I get really, really excited about carving pumpkins…

Awkward moment at the farmer’s market today when I called my friend Jess to find if there was a, how do you say… limit? on the number of pumpkins I show up with tomorrow.
 
MULLEN/HASKAMP HALLOWEEN 2016!
 
“The girls (4) each have one of their own and I spend time helping the littles with theirs, so I don’t usually carve one anymore.” (Oh the horror, the HORROR!)  

 
Oh, ok. Well, if I brought more than one to carve would that be ok? Will the girls carve more than one?
 
“You can bring as many as you want to carve, but the girls likely won’t stay engaged to carve multiple.”
 
Yeah, Megan says I romanticize the idea of sitting on the floor with Monster Mash playing while we all carve pumpkins…  But it’s OK if I bring more than one?
 

“Lady, you bring as many as you need to and you do you. I’m excited when people join us for carving and celebrating and having fun. If you need to relive your childhood or whatever, I have plenty of awesome kids to surround you with. If there are any left over, I’ll carve one.”

She must’ve heard my horrified sharp intake of breath when she said she doesn’t carve one anymore. This is where it’s glaringly obvious I’m an Aunt Jennie, not a full time mama with multiple kids at home like nearly all of my friends. Heh. No time to carve

 
The awkward moment came when I explained to the farmer I was in fact buying six pumpkins and no, I don’t have kids. But I’m taking four extra in case my friends’ kids want an extra, or want to paint one.

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Pumpkin. Perfect present to show up with. And the stems are awesome! I love stemmed pumpkins!

 
“Well hay’ll. You ain’t never carved pumpkins as a kid, or whut? Reckon you’re right at 40, and I’ve never seen anyone grown get so ex-ah-ted about picking out a few pumpkins.” It took me 26 minutes.
 
Actually, since you asked? I didn’t get to carve pumpkins as a kid. Wasn’t on the foster mom’s agenda. My greatest memories of carving pumpkins are with my best friend’s children in the last decade.
So. Yeah. I’m 41, actually, and stupid excited about these six pumpkins.

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“I’ll till you whut thayn? Swing through here tuhmarrah and we’ll put a few more in the back of your pick-up, ok? Reckin’ we’ll still have a bunch and you might as well haul a few of ’em off.”
 

And so, Jess. I bought six today, per our discussion, (and they only cost $20 before the farmer got splattered in my emotional vomit), but I can’t promise I’ll only show up with six tomorrow. 

I might help by “haulin’ some off.”

I’ll bring my own drill, too. And a string of lights, ’cause I have this one idea in my head…

Writing,
JH
If your littles are in these shots, thanks for making my Halloween memories the best ever. I love you.

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