AuBrynne's First Jack-O-Lantern

Yes, I realize AuBrynne is almost 4 years old.

But this is the first year we have made Jack-O-Lanterns.

They always get soft so fast and ugh...

But this year, we looked up several ways of keeping them firm.

The best way we found was to soak the pumpkin in cold water before you cut it.

Then again after you cut it, then seal the raw edges with Vaseline.

I started by first cutting the bottom out of the pumpkin.

 Then AuBrynne "Scoop-Away".

She has been asking all week to do just that.

Now, I must tell you a quick story:

A long time ago, AuBrynne started calling her, ahem... toots, "Pumpkin Goo".

It made us chuckle every time she said it.

We don't know where she picked it up.

But, when she was scooping out the pumpkin, she made the FUNNIEST faces and "Eewws!"

I pointed out to her that this was indeed: Pumpkin Goo.

She looked at me like I had grown another head and handed me the spoon to finish...

She went and got her swimsuit on to "swim" in the pumpkin water.

Fish-girl.

Then, I grabbed my trusty sharpie and got drawing.

You know, most people go and buy nice dull utensils for carving pumpkins....

I just go to the knife drawer in our kitchen -Don't Ask.

Being that I soaked the pumpkin in cold water, it absorbed the water and became VERY firm.

It was unbelievably hard to cut!

But I did it...

When I finished, I grabbed the isopropal alcohol and rubbed off any extra Sharpie marks.

Then back into the cold water for an hour, followed by some Vaseline.

Then I put a tea-light in the bottom piece and lit it up!

AuBrynne was Tickled!