Trick or Treat!

What a fun Halloween night! Wubs and Bella enjoyed trick or treating for the very first time with their dear friends, Jimmy and Grace.


Emma Grace and Bella were both dressed as Angelina Ballerina, their favorite dancing mouse. Grace was a pizza delivery guy and her hat was actually a pizza! Jimmy, the prisoner, is just like a big brother to our girls- we would bail him out of jail any day! wink!
While Shonna and I walked up and down the neighborhood with the children, Patrick and David passed out candy. Bella wasn't so sure about daddy while he was wearing a mask!When Patrick and David ran out of candy, they rummaged the house for pocket change and candy corn. The candy corn was unwrapped, straight from the candy bowl- and it was mixed into the same bowl as the coins. Are you following me here? (Shaking my head.) wink!


Here are the children with all their loot! Yum!Last week was really busy for our family, due to the Anchor Soul program at our church, so we didn't get a chance to carve our pumpkins until today. We read a story to our girls about a farmer and a pumpkin, because although we enjoyed trick or treating, we don't want Halloween to be about witches and monsters, etc. The story describes a farmer who plants a pumpkin patch, and he takes very good care of his crop. One day, the farmer chooses a pumkin to bring in from the field and he washes it clean. He takes a knife and cuts a hole in the top of the pumpkin, and he cleans out the yucky, slimy pulp and the seeds. Then the farmer gives the pumpkin a new face and places a candle down inside. People pass by the farmer's house and see the glowing smile shining from that beautiful pumpkin. The people can see that the farmer has taken a simple pumpkin and made it special! After we read this story, we got to share scripture with Wubs and Bella about the meaning of this story:

Just like pumpkins, we ALL have something yucky inside of us... except instead of pulp, we have sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."- Romans 3:23

Just like the farmer cleaned his pumpkin, God has made a way for our sins to be forgiven and washed clean. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. " Romans 5:8
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life."- John 3:16

The farmer gave the pumpkin a new face! God can make us a new creation, too! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Then came the really special part. The candlelight inside the pumpkin glowed for all to see! We can shine for Jesus, too! "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."- Matthew 5:16


After carving our pumpkins and reading our story, we washed our seeds and baked them with some butter and salt! Wubs LOVES pumpkin seeds, but Bella spit hers right back out of her mouth and said, "Mama, that is NOT delicious!"

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased."- Hebrews 13:16