Snapshots: Halloween Traditions - Pumpkin Carving

Each year we carve one pumpkin. In Texas it is so hot and humid that you have to wait until it is almost Halloween to carve your pumpkin or else it will dilapidated and moldy after only a couple of days. Today was pumpkin carving day. Taft cut off the top, we all pulled some guts out, Alyssa and Taft designed the face and Alyssa drew it on and carved the face by herself! The kids were very happy to finally be carving the pumpkin and they were very proud of their good work. It is such a simple thing to carve a pumpkin, but it builds memories and relationships that will last a long time.

We also roasted the pumpkin seeds (washed, rinsed, patted dry, oiled and baked at 250 F for 1 hour and 350 for 5 minutes - much less black than last year). 

Here are some pictures from our pumpkin painting earlier this month:

And may I always remember that the youngest is hardly ever too young to not be involved, so I should just spend the extra few dollars and get him his own pumpkin instead of having him paint the carving pumpkin because it was a little large!