When my 2 youngest sons, were ages 6 and 11 they asked me if they could carve the pumpkin I had sitting on the deck. " It will be the scariest Jack o' lantern we've ever had for Halloween."
I asked if they needed my help, but they said they'd handle it. After collecting the necessary tools and a bowl to save the seeds in, they set to work.
The oldest carved, while his brother shooed yellow jackets, and made trips to the compost pile to throw away the carved out pieces. After about 15 minutes I went outside to check on them. the pumpkin had the jagged teeth, crooked grin, hollow holes for eyes. I offered them a "touch light"
to put inside, but they refused.
It was dusk at that point, so I took the knife and bowl of pumpkin seeds inside, they assured me they'd be in in a minute. Suddenly, I heard scurrying foot steps on the deck and down the steps! I ran to the window and saw them running in opposite directions away from the deck, smoke billowed up from the Jack o' lantern, and then "Kaboom", punctuated by chunks of orange, flying in the air.!
The oldest was bent laughing so hard. The 6 year old had the hose and was hosing down the deck and charred base of the Jack. "What was that"! " Just that leftover M-80, from 4th of July."
"Watch out Mom you'll get squirted with the hose, if you're not careful.
I must say it was the scariest Jack o' lantern, when I caught my breath.
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