Round, Orange, and Rhymes with Bumpkins...

Can you guess what this week has been all about? That's right folks...PUMPKINS! And in "Bubba Gump" style, here's what our week looked like: PUMPKIN books, PUMPKIN crafts, PUMPKIN experiments, PUMPKIN pulp, PUMPKIN "snot," PUMPKIN muffins, PUMPKIN seeds, PUMPKIN patch, PUMPKIN Mickey, and PUMPKIN carving!

Whew! Busy week!! On Thursday, my Redbirds and their parents did lots of experiments measuring and observing pumpkins. They weighed and measured their pumpkins then counted the seeds. The kids surprised me at how grossed out they were by the pulp, or as one child described it, the "pumpkin snot" Ewww. Kindergarteners. Go figure. Then the kids got to sample pumpkin muffins and pumpkin seeds I had prepared earlier. Lots of fun. We also made some paper bag pumpkins by stuffing a lunch bag with newsprint, tying a the top with a swirly green pipe cleaner, and painting it orange. VERY messy, but very cute. Friday, we took a field trip to the pumpkin patch, and each child got to pick out a small pumpkin to take home. It was a really neat pumpkin patch. They had a wide variety of pumpkins. There were kinds of pumpkins I had never seen before. There were short wide green pumpkins and lumpy pumpkins that looked like they had worts. Today, Stephen and I carved one of the leftover pumpkins from my class. (and by Stephen and I, I really mean me, and Stephen watched, haha) I made it into a C for Craver. Or it could be a C for Crystal because I was the one who carved it, hehe! You might think this is the end of all my pumpkin adventures this week, but fear not! Today at K-Mart, I found the perfect pumpkin for me. It is one of those plastic pumpkins with a light bulb--completely free of "pumpkin snot" and already carved--right up my ally! And to top it off, can you guess whose face is carved in the front?? Mickey, of course! :) And so the Disney obsession continues! Stephen's been working more this week because NOBTS is on fall break this week. I'm jealous of the time off! But it will be Thanksgiving break before long!

P.S. In the picture of Stephen and me, ignore that ugly piece of hair in my face. I had to set the timer, and it took us like 300 times to get an ok shot. This was the best we could get! :)