Sir Taco Of Bellshire profiles with a pumpkin, pre-pummeling
Last year, my little family discovered the sheer joy of post-Halloween pumpkin destruction. It’s exhilarating, it’s cathartic and when it’s 65 degrees like it was this afternoon, it’s some pretty sweet family fun.
When Jack-o-lantern mouths begin to pucker and pumpkin skin starts to wrinkle, don’t just throw them away, grab a handful of tools and head to the backyard. Warning: If you live with a Bob-Villa-type, like I do, your tool choices will be limited because evidently, *animated air quotes* “these are important tools, they are used to fix things and pumpkin guts will get them sticky. . . . and blah blah blah.” And YES, I WAS doing my Dougie voice just then.
I was all excited to grab the power drill and perform a little open-head gourd surgery but nooooo, Dougie Villa squashed that idea. Sooo, we grabbed a couple baseball bats, a large stick and a hammer. After Jacob and I gave him a boo boo face, he also reluctantly gave up his crow bar. YES!
It’s all smiles and adoring gazes before the big smash.
Getting their game-faces on. Katie tried to look tough but ended up looking more like a contortionist.
LET THE SMASHING BEGIN!!!!
After a spirited battle cry that sounded something like, “WOOGY WOOGY WOOGY,” these sweet baby dolls beat, smashed, crow-barred and kicked those poor pumpkins, laughing maniacally the whole time.
Jacob gives an aggressive pumpkin carving tutorial: Video here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_r31uTGrLo
We even played pumpkin baseball: Video here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWFRVO2K5xw
Katie takes her pumpkin carcass for a drive.
Jakie was less than thrilled when I made him use a British accent and say, ” ‘Ello guvna. Pip pip, cheerio.”
Then Katie ended up in the leaf pile
And Mama was ready for a drink. Warm Apple Cider + One (or 2) shots of Butterscotch Schnapps.
Hey photog friends! How ’bout the staging on this photo, eh? I threw in a few festive items but forgot to move the chair and extra place mat out of the background! You’re right, I will NOT quit my day job.
Today was one of those days when the laughs outnumbered the quarrels. We spent the entire afternoon outside and even had a picnic on the driveway as the kids took turns riding in Dougie’s old and battered but still still beloved Jeep CJ5.
When it was finally time to come in to start dinner, showers, chores and homework, we became wardens again and there was much pouting in the land. But BEFORE that. . . ohhhh, the 3 hours before that was pure bliss. As a parent, you take what you can get. 😉
Pumpkin-pummeling, a chalk self-portrait by Katie.
Dani Stone 
November 13, 2011 at 10:52 pm
Savor the flavor, friend — these days are the delicious nougat good stuff and they are fleeting. LOVE THIS so much!!!!