Adipose jack-o-lantern inspired by Doctor Who

Well hello cutie

Another Halloween, another chance to be creatively geeky once that amazing autumn holiday rolls around. This year, my girls are being a couple different types of zombies (instead of the DW-inspired characters they were last year), so I decided to apply my Doctor Who love to our newly purchased pumpkin — so new, in fact, that I had to run out and buy one yesterday for this project.

Disclaimer: I have never carved a pumpkin with anything other than a gigantic knife. So I entered into this exercise with ignorance and excitement, thinking I could knock it out in 15 minutes or so.

Before starting, I realized that our regular knives wouldn't do the trick. And I also realized that I didn't have a pumpkin. So we went out only to discover that the first store was out of pumpkins. Thankfully, the second was stocked with four or five good-sized specimens, and I selected a decent one with a smooth-ish surface and a new package of cheapo pumpkin carving tools.

I perused an awesome pumpkin carving template gallery I found on ThinkGeek's Blurgh! blog. As you will notice, there are tons and tons of nerdy options. I selected an Adipose baby from the episode titled Partners in Crime because it's one of my favorite episodes, they are adorable and the pattern looked fairly easy.



I was ready to get to work. That's actually a fib. First, I recruited my eldest to chop a hole in the top and scoop out the innards, some of which we later roasted and ate (sorry, pumpkin, but you were delicious). While he was working, I printed out my template and wondered how I was really going to do this.

Fortunately, the pumpkin carving kit came with this really neat little tool, and yes, I had to rely on my child to tell me that.

Cheapo pumpkin carving tool set

See that little orange thing on the left? Turns out it pokes holes in things, and is perfect for punching out the outline of your pattern onto the pumpkin itself. Once I got the template piece of paper on the pumpkin, I was suddenly aware of how many tiny holes I'd have to poke to get the outlines of my little guy's hands just so. And then of course I'd have to delicately cut away with the tiny saw...

I persevered. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination as my choppy outlines and still-visible holes attest to.

Telltale pin holes and wobbly eyes

Once I got done poking holes and carving my little Adipose baby, my hands were cramping up and a solid hour had passed. But I emerged victorious.

Happy Halloween.

I only burned myself a little bit putting this candle in

Why I'm letting my kids stay up to watch the World Series

Image credit: Facebook/Kansas City Royals

Tonight, the Kansas City Royals enter the world's stage for the last time in the 2014 season. For the first time in 29 years, they have been competing in Major League Baseball's postseason, and from the first come-from-behind win at the American League Wild Card game on August 30, these playoffs have exceeded all expectations.

From multiple extra-inning thrillers to blowouts, the road to the World Series has been both an improbable one and really the only way it really could have happened. Of course KC would be in the World Series. Of course they'd sweep the ALDS and the ALCS. Of course they'd defy all predictions and their small-market status. Of course they'd belie their comparably low payroll and crush their competition. Of course.

I don't know if they will emerge as the victor tonight, and while I'll be disappointed if they don't, I am incredibly proud of all they've accomplished. And as this is the first time in nearly three decades that they've been in the mix for a title, I will let my kids stay up to watch the game — this last hurrah, this win-or-you're-done, this Game 7 of the 2014 World Series.

Many of these playoff games took way longer than even I could stay awake for. I'm 40, I'm tired and I just can't hang like I used to. I've watched most of it, but not all, and my kids haven't watched them all either.

We're at the K!

However, this World Series, we've watched them all. While the only one of my four kids who likes and appreciates baseball is 15 and can handle going to bed late, even if the 4-year-old wanted to watch, I'd let her.

This is a precious time, a moment that they may not get to relive for a long, long time. I was around 11 years old when Kansas City won their first (and only) World Series. Since then, the Royals have been shuffled off to the margins of the national consciousness as other teams get the highlights, the trophies and the dollars. Nobody cares about our low-payroll major league team — except those of us who remain loyal and have been for as long as we can remember.

