Annual Pumpkin Carving!

I am finally getting around to posting some pictures of our annual family pumpkin carving extravaganza! This is something that we have done every year since before Caleb was born and is getting more fun as the kids get older. This year was the first year that Caleb carved his own pumpkin!! He did an awesome job and really got into it.

Here is Luke, sure that we are going to let him carve this huge pumpkin. He was so excited as you can tell by the look on his adorable little face. The reasone for his excitement can be summed up in two words: carving tools!

Caleb had been looking forward to this day for a while. I LOVE traditions and that this is a time he looks forward to spending as a family!

Joseph, intense about his pumpkin!

And we wonder where Caleb gets his intensity from!

Luke with carving tools - he is sure that he knows what he is doing!

The boys with our pumpkins!

Our pumpkins on Halloween night!




This year we did something a little different. I found this poem and prayer that we read as we carved pumpkins and it opened up some really great dialogue about God and sin. Caleb asked some awesome questions and I love any opportunity to share our faith with our babies. Below are the poem and prayer that we used:

I am a Jack O' Lantern

My light will shine so bright
For I am a Christian pumpkin

My symbols tell what's right.
My nose is like the cross on which our Savior died
To set us free from sin

We need no longer hide.
My mouth is like a fish

The whole wide world to show
That Christians live in this house

And love their Savior so!
The story starts at Christmas

My eyes are like the star
That shone on Baby Jesus

And wise men saw from far
My color it is orange

Just like the big bright sun
That rose on Easter Day

Along with Gods' own Son.
And so on Halloween

Let's set our pumpkins out
And tell the trick or treaters

What Gods' love is all about!
Author Unknown

The Pumpkin Prayer

Dear God, As I carve my pumpking help me say this prayer:

Open my mind so I can learn about You; (Cut the top of the pumpkin)

Take away all my sin and forgive me for the wrong things I do. (Clean out the inside)

Open my eyes so Your love I will see; (Cut the eyes out in heart shapes)

I'm so sorry for turning up my nose to all you've given me. (Cut a nose in the shape of a cross)

Open my ears so your word I will hear. (Cut the ears shaped like the Bible)-we did rectangles

Open my mouth so I can tell others You're near (cut the mouth in the shape of a fish)

Let Your light shine in all I say and do!

Amen. (Place a candle inside and light it)

When Caleb saw all the insides from our pumpkins he said, "Wow, that's a lot of sin in there!"