"Empty Milk Cartons!"

This proclamation of joy from Amara every time we finish a gallon of milk has become a regular occurrence at our house. We got this idea from Family Fun magazine, and Amara has embraced it completely. I know the picture is a little dark, but the gleeful, triumphant expression on her face is telling. Every time we finish a gallon of milk, we wash out the carton, and Amara draws spooky faces using permanent markers. Then we cut a hole in the back of the carton for light insertion. This picture was taken early on in the process. We now have 9 lanterns lining the walkway, with 3 more around the sink waiting for Amara to do her magic. The best part is watching her draw on the cartons. She'll pause multiple times during the process and pull faces to help her decide what looks spooky enough to go on her lantern.