Halloween Pumpkins

Its my favorite time of year - fall! The air is crisp and cool, and the trees are turning brilliant colors. Oh... and its almost Halloween! My oldest son's birthday is October 31, so this is an especially fun, celebratory time of year at our house. Probably our favorite activity is carving Halloween pumpkins. Last year, my kids got a book called Extreme Pumpkins. I don't know who comes up with this stuff, but there are images of pumpkins eating bloody stuffed animals, cannibal pumpkins, and headless pumpkin people. It is wildly funny! Last year, one of our Halloween pumpkins was an evil gourd chomping on an innocent bunny rabbit. Don't even ask me how we made the "blood." (corn starch, water and lots of red food coloring)

Being as this is an election year, there are even more frightening options available for your Halloween pumpkins. How about a Sarah Palin jack o'lantern? Right down to the updo and glasses, you can use special stencils to create your own Alaskan masterpiece... or maybe the starting point for your creativity. Even if you can't see Russia from your own doorstep, you can have Governor Palin keeping watch for you. And maybe that is the most frightening thought of all! Happy Halloween - and enjoy carving your own Halloween pumpkins this season.