Happy first weekend of November! I hope you've all been rocking this new month. Here are some fun picks for the weekend:

1. Day of the Dead, family style -- including sugar skulls! (Cambridge)

2. A morning chat about color and design? Yes, please. (Bedford)

3. I love that proceeds from this gingerbread house competition will benefit homeless families. (Boston)
4. How cultured! A cinematic kaleidoscope of cats, characters, and circus dreams. (Belmont)

5. Cultural performances and activities abound at World's Fair weekend. (Concord)

6. Rock out with Alastair Moock at the Regent Theatre. (Arlington)

7. It's the perfect time to collect nature treasures. (Mattapan)

8. Help your kids learn how their bodies tick. (Boston)

9. A sweet deal for Bank of American cardholders: as part of Museums on Us, show your BoA card for free weekend admission at the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge), deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum (Lincoln), Worcester Art Museum (Worcester), Cape Cod Museum of Art (Dennis), and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (North Adams).

And don't forget to fall back and reset your clocks Sunday!

Per my previous post, welcome to this new series, in which I'll share everything from events to bargain alerts to other ideas and tips that spring to mind as useful and/or fun for the week. After considerable mulling, I decided to call the series Weekly Blueprint, because I think the name conveys a creative presentation of ideas and plans that are, ultimately, posed for your consideration (vs. including the term "to do," which suggests that I think you must do whatever it is I'm suggesting!). Enjoy, and please do drop me a line if you have suggestions for a future Weekly Blueprint!
October 31: Figure out how to sneak extra layers under your kids' Halloween costumes (long underwear! leggings!). Also, buy candy or other Halloween favors if you have procrastinated as I have.

November 1: Call someone you love and wish them a Happy November. Snap a photo of your kid(s).

By November 1: If this weekend's weather didn't already inspire you to action: procure winter gear. I ordered Laurel's snow bib, jacket, and boots from Lands' End last week and called in to get a priced adjustment when everything went on sale a couple of days ago. They're currently running a 30-50% off outerwear sale. Sweet!

November 1-6: Spread the Halloween wealth. Send candy to the troops (we've done this the past couple of years) or head to Magic Beans for their candy buy back (bring 1 pound+ of candy in exchange for 20% off one toy that day only...I highly recommend the Perplexus if they have it in stock!).

By November 3: Pick up easily lost items (I ordered gloves and hats yesterday) from Old Navy. They are running a 30% off sale until November 3 for cardholders.

November 4-6: Yowza, Christmas is on the horizon. The Christmas Festival at the Seaport World Trade Center runs Friday to Sunday and admittedly, mostly I want to see the gingerbread house creations!

November 4-6: Pottery Barn fans will swoon: the PBTeen pop up store arrives at the Natick Mall on Friday. Head over between November 4-6 for giveaways, design exploration, games, and a photo station.

By November 6: Buy one of these killer raffle tickets. Two dollars (or some multiple thereof) will do good + enter you to win a tote valued at $350.

By November 6: Remember that we fall back an hour on Sunday. Oh, darkness.

At your leisure: Browse the Mayor's Holiday Special website for discounted theatre tickets. I'm a big fan of experience-based, usable gifts at the holidays.

At your leisure: Score some off-season deals for yourself. I got some amazing deals at Anthropologie's sale section this weekend; not great for Boston right now, but perfect for my trip to Palm Springs next week.

At your leisure: If you haven't already, it's time to rotate your fast-growing children's clothing. If you have excess, swap with friends, or donate items to local charities such as Room to Grow or Cradles to Crayons. And/or list boxes online with thredUP (and score used gems for your kid).

At your leisure: If you're planning on getting flu shots for your family, book them now. (This reminder comes courtesy of the mom who forgot to take Violet to her flu shot appointment last week.)

