat…apparently his brains are the only things that’s grown since high school.) I went as Pippi Longstocking. I haven’t dressed up much in the last few years and this was a nice change!

 

So as you can see we survived another Halloween. The candy is mostly gone now (thank goodness!) and we’re moving on to gearing up for Thanksgiving. Though, I have notice Jack has switched from singing “High-ho for Halloween” and has gone to straight to singing “Jingle Bells.” I guess there just aren’t a lot of good Thanksgiving carols out there…..

Well, until next time…..

In Search of the Great Pumpkin

The “frost is on the pumpkin” or so they say. That means it is once again time to hit the pumpkin patch and search for that perfect round gourd.

We went to Crismor Pumpkin patch between Filer and Buhl. The same patch that we normally do. They are still operating on the honor system and trust you to put your money in a lock box. They must be doing pretty well too, as they expanded this year and moved the patch from the one acre plot up front to the actual field where they grow pumpkins. There is better parking, they now provide wagons to haul your pumpkins (or kids). They even added a little straw bale maze in the back.

Jack totally gets what Halloween is all about this year. Trick-or-treating (“You knock on the door Momma, you don’t knock people down.”), candy, dressing up in costume, pumpkin carving, the whole 9 yards. I mean we’ve only seen ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown” about a million and one times. He and Emilie are even going as Charlie Brown and Snoopy this year.

What really cracks me up is he does stuff like they do in the movie from time to time. For example, in the opening sequence Linus & Lucy go pick out a pumpkin at the pumpkin patch. Lucy selects the pumpkin but makes Linus do all the work. The pumpkin she chooses is so big Linus has to roll it along the ground to get it home. Want to know how Jack moves pumpkins? That’s right, he rolls them. I kid you not, the moment we got those babies home he asked for a knife so he could carve his too!

Emilie seems content to follow Jack’s lead for the most part. She did enjoy licking pumpkins though and even selected her own. It took her a bit to get the hang of the ground. There were still remnants of furrows and she kept tripping. Eventually she figured it out and as long as she stayed on the path, and out of those tricky, sticky, vines she did pretty well.

After the patch it was decided that since we were halfway to Buhl already, that we might as well go all the way and stop in at the Creamery. Nothing like orange creamscicle or pumpkin pie ice cream (both were excellent) to wrap up that pumpkin patch visit.

Stay tuned for carving……

Five Easy Steps to Make a“Jack”-O-Lantern

Step 1: Remove the guts

Step 2: Put Blue Puppy and friends in Pumpkin

Step 3: Step inside!

Step 4: Wiggle around

Step 5: Viola!!! A Jack-o-Lantern!

Pumpkins and Grandparents are A-Maize-ing

My folks made the long drive out to see us this past weekend and deliver some furniture that needs to ‘stay in the family.’ We took advantage of the fact that there visit was so close to Halloween and got to share some of typical All Hollow's Eve traditions with them.

The first was our annual trek to the pumpkin patch. We go to this little roadside place west of the house. I’m not sure of the real name, but I call it the ‘honor-system’ patch. It’s not manned and there is just a locked box to put your money in. You are ‘on your honor’ to put in the correct amount.

Emilie was gung-ho to put everything in her mouth from pumpkin vines (I imagine those must be prickly) to straw (fiber anyone?). Though she has no clue what pumpkins are all about I still think she had a good time.

Jack was excited about the patch…until we arrived and he spotted the tractors parked behind it. After that it took a lot of effort and every ounce of our patience to keep him focused on picking out a pumpkin. All he wanted to do was go see the tractors!! In the end we snagged a pumpkin that he had rolled around a bit and left before he melted down over not being able to go touch the tractors.










After the pumpkin patch we swung by the CSI (College of Southern Idaho) Ag/Hort club’s Corn Maize. My Mom had never been to a corn maze and neither had Jack or Emilie. Guess we got a real deal on this trip. Jack led the way. For a 2 almost 3 year-old he has surprisingly good direction. Still we managed to wander around quite a bit and get good and ‘lost’ before finding our way to the exit.


The weekend is short, too short, so the day after pumpkin picking and corn mazing we jumped right into some other ‘fall’ activities. What’s Halloween without something sweet?
Jack loves to cut things out with cookie cutters. His usual medium is play-dough, but we though Sugar Cookies would be just as fun. Turns out everybody thought it was a good idea. We got the whole gang crowded in the kitchen cutting out pumpkins, apples, acorns, cats, and leaves.


Of course what is a good sugar cookie without a little frosting?? I tried convincing Jack that frosting was better on the cookie to no avail. Even little Emilie seemed to think frosting would be better served someplace else than on a cookie.


Lastly…we carved pumpkins! Well, at least we got the kids’ pumpkins carved. Seems by this point both big and small people alike were running out of steam. So after cleaning out and putting faces on Jack and Emilie’s pumpkins we sealed them with petroleum jelly (so they don’t dry out before Halloween) and left the other three for later this week. I’m thinking maybe Friday or Saturday.






The very final thing we did was put the Halloween costumes on the kiddos and have a fashion show for Grandpa and Grannie. They were a hit…but the rest of you will have to wait until Halloween to see the photos.