The End

I did finish up the Halloween countdown.

We may have been sick, but nothing can stand in my way when it comes to traditions. I've just been busy/lazy and haven't posted it yet. But today's a new day!

So here it is: Our brilliant conclusion to the Halloween Advent calendar.

Day 12: Carve Jack O' Lanterns.

I wasn't quite sure how this would go with the children. Typically, Lane and I have just carved the pumpkins once they are in bed to avoid any kind of mess/child impaling themselves with a forgotten knife.

This year, however, I braved the tempest.

I laid garbage bags everywhere and we got started.

I didn't have much to fear.

Obviously my children inherited my dislike for too much mess, because as I had them stick their hands into the pumpkins to remove the guts, all I could hear was "ewww. Gross, Mama." or "yucks."

Once we cleared the way, I had the children "draw" their faces on the pumpkins.

Obviously Lane and I took creative license with their drawn-on faces.

But they couldn't have been happier with the outcome. (We were fairly pleased as well.)

Left to right: Elliot's, mine, Jane's

Lane's pumpkin initially had a large candle in it, so I had to do a light photo on it so you could see the face. Once we replaced it with a tea candle, it was perfect (much like the man himself).



The next day, our 13th day, obviously directed us to trick or treat.



I realize I need to fix this one. I intend to enlarge the photo of the gypsy and add a netting, to make it look more like a booth.

I took the kids out while Lane passed candy. I'll say this much: Never again. Trick or treating is a Daddy thing. Now I know why my Dad took us all those years.



See how fast my Dash is moving? You can barely see his pumpkin. That OR it's taken with the camera on the phone ...

Still, I was glad we went with my friend and her children. Her older daughter kept an eye on Jane as Elliot puttered in the back with her youngest. It was nice to have a responsible child with energy keeping up with Jane.

Exhausted and happy, we came home much after bedtime. And, instead of getting to bed, the kids sat around and ate even more candy.

It won't come as a surprise that there were huge smiles on those faces when they fell asleep.

Or that they've been asking to go "trick treating" every day since.

Once they were passed out, Lane and I had our Halloween treat.

A little cake I whipped up that afternoon: Chocolate Pumpkin with a whipped cream cheese frosting topped with chocolate glaze.

The frosting was excellent. The cake was excellent. Together they were good. Not quite as happily married as I would have hoped. Still, we're eating the cake.

With gusto. (Get the recipe here.)