Punkin’ Carving Like a Boss [Photo Journal]

Today was a good day.

No…correction…today was a GREAT day.

Here’s the thing: I very much enjoy the many (MANY) perks of being single — sleeping late, expendable income and grown-up vacations — but every once in a while, I like to borrow a slice of young family life for a day.

Fortunately, on such occasions, I can count on happy times with my awesome friends and their growing families.

A few years ago, I started a tradition with two of my oldest friends (we marked 20 years in 2012 — unbelievable!) of having a group pumpkin carving experience each October.

We all meet up at the same pumpkin patch (at the United Methodist Church in beautiful downtown St. Augustine) take all the obligatory cute kid photos imaginable, and complete the very arduous process of selecting The Perfect Pumpkin. Once each of us has made our critical selection, we head to one of our houses and get down to business (usually after scarfing down some scrumptious food) turning our punkins into works of art.

This year was special because it’s the first Halloween for my friend Toni’s six month old baby girl, and thus her first time experiencing the punkin’ carving tradition.

It was a gorgeous fall day, it even *felt* like fall outside (a rarity in Florida this time of year).

We grilled, we ate and we carved.

But enough of my silly words, only pictures could truly capture the day.

(Okay, and maybe a few captions)

We call this her “Daddy” face (a.k.a. her I’m Not Impressed Face)

[By the way — I’m the one who bought the “Auntie Keeps the Candy Coming” shirt because I’m an awesome Fairy-God-Aunt — almost as good as I am at being a real aunt]

The two kiddos in our group partaking in the traditional posed punkin’ patch photos!

So many pumpkins! I love the colors of fall — yet another reason why it’s the best season of the year!

The “Daddy Face” is easing up a little…she might almost be having fun!

There’s some smiles!

And more smiles! Someone’s very proud of the awesome Ninja Turtle pumpkin he had absolutely no part in creating because all he wanted to do was wield the knife and not touch the slimy guts — but his stepdad did a fantastic job on his behalf!

The Ninja Turtle pumpkin (it was decided he is Raphael) looked even cooler all lit up!

Toni always goes for a traditional pumpkin because she doesn’t have the patience for a more complicated design (and more importantly, she’s usually the one cooking us some delicious food — like she grilled up some yummy burgers and hot dogs to fuel our carving!)