Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza '09!

One of my fondest memories from childhood is carving a pumpkin with my dad every Halloween. I love looking at the pictures of each year to see the two of us planning our pattern, me watching him cut it out, and the two of us posing with it at the end.
Well, I decided that for Hayden I would take it one step further. Hayden got to pick out three pumpkins and carve one each with Daddy, Pa-Pa and Chippy. We are so blessed to have such a close family where all seven of us get together to do things all the time. What memories Hayden will have someday. I thought it would be neat for Hayden's Halloween tradition to be carving pumpkins with her daddy and her two grandfathers. I dressed Hayden up in her Halloween shirt I made her and we went to a church here in Edmond that sells pumpkins for her to pick out the three she wanted.This is what I got when I asked her to give me a happy smiley face:I love it! Here's a closeup of the shirt in case anyone wants to make one.I made turkey bean chili in the crockpot, set my table, and lit my pumpkin spice candles. I LOVE Fall! My table quickly went from this:To this:Hayden and Pa-Pa got to work on a classic Jack-o-lantern. (Just like the ones Dad and I used to make together)Hayden worked on her own pumpkin.

Daddy and Chippy are hard at work on theirs.Pa-Pa finishes his!Yuck!Being silly with Mommo and Mimi:Chippy is all done!Check them out!

My dad carved Hayden's name into the back of his pumpkin.I LOVE this picture. How neat it will be to take one of these every year. The pumpkins are now in place on the front porch:
Now without the camera flash:Perfect!

Thank you, grandparents, for making this a fun evening for Hayden (and for me!). I'm sure her memories over the years of pumpkin carving will be just as wonderful as mine.

This next trip down memory lane is just for you, Dad. (Killer wallpaper, by the way, Mom)