Jack-O-Lanterns by the Lytles

Sadly, I think this is the first year we've ever carved pumpkins with the kids. If we ever have done it before, I forgot all about it. The girls and I have painted a few small ones in the past, but we'd never cut them open and ripped their guts out before.
The girls really wanted to get with the program this time. So on Friday, Oct 22, that is what we did. I took the kids to choose their pumpkins from a produce stand. It was hard to decide which ones to get, but we settled on some before too long.
We got home and let the fun begin.

Ryan helping with Jane's pumpkin.

I didn't get many pictures while the carving was in process because my hands were all icky.
Jane absolutely refused to touch the pumpkin innards. She hated the smell of it all.

I like how this pic turned out with an eerie haze. Probably apparitions of the pumpkins we had just murdered...


And here are all of them. From left: Cora's, Jane's, Oliver's (completed by me) and Ryan's.

Ryan made his a pirate. Pretty neat, huh?

Cora drew hers like this on the pumpkin and I cut it out for her. She's so artistic. I'm not sure what's going on with the left eye, but I thought it looked really cool. Very original. The candle light didn't show through very much on that side, but it was just enough. More than what the camera captured below.

Jane mostly drew her own and I cut it out.


Ryan preparing to light the candles. Why do the girls look so nervous?

Cora's





It was a fun time had by all.