Pumpkin Party

The Pumpkin Party was actually the start of our traditional parties. I remember after I had Zeke (five years ago!), I got really domestic. I guess having four kids made my homemaker skills kick into gear. My ability to cook finally coincided with my love to cook. I found out that It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown was going to be on tv, so I decided to have a little pumpkin party for the kids before we watched it.

That first year, I made lobster chowder and pumpkin cookies. I got tiny, little pumpkins and the three older kids colored them with markers and glued an enormous amount of googly eyes on them. Nate made homemade popcorn and I laid a sheet on our hardwood floor. We all snuggled together and ate popcorn and watched our very first pumpkin party Charlie Brown show.

It's funny how when you start a tradition, if you stop and think about it, the details of the very first time are strikingly vivid. My young family, creating memories on a crisp Autumn day in our little house in Ohio. I'm sure some Pumpkin Parties will be more memorable than others, but each one has always been so much fun. This is one tradition I hope passes down in the Watson family.

Even Daddy painted a pumpkin!

Gabs and Ivan Thomas.

Of course the wild Z man took his shirt off!

Concentrating...

Gabs making her pumpkin "FiFi".

Who knew painting pumpkins could be so funny?! (:

They indulged me by taking this picture. I was channeling my inner Linda Morgan!!!

This has to be one of my favorite pictures ever. Look at Aylah's face!!!

This is the best beef stew ever. Let me know if you want the recipe. It will seriously change your life!

Finally time for Charlie Brown. It's so weird to see five kids sitting there, when our first Pumpkin Party was only four little babies.