Halloween 2009

Auriana in character as Juliet

Ronan fixing his hat after a running stop.

The Great Big Brother rescuing the Duckie Kiska.

All Better.

I guess I'll share.

My very own Max

Ronan in his Max costume

I had intended to use this pattern, but when I went to print it out I discovered that I would have to purchase a membership at instructables. Although that isn't a bad thing, I just do not have the funds right now. So I decided to wing it.

What happens when you wing it.:o)

All in all though, I'm not too disappointed. It really evokes Max from the book "Where the Wild Things Are". And I think it was a perfect fit for my little guy as far as the attitude goes. I'm trying to teach him to say, I'll Eat You UP!!!, but he keeps telling me in a very nice voice that he wouldn't eat me up really.

He also wants to know if he can carry his Pirate sword.

I suppose it wouldn't be too out of character.

Blurry, but true to life.

Tail from Adorable Foxie.

Kiska's Pumpkins

Mom! Look what I found!

It's Heavy!

I found the perfect spot.

Pretty!

Last year the kids started a compost pile as a school project. We only took care of it for a month because we moved out to the Farm. Kissy discovered these little pumpkins last week and has been begging to put them with our display so we took a moment from fence building to let her harvest them.

They're not very big.

They're not very orange.

They weren't intentional.

But they're ours.

That makes them perfect.

Pumpkins and Halloween

Tyler's Pumpkin Art last Halloween

Halloween is going to be here too quickly. I realized today that we only have 3 weeks to make our costumes and prepare for one of our favorite holidays. I think we're going to make a Max costume for Ronan. It will suit his personality beautifully. But we have no idea for the other three. My children almost always wind up as gypsy's. Mostly because we always have all of the components we need to create those costumes.

But one tradition that we've always kept has been the pumpkin carving. It's interesting to see how much patience each child has. Who finishes their design, and who leaves it for me to finish. The process through which each pumpkin is chosen is a mystical and highly gaurded secret for each child. As I help them dig through the bins or we walk through the fields that have been set up they discard pumpkin after pumpkin in the search for their pumpkin.

Each year I'm suprised to find that it isn't always the biggest or most perfect that they choose. There have been years where we have gone to several different pumpkin vendors before they are satisfied that they have found the ONE. Once the pumpkin has become their's they guard it as though it is a precious jewel. The selection process for the design is just as involved.

And each year I discover what is beautiful to each of my children. I am looking forward to the coming weeks of holiday preparations. I always think that the new holiday can't be as much fun as the last.

I'm usually right.

It's more.

Auriana's Pumpkin Art