Getting ready for Halloween!

Earlier this month, I started getting the house ready for Halloween!

Mama came up for lunch one day and bought a pretty white pumpkin for me, so I bought a couple of gourds to go with it and placed them outside our front door...

along with our carved initial pumpkin and fall leaves...

Since I had the outside looking fallish, I had to put a couple of little Halloween touches inside too!

I started with our entry piece...

and bookcase... (I just had to hang my little flying witch!)

Then on to our little chests...

I just love this little cornucopia I found while shopping with Molly, so I put a few gourds in it and placed it near the cute little bunnies Molly gave me - Thanks Molly! I then placed a grouping of some of my favorite pumpkins near our fireplace... Toula, of course, had to come out to check out my handy work and play for a bit!
I then moved into the kitchen where I put my little pumpkin basket Mama gave me for holding candy while I was at State on our island...
along with a few other Halloween touches...

And, of course, I had to set our table for Halloween - complete with little ghosts!
and put out my little pumpkins with ribbon on Ma's tea cart and for our little bunny to hold...
I found the cutest acorn gourd and just had to bring it home! I found the perfect place for it with our little bunny out back!

Tonight, Charles and I had a fun evening carving Jack-o-Lanterns!

We got our table all set up and our pumpkins cleaned off...
Then it was time to cut the tops off... and scoop out the goop...
my favorite part!!
Charles found a little less messy way to get rid of his goop...
Next, it was time to decide on our designs. Charles always thinks up a cool, cute design!Charles's design turned out great again this year...After drawing on the designs, it was time to carve the pumpkins!
Our finished jack-o-lanterns...

and, of course, I had to get a picture of us with our jack-o-lanterns!
After finishing with the carving, we brought our jack-o-lanterns inside for Toula to see. She was a little apprehensive at first, but she gradually made her way over toward them...She then got a little brave and decided to stare Charles's jack-o-lantern down...When Toula figured out that they weren't going to hurt her, she got very curious and began exploring and sniffing all around them!

After letting Toula take a look, we took our jack-o-lanterns outside and found the perfect spot for them... I can't wait to welcome the little trick-or-treaters this weekend!