Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Halloween 2011, subtitled: Oh My Gourds!

Another Halloween successfully in the bag! Now that our kids are getting a bit older, Halloween has taken on an increased significance. There are expectations.

But first, I want to take a moment to acknowledge a milestone. For the first time ever, Eve actually helped with a baking project. I can honestly say that the process of decorating the cookies would have taken twice as long had she not been helping me. She was industrious, focused, and took pride in her work. I was holding my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it didn't. She got a little tired toward the end (of decorating 60+ cookies) and I offered her the opportunity to bow out, but she shook her head and persevered. I actually teared up at one point, I was so proud of her and so grateful this day had come.


We were taking the cookies to her kindergarten costume party, which may have added to her motivation.

On to Halloween proper. Eve wanted to be a lion, citing a picture and set of instructions she'd seen in a National Geographic Kids magazine.


Isaiah wanted to wear the same dinosaur costume he'd worn last year, which mercifully still fit.


Samuel was garbed in the same toddler costume his older siblings wore their first times out: a long black hoodie and a rope belt. We told people he was a Jawa trader, from Star Wars.


Our two pumpkin plants produced a total of eight pumpkins, varying in size and ripeness, but all suitable for carving.




Brian was the one who suggested that we take advantage of his spiffy assortment of shop tools and try out a fancy stencil or two.

Brian's handiwork!

(Of course, when came the time to do mine, did I take advantage of his spiffy tools? No, because I am scared of pretty much any form of technology that is unfamiliar to me. I struggled along with an X-acto blade like the closet Luddite that I am.)


Don't. Blink.
(If you have no idea what this is, look here: link.)

The stencil art came from here: link