Jack-o-lantern's used to be rough cut out shapes that looked like fangled messes at our house for many years. But last year, we caved to the kids begging and bought one of the booklets and carving kits at the grocery store. Best idea EVER!!!

These little packages of cheap plastic tools can help to create beautiful works of art that will have your neighbors oohing and ahhing about all evening. Who doesn't want to be the talk of the neighborhood?? But for a good thing this time, not because you've had the police called or because your kid is the biggest brat on the block either. But because you are the only family that has the coolest set of expertly carved pumpkins lined up and glowing eerily on Halloween!

First, buy that kit at the grocery store. It's around $3, give in, do it!

Then pick out four or five nice, big fat pumpkins, preferably ones with a flat face on one side. I know, you usually only buy one. But once you see how cool these things turn out, you will want to carve more. Trust me!

Tricks for prepping:
When you cut off the top, create a notch, sort of like a little tooth in the top, so the piece will fit back on easily in the right spot and you don't have to spin and spin trying to find the way.

Make a chimney hole out the lid of the pumpkin for the smoke of the candle to come out. (Sometimes, pumpkins can smoke, and smoke a lot, or even burst in flames, just joking, sort of.)

Now scrape the goop out. Put the kids to work for the messiest part of this job. That's what they are for. Then you need to go back with the scraping tool from the set to really scrape it down to not more than an inch thick.

Picture selection:
When deciding on your first photo to carve, pick an easy one for the first pumpkin so you can get the hang of it. It's not hard at all, but you'll feel much more confident after the first huge success. Cut the excess paper off the corners, etc., so you just have the main design with about 1/4 inch of leeway.

Tape the picture on the flat side of the pumpkin and use the little roller to roll holes over the design. Push hard. Take off the paper and rub a little flour on the pumpkin to make the holes a bit easier to see.

Now use your little saw tool and follow the lines.

How easy was that??!!!!

Pure genius!!!! You would have bought that booklet years ago if you had known they would have turned out so cool, wouldn't you?! I know -- me too!

All that's left to do is to make the kids clean up the mess and search through the house for all those stupid votive candles you have everywhere that you NEVER light. Now they'll actually be put to good use.

Be ready for the raves on Halloween, because they will come, and you can take ALL the credit!