Pumpkin Pick 2008

I shudder to think of how long its been since Ive touched base with you all. So sorry, really, its just that things have been unexpectedly busy. And Ive had a nasty cold that has taken up residence in my chest and wont leave.

Six years ago I started a little get together with my family called the Pumpkin Pick. It was a day to get the family together for something other than a holiday or birthday, just to have a little seasonal fun. The primary intent was to take everyone to a local pumpkin patch so that the kids could pick their own pumpkins. Over the years, we've tried out different pumpkin patches and activities, various food and crafts. You just never know what the next Pumpkin Pick is going to bring!

This year we didn't go to a pumpkin patch since there really aren't any that are close to our house. Instead, we started the day with a wienie roast, made home made applesauce, took a trip to a local corn maze that was acres and acres BIG, then came back home for some crafts. Though the weather was beautiful, we still warmed our bellies with some homemade vegetable soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.

I remember making applesauce as a kid, or rather, I remember everyone making applesauce around me. I'm not sure I played a big part in the whole ordeal. But this time, even the littlest of tykes enjoyed the process. We started with a whole lotta apples! Lots of peeling, coring, and cutting going on. Like I said, even the little guys enjoyed helping out. Every successful operation needs a quality control manager! Unfortunately, I was too busy running around to get any good pictures of the days events, and wouldn't you know, as soon as we arrive at the corn maze, my camera died. But not before one group shot of the kids.

We cant have a Pumpkin Pick without pumpkins so I got some home grown goodness from my uncle and shared them with the kids. But I couldn't just give them a naked pumpkin! I dressed them up just a little with handmade tags, just to serve as a reminder of the day.

I started by downloading a Doodlebat called DB Halloween Little Notes. These are so cute and fun, there are endless crafts you could use them for. I picked one image, made it about a 150 point font size, then added a text box over top of it to read Pumpkin Pick 2008. I then printed them on natural card stock, cut them out, and punched a ribbon hole into the end of each one. I used some green raffia to thread through the ribbon hole and knotted it. Once I had all of the tags ready, I simply tied them on to each pumpkin stem. A simple, cost effective way to add just a little something extra to an otherwise ordinary pumpkin. Like I said, each child was able to take their own pumpkin home as a memento of this year's Pumpkin Pick.

Check back later for a tutorial of the craft that we put together!