Me, representing in the 1980s

This is an extremely precious time to be a Kansas City Royals fan. We can now enjoy the benefits of a team who has worked hard and played hard all year to get a chance at the postseason, and that hard work is playing off. We have endured being made fun of for supporting a losing team (earlier this year even someone made fun of my Royals shirt and I'm in the Kansas City area). And we've reflected on next year being our year, for many, many years.

Well, this year may be our year. We haven't been this close to seeing Kansas City hoist the Commissioner's Trophy in a long, long time. I've enjoyed the ride, and I'm enjoying sharing it with my boy. I hope for a win tonight, of course, but no matter what, I'm proud to be a Royals fan. Thank you, Boys in Blue.

The Holderness family's Halloween video and how they minimize food allergies

Photo credit: YouTube/The Holderness Family

The Holderness family made their way into our social media consciousness last holiday season by releasing a smartly-produced cheerfest called "Christmas Jammies." They've released a few other titles since, and the latest, "Kin and Moose," is a Halloween spoof on Snoop Dogg's 1993 classic "Gin and Juice."

It's clever, it's fun, it's colorful, and it's adorable. Right? For me, though, they've honestly never been my cup of tea and to say I cringe when I see their videos would be absolutely correct. I had no intention of pressing the play button when I first saw this video posted. However, after reading a comment from another mom, I had to watch it because she said that the family minimized kids and their families who suffer from food allergies.



I'm sure those lines were put in without much thought, and they were definitely put in without actually looking at the Brach's candy corn they offered the complaining mother — all you have to do is look at the package to see that while they don't contain peanuts, they are not peanut safe.

Image source: Brach's

It's a sad fact of life for someone with food allergies that you have to scope out ingredient lists on everything your kid wants to put his paws on. Even if there are no actual peanuts in the product itself, if something is manufactured in the same facility or on the same equipment as products that do contain it, he can't eat it. Even a little bit of the offending food can trigger a dangerous reaction. So you have to be hyper-vigilant, which frankly sucks.

Everyone, however, seems to be over it. Everyone is so tired of kids with food allergies. It has to seem like kids are cropping up everywhere who have to watch their diets. But what I don't get is the attitude that it's annoying to have to cater to a child's medical condition because you love your peanuts or cashews. It's certainly not a cause for protest when your child's school bans peanuts and peanut butter because your kid's right to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is more important than keeping a small child from possibly dying.

Joking about food allergies and other dietary needs (like when someone has celiac disease and has to eat gluten free) seems to be popular now — it's fodder for comedy routines and apparently Halloween music videos. Yes, a child will have to grow up and live in the real world where food allergies are a constant danger. However, while they're small, you have to watch out for them until they're old enough to do it themselves.

I just don't think that it's all that funny to minimize the real struggle families have to go through who face food allergies or other medically-indicated dietary restrictions. We should strive to make the world a more welcoming place, not actively work against helping one another out.

My last baby: On my new life

I became an expectant mom early in life when I really wasn't expecting to. I was 20 and the positive test was a huge shocker, to say the least. After going through the classic stages of grief (seriously, I did), I really embraced pregnancy and the new life within. Once he was born, 18 long years ago, I realized what I had never known to be true — babies were amazing. I had loved the wonder and excitement of being pregnant and I loved having a new baby.

As he grew, it became so affirming to have someone to teach, someone to love, and someone to love me back. I hankered for a second baby by the time he was midway through his third year, and when he was closer to 3 1/2, his brother was born.

Again, not too much beyond his third birthday, I was pregnant with my first daughter. And four years later, I began trying for another baby. Unfortunately, it took an additional three years to conceive, but I did it — at age 35, I had my second daughter and now had a family of six. We were complete with two boys and two girls.

