Life has been busy...didn't get our pumpkins carved until last night.
I think it was the first year ever that Coley didn't pitch a fit about having to stick his hands inside the pumpkin.
Annie didn't want any part of sticking her hands inside a pumpkin though so she just hung out, danced and wrote all over her pumpkin with a Sharpie pen.
Courtney Lee however, has no issues with pumpkin guts (my kind of girl).
In fact, that might actually be pumpkin guts on the side of her face.
Ross (who is getting a haircut today) and his friend Taylor.
And then we created great melon baller memories by balling Granny Smith apples for this little recipe that my friend Tanya emailed me.
And that's Sharpie pen marks all over Annie's hand and arm.
Courtney Lee making melon baller memories.
Coley & Annie making joint melon baller memories.
Melon ballers also make great microphones.
And can be used to play 'spin the melon baller' (and Courtney Lee professes her love to whoever it lands on).
And then we stuck our Granny Smith Apple balls on lollipop sticks and dipped them in either white or dark chocolate and then rolled them in either coconut, mixed nuts or sprinkles.
Annie liked the sprinkles the best (she got in trouble for sticking her whole face in the sprinkles bowl).
I think it will be a new Halloween tradition.
Courtney Lee's is the one in front (with the words to the song 'The B.I.B.L.E.' attached to it). Coley's is the one behind it with the bat. One guess who the "Go Beavs" pumpkin belongs to. Mine is the one in the back with the happy face. And Annie's is hiding somewhere in the shadows with Sharpie pen marks all over it.
And then after the kids went to bed, I went to the store to get more Grannie Smith apples so Josh and I could dip them in dark chocolate and coconut (my favorite mix) while we watched T.V.
Happy Halloween.
Great pictures!
I'm glad to see you were making memories with your melon baller! :)
Posted by: Keely | October 31, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Thank goodness for really good friends who will find a (good, no less!) recipe that uses a kitchen tool that your husband doubted you'd ever be able to use, let alone make memories with.
Go, Tanya! :-)
Posted by: Melissa | October 31, 2008 at 10:30 AM
i LOVE the sprinkles on her chin. i'll have to have my kids make some mini caramel apples tonight too. oo. can't wait to eat them. have a happy halloween!
Posted by: jean kim | October 31, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Courtney has such beautiful eyes! :)
Posted by: Basia | October 31, 2008 at 11:48 AM
and Josh thought that melon baller was a waste of money...men!
Posted by: Amy | October 31, 2008 at 12:21 PM
so glad you got to make "melon baller" memories!
Posted by: cynthia | October 31, 2008 at 12:24 PM
now I need an apple baller!
Posted by: christinew | October 31, 2008 at 12:29 PM
and NOW someday there really will be a big ole fight for that melon baller....:) LOL!! Happy Halloween to you and your sweet sweet family!! I miss ya cutie! :)
Posted by: Tanya Webster | October 31, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Hi Karen,
Have you mentioned anywhere on your site how you manage to take such great photos indoors? Mine always ended up washed out or orange. And both options are equally ugly to look at!
Love the melon baller memories - too funny!
Posted by: Mary | October 31, 2008 at 01:22 PM
Gorgeous photos! You all look like you had a great time!
Posted by: Theresa | October 31, 2008 at 01:29 PM
You prolly get asked this all the time.. but what kind of camera do you have (and what lens did you use for these shots)?? It's Killer! Loved these pics! They make you feel like you are there!
Posted by: LollyChops | October 31, 2008 at 02:41 PM
Oh what fun! I love that you each have a pumpkin to carve!
The apple lollipops are a fantastic idea!
Thanks for taking the time to share!
Happy Halloween!
Posted by: Paola Norman | October 31, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Happy Halloween! I'll have to try out that recipe!
Posted by: Dina | October 31, 2008 at 04:05 PM
according to my husband, you shouldn't carve your pumpkins any sooner........he thinks they'll rot or get stolen......brother.
Posted by: kim in Camas - ScrapToMyLu | October 31, 2008 at 05:25 PM
Happy Halloween Karen!!! I think that's a great melon baller tradition. I just love that photo with Annie and the sprinkles all over her chin .. lol
Posted by: KT | October 31, 2008 at 05:59 PM
Great Halloween memories - thanks for sharing them! And I'm so going to try that recipe - I've even bought some melon ballers to put in my girls' Christmas stockings. I think they need to make memories too!! Happy Halloween!
Posted by: Crystal | October 31, 2008 at 06:02 PM
Looks like a great time!!!
Posted by: txscrapaddict | October 31, 2008 at 06:52 PM
Go Melon Baller! Aren't you glad you snapped that up! Someday those kids are gonna be fighting over who gets that melon baller, mark my words!
Love the sprinkle face...after ya yelled at her did ya want to eat her up?
Oh and go Miss. Courtney....now that's a girl with some guts...ha ha a little silly pumpkin humor...happy Halloween!
Posted by: Brandi in OH | October 31, 2008 at 07:35 PM
Martha Stewart's got nothin' on you Karen!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN to you and your adorable kiddos!
Posted by: Megan | October 31, 2008 at 09:36 PM
spotted the melon baller too. glad to see you're making those unforgettable memories w/ it. ;) i saw the mini candy apple recipe too & we made them out our halloween playgroup. huge hit! it'll be an annual tradition around here too. happy halloween! maryjo
Posted by: maryjo materazo | October 31, 2008 at 10:41 PM
cute photos ! Now for sure they will fight over that melon baller long after you are gone! You were so right.
Loved this post, Karen.
Posted by: Michelle OKeefe | November 01, 2008 at 03:56 AM
Hi Karen,
Looks like you all had a fun Halloween. Can you tell me what your camera settings were for these indoor pictures? I don't have much light in my house (at least I don't think I do). I was just wondering how you got great pics without a flash!
I must say that your on-line photography class this past summer was one of the best things I have ever done. I know I have said it before, but thanks again!
Posted by: amy | November 01, 2008 at 04:50 AM
Great pics, as always! We made that recipe back for a Labor Day cookout and they were sooooo yummy! Great bite-size little bits of sweet deliciousness. And fun to make too. Just don't try to make them with the real caramel. It slides off this little apple balls.
Posted by: Karen Young | November 01, 2008 at 07:11 AM
Another great set of photos. Looks an idyllic evening. Lol at the idea there'll be fights in the future for who gets the melon baller!
Posted by: Heather (in Scotland) | November 01, 2008 at 06:43 PM
so glad you got to put your melon-baller to good use.
hopefully, your girlies will be walking around a thrift store years from now, and tears will come to their eyes when they see a melon-baller and think of your apples.
:0)
Posted by: aja | November 01, 2008 at 09:22 PM
I'm way older than Cole and I still pitch a fit about sticking my hands inside a pumpkin. I'm so pathetic that I use disposal rubber gloves. What a wimp I am.
I am SO glad you found an excellent use for that melon baller. It has served its purpose... created a memory that will cause them to fight over who will inherit the melon baller many, many, many years from now. :0)
Posted by: Colleen | November 02, 2008 at 07:21 AM
hi karen and family! love the mellon baller memories and the recipe too. you'll have to tell courtney lee i'd love to see her on american idol with her mellon baller. lol. i can see what looks like an old window pane in the background of some of your pics. i'd love for you to post a photo on your blog so i can see it. i just found an old window pane in a barn that is going to be torn down. i feel like i scored big time and i'm looking for ideas on what to do with it.
Posted by: Libbi M. | November 02, 2008 at 07:52 AM