Carving Pumpkins

Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, so we opted to carve pumpkins on Friday afternoon -- shortly after the kids got home from school.  While I was disappointed to learn that the school Halloween parties would end up being muted again this year due to COVID (no parents allowed to attend; no homemade treats could be supplied), I was really looking forward to the outdoor Halloween parade with all of the kids in costumes.  It would be Jimmy's first school parade and Sam was playing in the 8th grade band.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and that, too, was canceled due to rain.

To curb any other disappointment, I made sure that the carving table was set up and snacks were made for the kids to be able to jump right in after unpacking their school bags.  The weekend was made even sweeter by the fact that it would be a 3-day weekend with Monday off school due to a scheduled Professional Development Day for the teachers.

Jimmy managed to choose the tallest pumpkin in the lot and found himself having to scoop out a lot of the innards ...

Jack went with a perfectly-round pumpkin and there was no shortage of seeds inside.

My soon-to-be-a-teenager, still happy to carve pumpkins with her siblings.

Sophia had her mind made up very early with her design this season.  She needed a LARGE pumpkin and a few props and she was one happy pumpkin-carver. 

The finished products:

Braces!!!  - to commemorate her first Halloween with braces on:

 

Jimmy had a little help with his, but was very confident in his design as he directed me:

Steve (with the most annoying moustache ever) kept his pumpkin plain and simple:

Sophia painted her small pumpkin first, added some glow-in-the-dark eyeballs, and some bony hands and it turned out just as she had pictured it.

Pictures at the Lake

The last couple of years, I have been more 'on the ball' and have planned ahead to make sure to take pictures of the kids for our annual Christmas card a little earlier than usual.  If we wait until sometime in November, the weather is often questionable (cold, windy, dreary) and the kids are not as cooperative. 

As the kids get older though, not only are they easier to work with -- smiling at the camera and following directions -- they often suggest ideas for where they would like to pose and have their picture taken.  Some of our best pictures have come from their suggestions. 

This blond-haired, blue eyed boy is 5 1/2 years old now and the sweetest, most lovable kid ever.  James is always smiling and has never met a stranger.  He is equally polite to both adults and kids and is the perfect bookend to our family.

 

Sophia, our other blue-eyed child, who is 10 1/2 years old now, is also a very happy-go-lucky girl.  She aims to please, is fiercely loyal and  reminds me the most of myself when I was younger.  

A picture with the most perfect Michigan backdrop: the lake in the background and an evergreen tree over to the side.

 

Jack, almost 8 1/2 years old, chose his own personal location and it was well-suited for him: the edge of the lake with the waves lightly rippling along.  He's the hardest worker that you will ever meet, strives for perfection and takes the role of being Jimmy's big brother seriously.

Samantha, our soon-to-be teenager this Fall, wanted a more contemplative picture and I think that we nailed it!  She is getting used to her braces and loving the new-found independence that comes along with being an 8th grader.  

Even though this picture was taken in October, the day was unseasonably warm (lots of global climate changes taking place) and the trees were still holding their leaves, making a very picturesque backdrop for us.

Two sisters, just over two years apart in age.  Both with curly hair; one with blue eyes and one with brown eyes.  So different in personality but bonded together for life.

These two have their own special bond, as well.  Both blue-eyed.  Both the younger genders in the family.

And then, once we got back to our house, I asked the girls to come with me into the woods where the leaves were just starting to change color.

Sam was working on her serious pose, again :)