Halloween......Family Style!!!

Our first Halloween back in town....close to family, especially those grandkids!!!  Yep, we had to do something really special to celebrate.

So, we decided to invite everyone over on Saturday evening for some pumpkin carving and a big ol' pot of Ed's fabulous homemade chili. 

In attendance, the Boys (Ben and Sam), Bonnie and her Brood (Trayden and Ansleigh), Dad, and Mom and Bob.  Oh, and of course, dear Eddie Dale and moi, the hosts with the most! 

We started out on the back patio with pumpkin carving....

Ed sorta ran this part of the show, seeing as how he is the master pumpkin carver!  In exchange for his overseeing the outdoor activities, I shuttled in and out from the kitchen with drinks for everybody and kept the pot of chili stirred.  And, I was the official photographer of the evening's activities, by default! 

Here he is getting everybody organized and started with the carving.....

Eddie Dale helping everyone find the perfect pattern.

Daddy was the first one to jump in and start cuttin'!

Bob looks on as the carvers get started.

This is the hard part, right???

Bonnie always manages to look like she's having fun....

This part is kinda yucky, Mimi!

Ben, deciding who he is going to end up helping....

And the lucky winner of Uncle Ben's help - Trayden!

Mom had a great time watching - but, no messy carving for her.

And Sam was totally distracted by his new I-phone....

But, one by one, they all finished up their masterpieces....and brought them over to me to be lit up and photographed.  

Ansleigh and her happy little Jack-o-lantern

Bonnie and her ambitious UT/Longhorn carving

Trayden might be serious, but his jack-o-lantern is surprisingly happy!

Daddy picked a very traditional pattern, but he had the best "stemmage", hands down!

I think Eddie Dale got confused and thought this was a mug-shot....

But, I did say he was the master carver - and he proved it once again!

When they were all lit up, I finally got someone else to snap a photo of me with the grandkids....just so y'all  would believe I was actually there!  :)

Oh, my goodness....is that a "deer in the headlights" look on my face, or what?!?!?

At this point, everyone was getting pretty hungry and that chili, with its tantalizing aroma, was beckoning us into the kitchen. 

Dinner was super simple and casual.  We ate spicy chili out of styrofoam bowls and slathered warm flour tortillas with butter.  Dessert was peach cobbler, munchkin-sized cupcakes, and the sugar cookies Ansleigh and I made earlier in the day.  (More on that in another post.....'cause it was just so special it deserves its own space!)

It was loud, chaotic and crowded!  The food was filling, hot and oh-so-yummy!  Everybody had a great time and the evening was total success!!!   And I am so glad we were able to do this with our Family.....this "building memories" is a "very good thing". 

Here's one last look at all the Jack-o-lanterns before they went home with their carvers.....

Aren't they just so SPOOKY and BOO-TIFUL?!?!?!?  (Sorry, I couldn't resist that....I promise I won't do it again....ever!) 

Be back later with more about those sugar cookies.....and then we'll shift gears and look ahead!  After all, it is November!

~Jane~