The day started with our traditional visit to the Forest Hills UMC Pumpkin Patch, this year with our good friends Cletia and Holden. Holden fell and got stuck between some pumpkins, and being the camera-crazy moms that we are we busily snapped away before helping him back up! Then Emmy took 30 minutes to pick out her pumpkin, and every time I suggested one she said she had to pick it herself. In the end, we chose 4 pumpkins, one of which is covered with warts, and Cletia and Holden left with two of their own.
Later, the party actually kicked off at 4pm. We ate yummy chili that had been simmering in the crock pots all day, and then proceeded outside to begin the fun with knives! We started by all going topless... our pumpkins, that is! And then we all played in the guts for a while. Then there was the scraping and carving. This was Cletia's first time carving, and she carved an elaborate monster design from a pattern book - how ambitious! Emmy chose a simple face, as did Issy, both of Issy's design. Bobbi, Michelle, and Keegan went with a skull pattern; Scott, Dana, and AJ carved a silly face; Denise and Aislynn started another monster, but gave up when their fingers got tired; and Carol and Kyrie went with a different skull as did Chyna. Steve, my father-in-law, kept the fire going on the back porch. Then we all ate some smores, and the kids played in the back yard and front yard of the house next door. A marvelously fun time was had by all, except Shane who missed all of the party as he was stuck doing inventory at work. Poor Shane!
