Instead of carving pumpkins, we went the destructive (and thereby, more fun) route of smashing pumpkins at our fall party.

My neighbor loves to gather the cul-de-sac families together for a party at least once a year. This year, I suggested a Pumpkin Smashing Party. A friend of mine has hosted one for years with her neighbors after Halloween when everyone’s pumpkins are getting soggy. Since we didn’t want to wait until November, we threw the party early on a sunny October Saturday.

Everyone pitched in with food, and the kids made spider crafts and decorated pumpkins with stickers and Dollar Store push-in decorations. With sidewalk chalk I drew two targets–one on our driveway and one in the cul-de-sac.

With Stephen’s help, the kids tossed their decorated pumpkins out our office window down onto the pavement, trying to hit the bullseye. Everybody got a prize, and the pumpkins didn’t make too much of a mess. The squirrels must’ve appreciated the hundreds of seeds we left for them in the road.

To wrap up the party, the kids tried bobbing for apples for the first time. It was hard! I had gotten small apples, in hopes that would make it easier, but without any stems, the kids took a while to get the hang of it.

Eventually both Cooper and Silas got it! Thatch was there for moral support the whole time.