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Carve a Disney Pumpkin

As I’ve always said I’m not a very crafty person. When it comes to fall activities I’d far rather focus on the eating: candy/caramel apples, apple pie, pumpkin pie, apple cider, and more. Give me the guts left over from a pumpkin carving session, I’ll roast up the seeds and put them in cranberry sauce, or apply the pumpkin innards to a pie or a chocolate chip pumpkin cake. For the more artistic types, however, or at least for those who enjoy crafts more than I do, this month/season gives the once-a-year opportunity for one unique craft: pumpkin carving. Those … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Carving Templates

Now that Halloween is this week, I may break down and let the kids carve their pumpkins. We have three small pumpkins for the kids to decorate individually, as well as one larger one for the family to do together. The kids have been begging us to turn them into jack-o-lanterns. For the smaller ones, we have a bucket of plastic pieces that can be pushed into the pumpkins to make creatures. This is a take on the Mr. Potato Head toy. But they still would like to actually carve. Since neither my husband nor myself are very artistically talented … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Carving Party

If you are looking for an easy Halloween party, consider an alternative. A friend of ours throws a pumpkin carving party most years. I think it’s a great idea, especially if Halloween falls mid week. You can have the party on the weekend, and do something simpler mid-week when it’s actually Halloween. The pumpkin carving party is great for families, the entertainment is built right in to the party, and it doesn’t require much food or decoration. Everyone brings a pumpkin. Outside, our friend has a table set up with knives and scoops for gutting the pumpkin. She has another … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Carving Options

When I was little, carved pumpkins were called jack o’lanterns. I don’t hear that term too much anymore. Back then our jack o’lanterns had two triangle eyes, and upside down triangle for a nose, and a scraggly tooth grin. It must have been so hard to carve a pumpkin with a butcher knife. I’m sure that is why the teeth usually were repaired with toothpicks. Inside the jack o’lantern we put a stub of an old candle. Today pumpkin carvers have so many options. You can buy special pumpkin carving drills and tools. You can buy stencils, foam pumpkins, light … Continue reading →

Fall Cookies: Classic Pumpkin Bars & Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting

Canned pumpkin will soon be on sale and I admit that my pantry shelves will be lined with the stuff. Canned pumpkin is more nutritious than fresh although I have to admit that adding cream cheese frosting to a pumpkiny confection laden with almost 2 cups of sugar probably negates any health benefits. For a healthier version of this, try Lisa Pietch’s recipe. This particular recipe comes from a family friend who I’m sure got it from another family friend. . .and so on. Pumpkin Bars You Will Need: 2 c. Flour 1 3/4 c Sugar 1 tsp baking soda … Continue reading →

Tis (almost) the Season for Pumpkins!

I recently went back to school shopping (yes, homeschoolers need ‘school supplies’ too) and was in utter shock as I went through the store. There is was, right next to the back to school supplies aisle: the Halloween candy aisle. Now it wasn’t in its full glory as it will be in another four weeks but am I the only one who realizes that it’s still August? Well, I was in for another shock because when I went to go pick up my produce later that day the first batch of pumpkins for the season sat staring me in the … Continue reading →

I Have The Pumpkin, Now What?

Halloween is fast approaching and pumpkin patches are sprouting everywhere. Just yesterday Teresa, my fellow parenting blogger, wrote about her family’s annual trek to a pumpkin patch. Tyler and I also visited a pumpkin patch yesterday but this was our first time. I actually stumbled upon it on my way to the library. We ended up having a great time and I have some great pictures (I never leave home without my digital camera). Tyler is very excited about carving the pumpkin and so am I. I’ve never actually carved a pumpkin before so this is going to be a … Continue reading →

Haunted Halloween Games and Crafts

These candy-themed Halloween games and crafts will make your Fright Fest tasty and terrifying at the same time. All you need are a few pumpkins, some candy, and a lot of creativity. CANDY WEREWOLF WALL RACE The object of this game is to construct a wall to keep the werewolves out using just three items: Halloween candy, toothpicks and Popsicle sticks. Whoever builds the tallest wall in two minutes wins the game. Materials: Mini or Full-Sized Chocolate Bars Bubble Gum (sticks or chunks) Licorice Whips Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Peppermint Patties Lifesavers Twix Bars Chocolate Dipped Pretzels Plastic Table Cloth … Continue reading →

The Week in Review: September 9-15

Good morning! I hope you’re having a great weekend. I’m introducing a new feature here in the Family Fun blog that I’ve been doing in some of my other blogs. This is the Week in Review where we’re talk about the highlights and more for the week. Please let me know what you enjoyed about this week and what articles were the most useful to you! September 9 We talked about Family Activities: Building Fun Baskets for Teachers and how you can make it a family project to honor your child’s teacher or teachers. We can do this in any … Continue reading →

Leaf Creatures – A New Way to Save Leaves

When I was kid, I used to wander around and find loose, colorful leaves that fell from the trees during autumn and put them in wax paper and press them so I could save them in my little fall collector books. I did this a great deal and over the years, the practice gradually faded out as many of the things we do as children do. This year, I’m going to teach my daughter about the joy of leaf collecting, only we’re not just going to press them into wax paper. We’re going to take the different leaves with their … Continue reading →