"All Things Pumpkin" Party

1 Saturday night after church + my apartment + 17 people + 3 carved pumpkins + lots of candles (especially the "Leaves" and "Autumn" ones from Bath & Body Works!) + hot apple cider (aka apple juice and red hots) + homemade hot chocolate + curried pumpkin soup (the biggest hit) + pumpkin salad (yes, pumpkin salad with roasted chunks of garlic pumpkin...YUM) + pumpkin pie + pumpkin cookies + pumpkin-shaped cookies + pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing + spiced pumpkin seeds + pumpkin cheesecake + pumpkin cheesecake dip = ALL THINGS PUMPKIN PARTY!! 

I don't have pictures of half the people that were party-hearty-ing it up with us because:
1) We were having too much fun to stop and take pictures.
2) I don't have an iPhone at my immediate disposable like every other human being on the face of the planet.
3) Half of the people were having serious conversations that I didn't want to interrupt with the annoying camera flash.

So here's a tiny taste of the festivities...

One-of-a-kind autumn wreath hand-crafted with materials from the dollar store.  Who needs Hobby Lobby?!

This centerpiece was a beast to put together, mostly because pine cones for some reason like to float in water, but I'm proud of the final product.

Apparently when you tell Meleah and Lindsay to do something "natural" and "candid," this is what you get.

Introducing Master Pumpkin Carver extraordinaire.

Please meet Dietrich, the "sculpted" pumpkin (named by Joel, spelled by Norma).

Creepy.

So lighting Dietrich proved to be quite the challenge.
Idea #1: Use Madison's wooden tongs to pick up the lighted candle and place into Dietrich.
Fail.

Idea #2: Use Madison's wooden tongs to hold the match and light the candle already inside Dietrich.

Fail.

Idea #3: Use Kevin's carving scalpels to stab the lit candle and lower it into Dietrich.

Success!

This would be Idea #4 (successfully utilized to light the other pumpkins): Use Madison's pancake spatula to place the lit candle.

And here is my souvenir from the night. A Kevin West original, inspired by the treble clef.