Pumpkins with my Pumpkins

Ernie was expecting guests later so he wanted to make sure we had time to make the place presentable.

Did our daily gift card pickup in Redmond Town Center.

Big Ern likes this toy that's kind of like a box of tissues but they're cloth. He loves pulling them out but strangely has zero interest in putting them back in.

He had an important conference call with his grandparents.

Lydia made a Halloweeny charcuterie board.

Derek and Gabby came over and we did a pumpkin beer tasting. Voodoo Ranger Atomic Pumpkin from New Belgium was a stand out. What kind of mad scientist genius would come up with a spicy pumpkin beer?

I am contractually obligated to buy anything containing paw paw.

My Pumpkin Beer Tasting Mascot

Ernie added cauliflower to his solid food repertoire.

Zoe came over and we had our annual pumpkin beer tasting. This time we even had a mascot.

New Belgium was the winner in my opinion with this Atomic Pumpkin spicy variation.

I also unveiled this beauty that I picked up from our recent stop in Nashville.

Pumpkin Carving Times

We took our friends Viry and Lolo out for a magical pumpkin carving experience today. 

Festivities started at Herman's Farm Orchard in St. Charles, MO. We had to carefully select the perfect pumpkin to eviscerate.

We then headed back to their place for carving.

I found this one online. Looked threatening enough.

Victory!

While at Viry and Lolo's place I nabbed another queen ant flying around. This one was smaller and red.

We got to watch her shed her wings as part of the colony founding process. I named her Lil Lolo.

O'Fallon Pumpkin Beer Virtual Tasting

It's usually pretty sad to watch organizations try to get you to sign up for virtual versions of covid canceled in-person events. Especially like virtual fundraiser galas. Bad news guys, I was mostly going for the booze. I'm not going to dress up and then sit in front of my computer while I write you a check, sorry. But when I heard that Randall's was doing a virtual beer testing, I thought this might just be crazy enough to work.

The tasting featured several pumpkin beers from O'Fallon, and then we logged onto a webex where an O'Fallon employee was waxing poetic about all of the subtle notes I should be detecting.

Our tasting room this evening was Zoe's back... side yard?

As the sun set the sky really put on a show for us.

Peter Peter Pumpkin Drinker

As I drove home from work in Lake St. Louis, through the lovely fall foliage, my mind turned to all of the pumpkins I would soon be drinking...

...at the Rev. John T. Milito Annual Pumpkin Beer Taste Test Showdown! We collect pumpkin beers we find at like every alcohol store in town, and then sip them like dandies while we give them fairly meaningless ratings.

I gave myself a tattoo so I would never forget these friends.

It was then time for some games.

Now I don't know if it was the alcohol or if drinking 14 pumpkins triggers some sort of testosterone boost, but at this point in the night everyone competed in various feats of strength.