Halloween Photos

Happy Halloween!

( Sorry about this picture.)

It's my favorite holiday! Halloween is here again. I hope it doesn't rain tonight. Joe and I are Devils and Trevor is Spiderman. I can't wait to get some pictures of us in our costumes.

Joe was super cute today. He got to dress up for work in his costume and have a pizza party with co-workers. I brought some evil cupcakes and ate lunch with them.

Speaking of lunch... I'd like to mention how much I hate potlucks. I hate them for this one simple reason; I get such noxious gas after eating the wide varieties of food, I can't enjoy myself. I'm too afraid of farting. Worse, I'm afraid of farting and getting caught. It makes me so anxious.

But I did have a very nice time with Joe at his work. His colleagues are very friendly and they seem to really enjoy their jobs. His boss is awesome and plays Wii with them. I'm lucky to have a husband who doesn't get stressed out about work. I remember back in the old days, I had an ex that would cry in the walk in closet while he was getting dressed because he hated his job so bad.

As soon as I can, I'll put up my Halloween pictures. I'm so excited!!!

Jeri's Jack O Lantern Tips

Tips for carving the perfect Jack O Lantern
By: Jeri Beumel

Finding The Perfect Pumpkin

• Go to the pumpkin patch! Find a local pumpkin farm, I think it adds to the Halloween experience and is great fun for kids. It's even better if you can cut them off the vine yourself. This way you can leave a little extra stem, (which adds to the aesthetics off your pumpkin)
• Check all sides of your pumpkin, looking to see if there are any soft spots. This is especially important if picking your pumpkin right off the ground at a pumpkin patch.
• See if your pumpkin will sit upright without tipping over. You cannot have a successful Jack O Lantern if he is going to fall over all the time. (However, don't rule out all imperfections. I think a lopsided pumpkin has a lot of character as long as it can stay up.)
• Make sure the stem on your pumpkin is sturdy. A missing or loose stem is not ideal for carving. Try to find a pumpkin with an unusually curvy stem or with a bushy top, it can add a lot of silliness to your Jack.
• Be sure to place your pumpkin in a cool and dry environment before carving. This helps maintain its freshness before you begin carving.

Prepping Your Pumpkin

• Clean the dirt off of your pumpkin before you begin.
• Lay out newspapers and have all of your tools ready. It's about to get messy.
• Have a bowl ready for the seeds.

• You'll need a set of tools to help you carve your pumpkins.
  
• I like the carving kits you find at any discount retailer. If you're heavy handed like me and break your tools, buy two sets.
• Don't be tempted to use the stencils they give you in the book. You'll feel a much better sense of accomplishment for designing your own, plus this is a great way for children to express their creativity.

• Cut the top of the pumpkin off. Don't cut straight down! You'll need to cut at an angle or the lid might fall through.
• Scoop the seeds and pulp into the bowl.
• Scrape the inside of your pumpkin to thin the flesh and make it even.
• Clean the outside of your pumpkin as to get a better grip for carving.

Carving Your Pumpkin

• Sharp objects should be handled by adults only
• After you have done a rough draft drawing of your pumpkin, spin your pumpkin around until you find the side that's best for carving.
• I either use a wax pen to sketch out the design or use the pounce wheel to etch it out.
• Let the kids that are too young to carve draw the face of their design on a sheet of paper and copy it to the pumpkin for them.
• Begin! I always start with the mouth then adjust the eyes to make sure the Jack is looking in the right direction
• If the kids are too young to carve, give them an opportunity to help by letting them pop out the pieces you've carved.
• If you accidentally cut out a piece that's supposed to be in your design, you can use a paper clip to snap it back in.
• For extra macabre, use the seeds and pulp for brains, vomit or guts. It adds to the gruesomeness of your Jack.

Preserving Your Jack O Lantern

• To preserve your carved pumpkin, you will want to soak it in cold water for at least an hour after it has been carved.
• Petroleum jelly (Vaseline) can be rubbed on the edges where the pumpkin is carved to help prevent shriveling.

Displaying Your Jack O Lantern

• Put the Jack in the front of your house proudly for everyone to see.
• One of the best choices for lighting your carved pumpkin is a votive candle placed in a clear glass. This makes lighting your Jack O Lantern safer and will help the pumpkin last longer.
• A tea-light candle works well for smaller pumpkins.
• Of course, manufacturers have come out with lights for pumpkins, which you can purchase, these will cost a bit more than buying candles but are a safe alternative to an open flame.

I hope you enjoyed your pumpkin carving experience as much as I did! - Jeri

Pumpkin Pictures

Here's some of my various Halloween pictures

Pumpkin gathering in apple Hill: This was great because we got to cut the pumpkins off the vine!

Pumpkin Carving With Trevor: We had a lot of fun. I think he has a knack for design.

Trevor Is Spiderman

We went to the pumpkin patch.
It was amazing!
We picked our pumpkins right off the vine.
Trevor got his costume.

Halloween 2009

"He did the mash...
He did the monster mash...
The monster mash...
It was a graveyard smash..."

I've already picked out next years Halloween costumes. I will be a bottle of mustard, Trevor will be a bottle of Ketchup, Evan will be a hot dog, and Joe will dress up as a concession stand worker pushing Evan in the stroller that we will decorate to look like a hot dog cart.

It will be awesome. This year, I think I will either forgo getting a costume or, if the weather is nice enough, I will paint my belly to look like a pumpkin.

As seen here.



I love Halloween!