All things that are pumpkin
We’re all about pumpkin parties at our house. On Monday, we had the cutest little group of babies over to pumpkin paint, and last night, we actually carved some.
The night was appropriately filled with all things that are pumpkin:
Nana brought over pumpkin loaf and pie,
and we also enjoyed pumpkin chili,
pumpkin beer
and pumpkin seeds.
Before everyone came over, I made some of Gina’s turkey pumpkin chili and got it cooking away in the slow cooker. I doubled the recipe, and it was AMAZING. Loved the fact that it was so savory and Kyle commented on the southwestern flavors- it was a huge hit and I’ll definitely be making it again. I served it along with salad (arugula, dried cranberries and almonds with balsamic dressing)
[Halloween “trail mix” (aka candy corn and chocolate chips) in the background]
cornbread
(a la box from Trader Joe’s)
and drinks.
Per usual, madre and nana brought over delicious treats and snacks, too like rotisserie chicken, more salad, sweet potatoes and jalapeño dip with chips.
After we had eaten and little Liv was in bed, we all sat on the patio while the Pilot,
Kyle and I carved pumpkins.
Is it weird that I really like cleaning out the goo?
Don’t answer that.
Pumpkin carving award goes to my brother Kyle, who googled a pumpkin picture he liked and then free-handed it:
ET!
Liv is going to go crazzzzyyy when she sees it.
Our works of art:
I had to make an Elmo for my favorite little lady. She has never actually seen Sesame Street, but we’ve YouTube-d a couple of Elmo songs (ABCs with India Arie is a favorite) and she also enjoys FaceTime with him, which I save for emergency situations.
If you’re wondering what the Pilot carved (his is on the far right) there’s a picture of it on his iPhone above, and you can read the full story here. I laughed so hard the first time I saw the photo. It really cracked me up because it seemed like something I would do. “Hey, I can fix that! Ohhh… ohhh noooo…. never mind.”
It was a good Tucson memory night, for sure. I’m soaking up every second we have here, especially since I have no idea how long it will be before (or if) we move.
Today is pretty much a dream teaching day: World Beat and Zumba! Have a great Saturday and I’ll see ya later.
xoxo
Gina
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How fun! I love your Elmo! Great job! We have yet to do our pumpkin carving party… I’m thinking next weekend! I can’t believe how quickly October has passed – it got away from me!
Awesome pumpkins Gina! Last weekend I carved some with friends and this year, I opted for one of the Angry Birds. You can see it here if you like: http://bit.ly/PIpLCS . Pumpkin chili is one of my favourite parts of fall… and all things pumpkin! Sounds like you had a great night!
Oh my gosh. Is it bad that that video made me CRY with laughter? Can’t. Stop.
Kyle’s is amazing, but the Pilot’s is genius! Thanks to him for the laugh 🙂
You did SUCH a great job carving pumpkins! That sounds like such a fun night! I can’t wait to carve my pumpkins, although they won’t look anywhere near as good as yours 🙂
Pumpkin chili sounds fantastic! I honestly believe I wouldn’t like fall so much if it weren’t for all of the pumpkin madness.
OMG, lol. I completely missed that news story. And as a PhD candidate in Art History and Conservation, it’s doubly horrifying and/or hilarious to me!
What a fun night!! A pumpkin party sounds like something I would LOVE!! 🙂
Face time with Elmo?!? Please explain this to me.
Gotta get enough pumpkin in during the Fall to last us the rest of the year, right? 😉 Your night seriously sounds like so much fun, and all of the pumpkins look great! I’m probably going to carve one next weekend, but it’s been a few years since I did it so I’m really hoping that my skills aren’t too rusty!
awesome! now I want to have a pumpkin carving party!! That sounds like so much fun and the food looks fabulous, there is nothing better than chili and cornbread!
What a fun night! That really looks amazing-I can’t get enough pumpkin!!! Your final products are really impressive! So fun!
I love pumpkin carving, we always did it every year as a family. Its just the bf and I now, but I still start to carve them each year, and i love eating the pumpkin seeds. yummy.
The pilot’s pumpkin is HILARIOUS! You definitely have me excited about pumpkin carving next weekend (but I can’t decide on what to carve…)
I am going to have to try out that pumpkin chili it sounds DELISH
You guys made some amazing pumpkins! Wow, I need to have you come over and help me. My carving skills are not so hot 🙂 That chili also sounds amazing every time I see it. Thanks for the reminder about that one!
