Fall Traditions: Pumpkin Carving!

From the time I was little little I remember trips to the pumpkin patch and carving jack-o-lanterns with my dad.  The rides out to the patches were always beautiful filled with fresh air and fallen leaves.  My dad would be wearing his uniform of Ralph Lauren jeans and a shawl collar sweater (a grandpa sweater as we used to call it and now seems so fittingly appropriate).  Liza and I are always drawn to those comfy cardigans in the mens side of the store to take home and cuddle in.

Anyhow...cold fall afternoons and fresh pumpkin spread out in heaps on the counter is a tradition worth pegging as one of the cornerstones of family time.  A tradition worth keeping around and savoring.

This past weekend, Avi and I headed up to Connecticut to hang with my parents while Richie was away for a friend's Guys Night Birthday Thing.  It was so nice to get a break from the daily routine and enjoy the country air!

On Saturday morning we all got up and had breakfast together.  Then Mom and I took a nice long walk around the neighborhood before we piled into the car to head over to the patch.

We did the whole hayride, pumpkin picking thing and Avi took a serious liking to one super large and pimply pumpkin and another tiny one that fit perfectly in her hand.  She insisted on sitting in the Radio Flyer with the pumpkins and bossed Dad around to haul her up the hill (he was more than happy to oblige).

We got home and had a nap time (Dad fell asleep with Avi afterwhich he proclaimed he's really got to tone down his magic touch as it works on himself as well as it works on her).  Meanwhile Richie arrived just in time for a little carving action.

I did the drawing and Dad did the carving, Richie watched, and Avi was anxious to do something.  It was honestly one of the best pumpkins we'd ever done!  Avi really wanted to do a scary one, and I think this one was just scary enough!