Carving Pumpkins and Ward Halloween Party

   Saturday night was our ward Halloween party which Avery has been incredibly excited about for weeks now.  She taped the flyer about it to her bedroom wall.  She's never been quite this excited before.  Since our building doesn't have a parking lot we had the kids trick or treat on the top floor, and we decorated the classrooms.  The youth did a little spook room where they had eyes, intestines, brains, and other various body parts that were made out of food.  The girls weren't too keen on them.  I was touching the brains and trying to get Harper to touch them too, and she actually gagged.  It was pretty hilarious. Avery and Harper were more than happy to leave.  They had a great time and Avery actually told everyone she was Minnie Mouse during the costume parade. 

   Earlier in the day we finally carved the pumpkins that we had gotten the first weekend in October.  Daryl and I purchased the carving kit from Williams Sonoma and found it very useful, and did some more elaborate pumpkins this year.  Avery and Harper were happy to help clean the pumpkins both inside and out.  Avery insisted on having her pumpkin carved, but Harper was fine decorating hers with markers.

Daryl taking the girls in the costume parade.

Avery with some friends from primary.  Ada, the girl on Avery's left, is dressed up as Queen Amidala.  Catelyn is a queen and Claire is a bride.  Harper snuck into the picture looking quite mischievous.

Avery and Harper trick or treating in the room I decorated.  You can see Emery's leg peeking out.  I introduced her as the baby of doom.

Harper emptying out a wee bee pumpkin.

We actually picked these pumpkins right from the field that they grew in, so they were quite dirty.

Avery saw our video camera on the counter and started filming.

Here's Harper decorating her pumpkin and herself.  When she was done coloring the pumpkin she actually wiped off most of the marker with baby wipes.  

The girls know that when I do really messy stuff I wear gloves.  I wasn't wearing them to remove pumpkin guts though.  They thought of getting them all by themselves.  Avery thought she needed to wear her Minnie Mouse ears.

Daryl carving his pumpkin.

The finished product: a skull and crossbones that Avery referred to as a pirate.