I am so sad that carving pumpkins and roasting seeds only happens once a year, but I guess if it happened more than that it wouldn't be as much fun. This year, if you remember our trip to the patch, you know that my "pumpkins" picked larger ones than normal.So, in an effort to carve them into bright orange jack-o-lanterns, seed removal was necessary and somewhat painstaking work.
I loved the fact that this was a hands off Mommy project for the first time ever (yes, this to is where I sigh, as well). The kids were in complete control once I took off the tops.Aly could have used a magnifying glass. She made sure that every last seed was conserved for roasting.
Brandan, on the other hand, had his hands full of non-stop seeds with this big, old orb. He finally decided that digging into it from the top down wasn't quite the right approach. So, he flipped it over, with his sister's help, and turned it completely upside down. Hmmm...this thing is heavy, and the seeds aren't falling out the way they should...
...Back to the drawing board...Maybe it was a seated effort that he needed. Aly and he worked on scrapping them out for about 15 minutes - and patience was truly a virtue upheld on this night.
The kids were supposed to take a five minute break while I rinsed the seeds. Aly returned to carve it up, but Brandan sent word to allow him naming rights, and told me to design his pumpkin a face. (Seed dissection must take a lot out of a kid these days.) So, morphing into the mom that sees able body children in her midst, I stepped back (with one eye open) and watched as the nine year old carved her own pumpkin completely on her own. YIKES!!
She made a black marker plan and went right to work.
She thought it was the funniest thing ever when some leftover guts decided to spill out of one eye, leaving a "crying" effect! Poor pumpkin...
I prepared the seeds for roasting, all the while, as Aly finished up her pumpkin, and then I started in on MINE. Now, I can cut paper, but the rind of a pumpkin is just a bit more taxing!
In the end, Aly named her pumpkin "Ashley", and Brandan labeled his "Buttons".
We can officially call on Halloween. Our jack-o-lanterns are ready!!
4 comments:
Your pumpkins are sooo cute! I love that Brandan allowed you to surprise him and that they named them! I think we are doing ours tomorrow...will you let me know what your pumpkin seed roasting recipe is?
Awesome pics! I can't believe my camera battery went dead during carving this year! Oh well...
Candi, these are great pictures. I can't believe how big Brandon's pumpkin is! :)
love the carving and the names ... might have to borrow that one. we're doing that for the first time. i want the seed recipe too, if you'd be so nice to share.
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