Ooooh there is now an “if” attached to the move?? In the military world, there’s only an if attached to moving if they’re retiring or getting out early! I assume the Pilot is too young to retire, so is he considering leaving?
nope, his fulfillment is up in 2015- very soon! we’re not sure if he’ll be staying in to make a career out of it, or doing something else. it depends on so many different factors
Being an AF pilot isn’t his career? What is a fulfillment? If you decide on him staying in, do you expect him to be in until he retires?
it’s his career for now, but when he signed up, he signed a contract for 10 years and those 10 years are almost up. at that point you can decide if you want to stay in and make it a “career” (retire through the air force) or if you want to get out and do something else (join the guard or reserve, be a commercial pilot, etc)
My husband is also a pilot (Army) and we’re also making this decision, for 2014. It’s a tough one but I think we’re leaning towards staying in. It’s hard bc I had to give up my career goals (he says “change them” but “give up” is more accurate. I worked in international nutrition for the UN’s World Food Programme. Now I work as an RD at a hospital bc I can’t just take an assignment in Africa anymore.), but at this point it’s too late for me to go back to international work when kids are on the horizon. So in part I feel that I gave up so much for the military, might as well get retirement pay out of it so hopefully one day we can move our family abroad!
Wow, your pumpkins all look so awesome! You are really a talented group, for sure! That’s hilarious that the Pilot did that botched restoration – so funny, and creative. Have a good day teaching!
I love all the pumpkin and fall! Family nights are the best and it seems like your family is a blast! Love the elmo pumpkin!!
Laughing so hard at the Pilot’s pumpkin!!! The chili looks yummy!
Pilot for the win!!! As soon as I hovered over the link and realised it was a BBC story, I knew that Pilot went for the “very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic”. I am dying over here!
Haha! I just read the BBC article. Too funny.
Wow, I am mighty impressed with all your carving skills. Amazing!
HOLY SHIZ. Beast Jesus pumpkin just made my day. Amazing.
So Kyle is Chef Nottingham AND pumpkin-carver Nottingham? Man of many talents!
I was going to say the same thing. His free hand pumpkin is very impressive.
I couldn’t do that with a pattern.
Neither could I. I have NO artistic skills whatsoever. I have never carved pumpkins but I imagine it to be hard!
Bahahah that article! What a face palm moment. Kyle’s pumpkin is awesome!
What a fun pumpkin themed night! I think I might have to make that soup tomorrow! It will be perfect for after my 10k run! Have you tried candy corn and dry roasted peanuts together? It tastes just like a Payday bar and is the only way I like Candy corn. I bet with chocolate chips thrown in it would be even better!
Carving like a BOSS… Your brother’s pumpkin is epic!!! So impressed.
Ha ha ha! Spain is very proud of our restored Ecce Homo.
Great idea to carve it! Wish I though about that before we did our pumpkin!
The pilot’s pumpkin is amazing!
Sounds like such a fun night! What amazing carving jobs too— love the idea of Elmo & ET pumpkins.
That article is HILARIOUS! Making a jack o lantern out of it, brilliant!
Thanks for the chili recipe! I’m eating it now. Yum! It’s a lot like one I make with chopped red bell pepper instead of pumpkin. Try it with a little cinnamon, seriously!
Also, if you want to make it quick and in one pot, it’s easy on the stove top. Since the meat and beans are all cooked it really doesn’t need to simmer for hours.
that’s good to know- i’ll do it on the stovetop next time. it will be nice to not have so many dirty dishes 🙂
Those pumpkins are amazing!!!! Here in Australia we don’t celebrate Halloween so it’s amazing to see these awesome photos!
Girl! It sounds like a dream night! I just wish my son was old enough (he’s 5 weeks old lol) to enjoy this time of year. Oh well. Next year.
That pumpkin chili sounds great! I’ll have to try it out.
LOL – I was definitely wondering what the one on the far right was! Everyone did such a great job – such talent!
This is super cute! Makes me want to be super bold and make a masterpiece on my pumpkin 🙂
Great photos!
Cathy Trails
I am soo making that chili! I might make it less southwestern and more “fall” by adding cinnamon and nutmeg and cocoa. I can’t remember if you guys are renting or homeowners? If the latter, will you rent it out for a while? Wishing you the best!
yeah we bought the house. will probably rent it out
Oh my goodness that painting story is so sad lol!
Your brother is amazing for free-handing that! I probably couldn’t even manage that with a pattern!
Omg the Pilot’s pumpkin is the best thing ever! Hilarious!! Such a funny idea.
I love your pumpkin themed menu! I’ve actually been meaning to make that pumpkin turkey chili. There are just too many recipes I want to make and not enough time!
Also you guys are all seriously talented at carving pumpkins! Whenever I try to carve pumpkins I can only do a simple smiley face… and somehow I even manage to screw that up. 😛
Your pumpkins look awesome! Kyle’s is amazing, the pilot’s is hilarious and yours is adorable!
I bought a pumpkin last weekend but I still haven’t carved it. I’m slacking!
Your pumpkins look awesome! 🙂
Hahaha, I have instatly recognized the last pumpkin!! I am Spanish (yeah, you have followers here, too) and I laughed so hard when that story came out, well, we all laughed hard actually. Anyway I knew the news arrived almost everywhere but I never thought even to the USA, so this pumpkin surprises me and makes me laugh so much, it’s very well done!
laura
OMG you guys have some MAD pumpkin-carving skillz!!! Pilot’s is hilarious!