Family Night Pumpkin Carving

   It's funny how excited the kids and I are about this little holiday, Halloween. Today when waking the kids for school, I asked them what today was and instead of the typical, it's Monday, or it's family night day, I got, IT'S PUMPKIN DAY MOM. Of course, they said this with more enthusiasm and excitement when they were actually on our way to the bus stop. My kids have been having a hard time getting up out of bed lately. Huh!!! Anyway, while walking to the bus stop we talked about carving pumpkins and the schedule of the day and when we would be carving the pumpkins. We seriously have been doing a little count down for this day. I knew today the long stretch would be when Ethan gets home from school and waiting for Daddy to get home to go get the pumpkins.
   





      I knew that meant I had to find them things to keep busy and going until Daddy got home. We did our usually homework, reading and cleaning. We also got out our winter clothing to see if they fit and see what Mommy was going to have to break down and buy. Then as a prep for Halloween, they watched Monsters University. Ethan also tried to play some video games while watching Monsters. In the end, I think the movie was more distracting.
     When Daddy finally got home we had, what seemed like an inhaled dinner. My kids are not good eater to begin with, but they literally had a bit of roll a sip of soup and decided they were full and no matter how much a begged and threatened they were sticking to they were to full to eat another bite. Mommy tummy wasn't feeling good anyway so we finally got our shoes on and headed for the store.

    Just to remind my kids that they have a mean Mommy, we had to go to one store first before we got the pumpkins. The kids were complaining this morning that it was a little chilly, which was a warning to me that we need to look at our winter clothes and see how they measured up. In the end we do need to update the kids winter clothes but I felt the biggest priority for now was to get them jackets for the cool days. So, I dragged them to Target first to get them jackets but I did promise that we were ONLY looking at jackets and nothing else. I'm proud to say that I stuck to my guns. We found them both jackets and we got out of their quick.

    Finally we got to what we have been waiting for all day. PICKING THE PUMPKINS!!! We just went to Winco around the corner from us, since I really don't know where to go to get pumpkins. Ethan picked his pumpkin and I picked the other. Addison was to worried about getting a mini pumpkin that she saw the last time we went grocery shopping to care about picking a big pumpkin. Then we got Ethan and Addison a mini pumpkin that I thought they could paint if they got bored while everyone was carving the face to the pumpkin.

      I thought the hardest part of the day would be waiting for Daddy to get home to get the pumpkins but I was wrong. The hardest part of the day was waiting to have Family Home Evening. I had the kids clean up while I got the kitchen cleaned and ready for pumpkin carving. Addison is getting to that really tired stage but fighting it hard. So she is crying and whining and throwing a fit because she wants to paint her mini pumpkin now. Ethan is also getting a little impatient but is a little older to know how Mommy responds to the whining. Finally I had the idea to turn on You Tube and start watching Halloween songs and pumpkin carvings. We watched until Pappi and Grammy showed. Then the real fun began.

       We still sang songs, had our prayer and a great lesson about our feelings from Grammy. Then we rushed to the table to started the pumpkin carving process. Both kids had so much fun. Ethan drew a face on his pumpkin while Pappi and Addison worked on the other. Then we cut those pumpkins open and gutted them. Ethan worked pretty hard but was trying really hard to not get goop on him. Addison also put her scoop in to help but honestly Pappi and Mommy ended up gutting the pumpkin. Then we carved those pumpkins, which the kids actually had fun watching. When they did get bored they would go paint their mini pumpkins. In the end, our pumpkins look awesome. Pappi and Addison did this flame pumpkin from the picture on the carving kit, which looks amazing. Pappi is very talented. Ethan's also looks great. When he drew his picture, I was a little worried that the holes wouldn't be big enough to show much light, but he actually did a great job and it looks really good, as you can see from the pictures. Then we lit them up. The kids are trying to convince me we need to light the pumpkins every night until Halloween. I just hope the pumpkins last until Halloween.

     Even though carving pumpkins was lots of fun, that was not the end of family night. The last thing was did was family night treat of doughnuts and and hot chocolate. It was a yummy treat but it also ended with Addison having a bath in hot chocolate. (Thank goodness the hot chocolate wasn't really hot). Addison in the end look like she had been in battle with chocolate frosting smeared on her, plus the hot chocolate bath and then the scratches and bruises she has accumulated ever day at the bus stop. We couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Yes, Addison got her nightly bath that she loves. It was a fun night and another great memory created. Now the count down to our Halloween part and of course trick or treating.  

      For those that are interested and remember about Ethan and my small vote on the minion pinata, so far it's Mommy 3 Ethan 2. If you don't remember or didn't see, Ethan, Addison and I made a minion pinata. In the end Ethan and I had a disagreement about how many eyes our minion showed have. See our pinata post. We decided to have a vote. Who ever comes over to our house, I try to remember and ask them to vote if they like one eye or two eyes on our pinata. Today we got Pappi and Grammy's votes. So Mommy, Addison and Pappi say one eye. Ethan and Grammy say two eyes. And Daddy is against voting on minions. So far Mommy is winning the vote, but I have visiting teachers coming tomorrow, so we will see. Halloween is so much fun.