Confession: I am a total Halloweenie.

What’s not to love? Harvest time, crisp autumn air, playing dress up, and lots of treats!

Last Halloween, my daughter just started to grasp a little of the fun of dressing up, visiting our neighbors, and getting a bag full of candy. This year I’m hoping to introduce the joy of the “spookables”, as my dear friend and cartoon alter-ego Tigger calls them…and Pooh’s Heffalump Halloween Movie has plenty of Halloween spirit…

Looking for some last minute spooky fun (besides trick-or-treating, of course)?

Halloween Books: Head to the Library to read one of Debbie’s Best New Halloween Books for Kids
Halloween Internet Fun: Send Spooky e-Cards from the World Wildlife Federation; Find out your Vampire Name

Halloween Recipes: Having a party? Make one of these Terrifyingly Tasty Treats using these Halloween Recipes; or these simply creepy Halloween lunches; or visit The Expatriate’s Kitchen for another Halloween Recipe Carnival
Pumpkin Carving: Take out the power tools for a quick, fun,  and attractive pumpkin carving job or make …

October is a great month to consider our impact on Mother Earth because it is harvest time! One of the best things parents can do for the environment is to show their children the joy and beauty of our planet.
Here are some ideas for a Green Halloween:

Enjoy the Fruits of the Fields: Focus on the harvest by visiting local farm stands. Talk with your children about where your food comes from and how buying local reduces the stress on the environment (with older children, this is a great opportunity to …

Time is running out to get your Halloween costumes and decorations with standard shipping!
Check out these great deals on Halloween costumes, decorations, and supplies–we’ll continue to update this post until Halloween and you can also visit our coupon section for the latest Halloween Coupon Codes.
BuyCostumes.com Coupon Codes

10% Off Orders $50+ at BuyCostumes.com with Coupon Code zombie50 (ends 10/31)

Costume Craze Coupon Code

Costume Craze: Get 5% off! (coupon code: GET5)

Costume SuperCenter Coupon Code

Free Expedited Ground Shipping On Orders $70 Or More! Use Coupon Code SCARE70

Diapers.com Coupon Code

Free Shipping at Diapers.com on All …

My uber-creative friend Martie made these adorable and affordable pumpkin people decorations. Visit her blog to learn how to make pumpkin people.
Martie is the party and entertaining expert on MSN, but she’s no Martha Stewart. Her ideas are meant to be affordable and easy for normal people to do. For a recent party, Martie used hollowed out gourds she found at a farm stand as vases and candle-holders. She spent less than $40…but the decorations looked luxe and expensive.
Another affordable idea: line your driveway or the path to your front step with …

Fueled by candy, children’s imagination runs wild at Halloween as they transform themselves into superheroes, animals, monsters, pirates, villains, and fairy tale characters. Feed your children’s imagination with some ghoulishly great books that they’ll enjoy long after they’ve eaten their fill of fun-size Snickers and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. You won’t need to trick your children into reading these lively tales of ghosts, witches, vampires, monsters, witches and more.  
Vunce Upon a Time is a charming and beautifully-illustrated Halloween story that might even help banish your child’s fear of the monster who lives under the bed.  Dagmar, the vegetarian vampire, …

To get in the Halloween spirit, Baby Mwah and I have been reading Halloween Treats: A Touch-and-Feel Book ($6.99) by Tom Arma, who the New York Times called “the most published baby photographer in the world.” Baby Mwah loves looking at these sweet, cuddly babies all dressed up for their very first Halloween in adorable costumes. He can pet the fuzzy polar bear, touch the satiny jack-o’-lantern costume, feel the queen’s velvet robe, the farmer’s denim overalls and the ballerina’s lacy tutu.
Looking at these beautiful, heirloom-quality costumes inspired me to find a photogenic costume for …

Trick or Treating with your kiddo in a sling, mei tai, wrap or carrier?  Make your babywearing part of the costume.  Here are a few suggestions from us here at Mamanista:
Kangaroo – Forward Facing

Okay, a marsupial may be an obvious choice…but still adorable!  Dress in tan, get yourself a pair of brown floppy ears, and put your baby in this adorable Baby Kangaroo Costume. Wear baby facing out in the kangaroo carry, of course! If it is cold out, put on an extra-large hooded sweatshirt with room for you and …

What’s cuter than cute? Baby animals. Even cuter? Your baby dressed up as a baby animal for Halloween.
Check out these Animal Planet™ Infant and Toddler Costumes, available in Meerkat, Monkey, Lemur, White Tiger, and Sea Otter.
My favorite is the Animal Planet Collector’s Edition Meerkat Infant Costume (also available as  the Meerkat Toddler Costume).

These are super-luxury costumes that are designed to make your baby as comfortable as he is adorable. There is a full satin lining with comfortable elastic cuffs and the infant versions have a snap-inseam for easy …