It’s the weekend we’ve been gearing up for weeks now, Halloween Weekend! The kids are so excited to put their costumes to use, collect some candy and be outside when it’s “POOKY,” according to Carter.
Our trick-or-treat is not your typical collection of candy. We carry two twin-pack epi pens with us, even though we don’t allow the kids to eat candy while we trick-or-treat.  You just never know what they can come in contact with when it’s dark. When the kids are collecting candy, we’ve learned that there are a few homes in our neighborhood that have the teal pumpkin visible, we set that candy to the side. ONLY the safe candy/giveaways from teal homes is the stuff we keep, and allow the kids to eat. The remainder of our candy has always been donated to Meriter Pediatrics Candy Trade in. This trade-in is common practice by doctors and dentists to help kids cut back on all those sweets. They don’t need all that candy anyway.

what is the TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT?

The Teal Pumpkin Project is about bringing the joy of trick-or-treating to every child. This includes kids with all kinds of food allergies, not just nuts. If you have a teal pumpkin of some sort in your front yard, door step, window, etc. it means that you have non-food items available for trick or treat. At Target and Walgreens, they have fairly inexpensive bulk bags of Halloween pens, notepads, stamps, stickers, spider rings, etc. There are many options. We support the teal pumpkin project and offer 100% nut free snacks. Here’s what we have this year:

  1. mini Halloween pens + paper
  2. tootsie roll suckers
  3. sixlets
  4. Halloween pirates booty
  5. skittles
  6. smarties
  7. bottle caps (not sure how many are actually left. this might be my favorite Halloween candy ever. of all time. not even kidding.)
  8. junior mints
  9. nerds
  10. Annie’s Graham Crackers

We love the candy trade-in at Meriter. We visit our pediatrician and in exchange for our candy bag, the kids receive healthy snacks, and a tote full of coloring pages, etc. It’s a good way to donate the candy. Meriter has organizations that they then donate it to.
To keep the magic of Halloween alive here without candy, we have a visit from THE GREAT PUMPKIN on Halloween. It’s like St.Nick. A small something for each kid is left here at home while the kids are trick-or-treating. The Great Pumpkin wraps up the gifts and leaves them out for the kids to find.  This year Carter is getting a Thomas The Train “Count with me Bank” and Chloe will have some sort of Princess Elena swag.  I’m so excited to see their faces this year when they come home from collecting their treats. At 5 and 3 years old, they are RIGHT in the heart of the exciting kiddo years.
I’m grateful for the facebook posts I’ve seen regarding the Teal Pumpkin Project this year. It warms my heart when we walk to a home that is “safe” for Chloe. She loves it too – the smile on her face is priceless.
After a busy, fun, but long few days in Milwaukee, I’m happy we’re back home and gearing up for the Halloween festivities!  Enjoy your trick-or-treat!
xoxo