Pumpkin painting and the Teal Pumpkin Project

When Ben came to visit he brought the kids each a pumpkin. The girls have just been itching to paint their pumpkins so today it was nice outside, we had nothing to do this afternoon, and I braved the painting with three children. The girls had a GREAT time painting their pumpkins!






Since JP wasn't so into the whole pumpkin painting thing I used his pumpkin for our teal pumpkin for the Teal Pumpkin Project.

What's the Teal Pumpkin Project you ask?
The Teal Pumpkin Project is an awesome initiative that works to make Halloween a little bit more inclusive for kids with food allergies (and those with diabetes and Celiac's disease too!).

As many of you are aware, Ruthie was diagnosed with a peanut allergy earlier this year. There are many fears and anxieties that come with having a child with a food allergy and there is also some sadness. Sadness that she won't get to eat everything in her Halloween bucket...that we may have to take things out of her bucket. She won't realize this year but next year she'll be old enough to be aware that we're taking candy out of her bucket. And it doesn't just affect Ruthie, it affects our whole family. We've already faced this issue this year when we went to Boo at the Zoo. We had to tell the big girls ahead of time that if they got candy with peanuts in it they wouldn't be able to eat it. Fortunately we were there on a slow night so we were able to switch out for something different if they were given something with peanuts. We're also fortunate in that Ruthie is able to eat things made in a facility with peanuts (like M&Ms) but many children with peanut allergies are not.

So, now you want to know how the Teal Pumpkin Project helps kids with food allergies and how you can get involved? I'm so glad you asked!
Next time you're at the store grab some fun non food treats like pencils, little notepads, stickers, bubbles, crayons or glow sticks. Then paint a pumpkin teal and put it on your porch. When Halloween comes around your teal pumpkin lets those with food allergies know that you have a non food option available at your house! *If you're also handing out candy make sure you have your candy and your non food items in separate containers!*

This is something near and dear to my heart and I hope you will ALL participate this year and spread the word to your friends and neighbors! (You can click on the any of the links above to get more information about the Teal Pumpkin Project!)