looking back... photo a day

don't look back!!!  just run or the zombies will get you...

....don't worry zombies only eat brains.

Pumpkinfest the BIG final day

brought the kiddos - took pics of most, but lost overall count...   had to be around 40!?
 we did our best and had SO much fun!!!

can not wait to do it again next year!  kids went to help with pre-scooping - they are SO determined to break a world record!!!

cutest zombie cowgirl ever....  right!?

The girl is  not so good at taking photos,  so there is not one of me - eh...  consider yourselves lucky!

mine!

 yup, we have mad carving skills!!!   

I have been warned - this is not human 

be afraid...  very afraid  =0

the lovely madam spider princess

all love and peace for these pumpkins =)

....we had to take a break for some delicious spider snacks, visit the firemen and do some trick -or-treating!

yummy!!

and then back to work.... we got a world record to break, ya know!!!

boys will be boys

me and my 3-eyed vamp-o-lantern

....and here are a few pics of other peoples handy work we admired on our way out.... 

  amazing event City of Highwood, IL - you rOCk!!!!

Highwood PumpkinFest Day 2

World Record pie line at 5 pm   - Woo HOO !!!  win!
pie eating contest moved to 5:30 pm -  I missed it - darn work/traffic...

I  missed my pie!!!

sOOooo...   back to work on carving  =D

4th and cutest one!! according to 3 random little girls  =D

5th and 6th   - sillyness and vampire

7th and 8th  girly zombie and  jack scarred by zombie girly  =0

9th and 10th - bringing you the letter  "B" and I'm a Star 

number 11....  waiting to work on the world record attempt at most carver at one time/place 

OK, so I received an un scooped pumpkin!?!?!   I took care of that while we waited... and waited... I have come to realized breaking records that depend on large groups of people require  A LOT of waiting...

#12 - carving with alot of other  people - not quite world record  =D

#13  you don't have to go home but you can't stay here!

...and random parade photos - by random I mean the only ones that came out  =D

Pumpkinfest ~ Day 1

so, cold and wet!!! carved 
   ...this is what I did during morning and afternoon break  =D

planning my jack-o-lanterns...  yes, I am kinda dorky like that  =P

 I had rather lofty plans...   I perhaps a bit too obsessively carved Spiderman and then my moon & sun face (...the nose is kinda (close as I could manage) like the crater in the noon the shapes the man in the moons nose <dork>  and the eye one the right eye is the current moon phase...)  anyway  buy the time I finished my first two I was SO cold!!!    I turned out one more quick little cutie and walked hastily to my car  - BBBRRRrrrr!!!!

1st carving - Spiderman 

2nd carving - Moon & Sun face 

3rd (quickie) carving - Little Cutie 

My Goal is to do 30 --  I have A LOT of catching up to do!!

... made me smile today

Did my nails last night - for day 1 of Pumpkinfest - they glow in he dark   =D   SO MUCH fun!!! 
Also, made the first batch of pumpkin seeds....   garlicy...  nom nom nom  - they are going very fast!

Halloween Nails - Round 1 

...  jack-o-lantern pictures coming soon  =D

...who has an obscene quantity of pumpkin seeds!?

This girl  =D

3/5 of my pumpkin seed cache!

*pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc, vitamin E, fiber and a whole bunch or other healthy stuff  
good lunch box, or after school/work snack!

spoils of my toils...  nom nom nom!!!

I spent 2 1/2 hours scooping pumpkins (1 1/2 hours longer than I expected I would last - hello my good friend heating pad) should have brought 2 giant pots!   haha!!   But, seriously SO MUCH FUN!   =D

I am going to roast em'  -  a am thinking lightly salted; garlic oil and salt; maybe sweet and spicy - red pepper and brown sugar..    and perhaps this recipe for Caramelized Spicy Pumpkin Seeds  nom nom nom!!!

any other suggestions???


*update 10/27  I took some offline advice and made a batch about 1 1/2 cup cleaned seeds - soaked them in water to cover (about 1 cup) with a generous splash of lemon juice (2 tablespoons)  and salt (1/2 teaspoon) for about 1 hour... drained in a colander...  added about 3 twists of fresh ground pepper...  dumped em on a parchment lined baking sheet and baked for about 25-30 minutes at 300 degrees...  I did not preheat!

lemon, salt & pepper seeds  - nom nom nom!!!