Adventures of Pumpkee!

The Original Pumpkee 2013

We always carve pumpkins for Halloween. When Noah was only 7 weeks old, I carved a little pumpkin with a screwdriver. It was a pumpkin I bought at the apple orchard. When Noah was one, I tried to get him to touch the pumpkin insides, he freaked out. He ran away. He tried to protect me from it. It made for some interesting photos. I learned quickly that I had to do it all by myself. I am a horrible carver. I am left handed and well, it’s just a win when I can carve it. I tend to make very simple shapes. One year I went crazy and decided to carve a sea life theme in the pumpkin. It took me forever but it was so cool. I was very proud of it. It was a masterpiece.

Sealife Pumpkin 2011

When Noah was seven years old, I carved a face in the pumpkin and he loved it. It was very simple. He had grown very fond of it. He named it Pumpkee. When Halloween was over and it started to get mushy, it was time to say goodbye to Pumpkee. He was so distraught. He was sobbing and inconsolable. I felt horrible for throwing away Pumpkee, but I had to. I had a brilliant idea. I told Noah that Pumpkee would come back next year. 

So, the next year, I carved Pumpkee again. I recreated him exactly. Every year since Pumpkee comes back for Halloween. He still hates when it’s time to throw Pumpkee away but he knows that he will be back. Pumpkee always comes back. 

I told Noah that he has to make sure Pumpkee comes back every year for forever with his kids and grandkids. So, this year Pumpkee will be back and we will probably carve another cat. I am glad that Noah doesn’t judge me by my pumpkin carving skills.

How to make easy candles

 I used to love making candles when I was younger. I still have an extensive candle collection. Making candles can be really easy and you don't even have to melt the wax. It's a great craft for little kids because there's no heat while making them. I know the thought of dipping candles over a hot pot of wax where you have to make sure you dip them in wax and then in water can be time consuming. It is fun but it is annoying if you don't remember if you did it properly. Noah and I have dipped candles before and they turned out great. I like the easy way though for a quick rainy day craft. 

Easy candles
Different colors of granulated wax
Wicks with the metal button on them 
Glass candle holders. You could even recycle one. 

Place the wick in the bottom of the candle holder. The ones with the metal button help it stand up. 

Layer different colors of wax in the candle holder. You could even break up little bits of scent that you find in the candle making aisle at the craft store to make them smell good.

Trim the wick. Easy Peasy you have a simple homemade 

DIY ID Bracelets

When you go to an event, the store or anywhere with your kids, you risk them getting lost. It only takes a second for them to run off or dawdle behind. I remember one time Noah and I were at the grocery store. It was shortly after we got our kitties. We were in the pet aisles. I had finished getting what I needed and kept shopping. About five or so minutes later, I noticed that Noah was not with me. I thought maybe he was with my mom but hen wasn't. He was 9 so I wasn't took terribly worried. I went running around looking for him. He was looking at the cat toys. Noah is now old enough to give out my number or state if he's lost. Younger kids don't have the skills to do this. There's all kinds of safety things out there from tattoos to bracelets. I would have no qualms taking masking tape and marker and sticking it on his shirt.

We go to a lot of festivals and fairs. We seem to have a lot of the plastic band bracelets. We have them with all kinds of logos. Noah got one that says Shark Con 2017 because I liked them on Facebook. I have seen ID bracelets with information engraved in the plastic. I wonder if the information is visible or not. 

Either way here's a mom hack. Take a plastic bracelet and turn it inside out. Write your info and allergies on the inside with Sharpie. Put it on your kid's arm and draw a small arrow on the outside. If someone finds your child, they know who to contact. I have seen many children wandering around at the store. Save your money on spending $10 and make your own with the free ones you picked up at the fair. Kids love to wear them anyways. 

Here's a bonus mom hack using the same silicone bracelet, use it as a drink label for water bottles. You can assign colors or even write names and keep them tucked away for the next time.