My youngest is on the cusp of turning four, and her baby stage is long over. She is learning to write, she can dress herself (and the results, of course, are amazing), she can use the potty and she can feed herself. She never used a crib, but if she did, it would have gone by the wayside by now. She still nurses and occasionally wants me to wear her, but these are rapidly diminishing aspects of her baby- and toddlerhood.

I am not going to have any more babies. For most of my adult life I was either pregnant, parenting a baby or young child, or planning a pregnancy. I'm on the verge of a big birthday myself as I prepare to brand myself 40 years old next March. I can already feel the effects of age creeping in, as some days my favorite thing is what happens at the end of the day — crawling into bed and feeling the effects of gravity go away as my joints settle into slumber.

I've entertained the thought of another pregnancy, but that's where it ends — simple entertainment. I felt like hell near the end of my last pregnancy, which ended four years ago. I had terrible acid reflux and my hips were so out of whack I arranged my workspace so that I rarely had to get up and walk around. Sleep was nothing but a yearned-for dream and heaving my giant carcass around was a task that I couldn't wait to be relieved of.

However, knowing how taxing another pregnancy could be, and how little sleep I continue to get with my crap-sleeper youngest child, and how much time and energy I spend on the four kids I already have, I can't imagine stretching myself further with a fifth baby.

Admitting that is hard. It may be one of the hardest things I've ever had to fess up to.  Knowing that my reproductive years are behind me and that they are coming to an end feels a little like the first part of dying. I am going through, yet again, the stages of grief as I've realized that I will no longer house and birth another little person. I still follow cloth diaper pages on Facebook and I am still seriously tempted to buy some when big sales hit, "just in case." It makes me feel crazy, and it's painful. I sometimes tear up when I see someone's positive pregnancy tests.

I will say that it has been good to focus on my career, though, and to really, really enjoy my kids and the unique stages of life that they are in. It's fun to have a little one again this holiday season, as the magic is in full force with her. I have kids in school sports, I have one nearing the end of his high school career, and there is so much to look forward to over the next decades of my life.

In less than two years, this youngest baby of mine will toddle off to kindergarten. The thought is both exhilarating and terrifying. My time as the parent of a young child is rapidly coming to a close, but I'm working on pushing forward and focusing on the now — and the future.

Is it bittersweet? Yes, yes it is. But really, that simple, contradictory word doesn't even begin to cover it.

How to recycle old crayons

Just about every week, me and Willow go to the Remington Nature Center. In what she calls the "bug room," they have a bunch of rubbing plates nailed to a desk, paper and round crayons. Today, I asked how they made the crayons, and they said they bake them in an oven. I looked up how to do it, and it seemed easy, so we came home and made a half dozen.

Willow had, at one point, a small tote that contained the contents of an entire box of 96 Crayola crayons. This is a crapload of crayons. Over time, that number has understandably dwindled, with many going missing, quite a few getting trod on and snapped in half, and the others whittled down with use. We went through that tote and retrieved all the broken bits, and then I decided to break up perfectly good ones so we could have a solid six when we were done. The results were terrific. It was easy, and Willow then decided that we should do all of the rest of her crayons. My fingers are now purple and sore, but we have a ton of fun, "new" crayons.

Here is how we did it.

You will need:

• An oven, preheated to 275
• Crayola crayons
• Mini muffin tin
• A timer
• A refrigerator
• A towel

STEP ONE. Whether your crayons are broken or not, you will have to spend time peeling the paper off. This can be easy or it can be hard. It can also make you want to stab eyeballs (not that I felt like that, of course). I did surreptitiously chuck a few in the trash when I simply couldn't get them off, but even Willow was able to do most of the ones she selected.

PART TWO. Admire your unpeeled crayon pile. It is impressive, admire it!

STEP THREE. This part may be the most fun. Design your crayons. I discovered that three whole crayons will break up nicely and fit into one mini muffin spot. You want to make sure you fill each spot up as much as possible as the spaces between the bits disappear when they melt. You can put similar colors in each spot, or coordinating colors, or whatever-the-hell-you-want-to colors like Willow did in the upper right-hand spot. This makes it fun and visually appealing.

