Following CDC Guidelines? Paint This Fun Minion Pumpkin at Home

If you're one of those folks who logs onto the Idaho's coronavirus resource page at 5 p.m. like clock work, you know that our case load has increased significantly again over the last few days. 

Seeing 491 new and probable cases on Thursday was no doubt discouraging. I'm no doctor. I'm no scientist. However, looking at a calendar I can only assume that the increase in cases can be tracked to Idahoans getting together over the long Labor Day weekend. Deep down, I wish this wasn't the trend we were seeing because I love Halloween. I so badly want to celebrate my second favorite holiday as closely to normal as we possibly can, but the CDC has made it pretty clear that they don't recommend it this year.

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Traditional trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treating, indoor haunted houses, indoor costume parties and hayrides with those outside your family are considered "high risk." Their "moderate risk" Halloween activities have so many bullet points that they don't even remotely sound fun. So that brings us to their "low risk" activities that include:

• Carving/decorating pumpkins with family members
• Carving/decorating pumpkins outside (at a safe distance) from friends or neighbors
• Decorating your home
• Doing a Halloween scavenger hung where children look for Halloween themed things walking around their neighborhoods
• Having Zoom costume contest
• Halloween movie nights with only the people you live with

YUCK. I grew up somewhere where there was a 50/50 chance of it snowing on Halloween and I remember being furious when I'd have to wear a jacket over my costume or warm clothes underneath it for Trick-Or-Treat. I can't imagine how hard this Halloween will be for kids. As adults, we get the importance of slowing this COVID-19 train down. Kids? They don't totally understand why they can't go get their candy.

As you're trying to build a Halloween that's memorable, you can try this fun pumpkin decorating idea! I lack pumpkin carving skills, but am decent at painting so I made this fun Minion pumpkin YEARS ago. Painted pumpkins last longer so if you paint one now, he'll probably still be around by Halloween! (This little guy didn't start to rot until February!)

Here's what you need for the project:

• 1 large pumpkin
• Acrylic paint in red, blue, yellow, black and white
• Two mason jar lids
• Hot glue gun