The best part about having kids is starting traditions. Fall and winter bring so many family fun activities and I wanted to share a few of my favs + tips!
Our annual trip to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard can’t be beat! The farms transform into a kids dream and it’s so much fun! My best tip here is to save money on apples and pumpkins and do not go all out! We let the kids grab a few of their favorite smaller pumpkins and focus on the extra activities!

When grabbing our BIG pumpkins to carve we go to a local market or church. The prices are slashed, but we are still supporting local!
Another local company that’s always on my radar for fall and winter is Hoffmann Brothers! We’ve been using them for years and it doesn’t matter if it’s for an annual tune up or emergency. Their team is ready to help!

Now onto the messy part. The kids are always very excited until the hard work starts 🤣… carving!
Luckily over the past few years we have mastered this. We dig all the seeds from our pumpkins OUTSIDE! This helps to avoid the major mess and the kids tossing pumpkin guts down the sink!
Have you ever noticed some friends will toss anything in their garbage disposal? I learned a few years ago that is a BIG no no!
My fav plumber Matt, from Hoffmann Brothers gave me a bit of a lecture after we had a back up at our previous house!
Top items to NEVER to put down your drain…
- Pumpkin Seeds
- Grease
- Egg Shells
- Metal, plastic, etc (I always use a drain cover during parties or something can fall)
- Corn Husks
- Pasta
- Toys (this is a reminder for my kids)
- Rice

Then we move our clean pumpkins inside and start carving! I like to drawn our faces we plan to cut out on the pumpkin first. I’m living on the edge not using a stencil!

The boys were so excited to see their visions come to life! I also used a drill to come up with two easy designs! You can do a monogram or spiderweb! For those, add extra holes in the back for air or your candle will go out!

Hope this helps as you get your porch ready for fall! Don’t forget to give Hoffmann Brothers a call for all your Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Drain& sewer, electric, and appliance repair needs!

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