STEP FOUR. Bake those puppies. Ten minutes in the oven at 275 degrees was absolutely perfect for us. You might have to keep an eye on yours. But once they are melted, they are done.  

STEP FIVE. Let cool on the counter, on a cooling pad or something similar, for 20 to 25 minutes.

STEP SIX. Cool in refrigerator for around 15 minutes.

STEP SEVEN. Remove from the fridge, put the pan face down on a towel, and hope they pop right out. If they don't, you might have to encourage them a bit by smacking the back a few times.

STEP EIGHT. Admire your handiwork. And do it again, and again, and again, and again.

The fun thing about these is that there are tons of options. I think that a silicone baking pan would work better because you could pop them out easier, and they come in all sorts of fabulous shapes. You can experiment with different colors and combos. Don't use white, like I did the first time, unless you want your kid mad that the color doesn't show up in certain spots. Above all, have fun, and take care of your little fingers. I can barely type this. You're welcome.

Awesome offer: Free baby leg warmers, only pay shipping

Baby leg warmers are such a cool invention. They are priceless when your child is an infant — pop a onesie on her, and a pair of leg warmers, and she's fully dressed. It makes diaper changing a breeze. For older babies, they serve to protect those little knees from bruising and damage as they learn to crawl.

They continue to be useful even after your baby is no longer a baby. They are priceless during potty training, for sure. No pants, no problem, but legs can get cold. And the beauty is, there are no zippers or elastic to get in the way of an emergency potty visit.

Also, my 3-year-old daughter recently wore some under a dress (the bee-colored "leggings" pictured here are Baby Legs). They can also be worn on the arms, even well into their school age years.

I've seen a promo code for Baby Leggings posted multiple times, so I wanted to pass it along. The company said that the code will be good "while supplies last." When that will be, nobody knows, but getting five pairs of leg warmers for around $13 is a great deal. So hurry up and grab you some if you're interested.

From the Baby Leggings Facebook page:

EXCLUSIVE THANKSGIVING FACEBOOK OFFER!

Check out our amazing offer! A promo code for 5 FREE pairs of Baby Leggings-a $50 value! Choose from 70+ different styles! To claim this exclusive offer go to www.babyleggings.com and use the promo code 'FACEBOOK' http://bit.ly/175jHI0

Thanks Baby Leggings! These would also make great stocking stuffers for babies and toddlers on your Christmas list. 

Review: BobaAir Lightweight Baby Carrier

We received a blue BobaAir baby carrier to review, and I was blown away. The carrier itself is loaded with the same quality that Boba uses when creating all of their wonderful carriers, but the BobaAir has some unique features that busy moms and dads will love.

Features

The BobaAir ($65) has all of the same ergonomic features that the 3G and 4G have, but it's designed to be lightweight and super portable.

What other quality baby carrier can you stash in your purse for backpacking adventures, for camping, for hiking, or even for an emergency when you've forgotten to bring your other carrier? Stick it in your diaper bag, keep it in your car — you never know when a baby carrier will come in handy.

The BobaAir is:

• 100 percent nylon
• Easy to clean
• Adaptable for both front and back carries
• Compact and self-storing
• Complete with a sleeping hood and pocket
• Suitable for parents of many sizes — it fits from 5'0" to 6'3" and its waistband fits from 27" to 56"

 

Our take

The BobaAir fit and carried my 3-year-old daughter very well. I love how comfortable it is (absolutely comparable to the 3G) and it's easy to get on and off. It's also a nice option for warmer days. I can't think of any other baby carrier that folds down so compactly, either. It fits well in my bag and is excellent for the adventures that we engage in as a busy family.

I recommend this carrier, and love that it fits such a wide range of sizes. Both Mom and Dad can use it, and since it can fit children from 15 to 45 pounds. You'll get tons of use out of it.

Two thumbs up.