Image credit: Lands' End

How is everyone doing getting ready for Halloween? Are you getting dressed up alongside your kids? Laurel is going to be a witch and Violet her black cat companion (Laurel has several years of coordinating costumes planned). I hope you have a fantastic weekend and enjoy this roundup of 16 Halloween inspired weekend picks:

1. The last SoWa of the season will be zombietastic.

2. Critters will abound at Zoo Howl.
3. Trick or treat for a cause at Pru Boo.

4. I'm tempted to go to the Linden Square Halloween Parade & Party just so I can go get my favorite salad at The Cottage afterwards.

5. Burn off the sugar rush at this dance party in Newton.

6. Celebrate Halloween Family Day at the Spellman Museum in Weston (and get inspired to send snail mail).

7. Search for the great pumpkin at Pumpkin Fest Weekend at The Discovery Museums in Acton.

8. Get lost in a corn maze at Halloween Kid's Day at Connors Farm.

9. Explore spooky critters at the Harvard Museum of Natural History's What's So Scary event.

10. Experience the theatre in a new light via the Strand Theatre Boo Bash in Dorchester.

11-16. Thanks to the Audubon, enjoy lots of Halloween and nature inspired activities in Wellfleet, Westport, Norfolk, Topsfield, Newburyport, and Natick.

Image credit: Absurdly adorable Halloween cake pops via Boogaboo on Etsy

Hello everyone -- I hope you've been having a fantastic week! I went off the grid longer than expected due to an amazing trip to California, the residuals of which left me a little loopy (we came in very early off a red eye flight yesterday morning) and also wanting to take a slower, more mindful pace as we re-entered life here at home. I need to take today to square up on various things; meanwhile, if you're interested you can read up on the trip (and see some lovely photos) here, and also, here are a few picks to enjoy this week.

Wednesday, October 26, 4-5pm. Rock the Monster Dance Party with stories, monster making, a monster dance off, and monster-inspired refreshments at the Fox Branch Library in Arlington.

Thursday, October 27, 8:30pm. For grownups or older kids who dig classical music; head over to the free Mahler-inspired mashup at New England Conservatory.

Friday, October 28, 6:30-8:30pm. Enjoy live entertainment, pottery painting, spooky storytelling, guest speakers, and raffles for a good cause at Room to Read Kids' Adventure Night.

Hello friends! I hope you're having a super week. I'm going off the grid for a few days so I thought I'd leave you with this weekend roundup a bit early. Enjoy! Also, a couple of fun media things. I've been meaning to share that a cute little picture of me, Laurel, and Violet is included in the October issue of Parents Magazine, along with a quote in an article on 10 healthy cities for families (Boston ranked #2!). And yesterday I was honored to learn that I was named to the Top 50 Twitter Moms of 2011 list at Babble (and #1 for most likeable...how sweet is that?). Thanks Babble, and definitely check out the rest of the women on the list -- I know many of them and they are truly awesome!
Now, on to the picks for this weekend!

1. A harvest festival in Beacon Hill.

2. Join the pumpkin party at the Boston Nature Center (BYOP or buy one on-site).

3. A quintessentially fall tradition in Boston.

4. Enjoy the pretty at Acton Open Studios.

5. Rock out with Bari Koral in Brookline.

6. Or for classical music lovers: the Boston Youth Symphony (known as GBYSO when I played with them back in high school) is playing this Sunday.

7. A good pick for Berenstain Bears fans.

8. A Halloween romp in Easton.

9. Celebrate the Mystic River.

10. A haunted playground in North Reading.

11. Critter inspired festivities at Boo at the Zoo.

12. A great pumpkin fest at the EcoTarium in Worcester.

And if you'd like to pick apples and pumpkins or get lost in a corn maze, check out this roundup from last week.

I hope you enjoyed the gorgeous weekend! Ours was full of fun stuff like soccer, play dates, baking (to celebrate our oven finally being fixed we made pumpkin bread and spinach pie...yum), and a stellar dinner at Oleana to celebrate my birthday. So. lovely. Meanwhile, I hope you're gearing up for a fantastic week; here some fun event ideas, spanning Halloween festivities, theatrical spectacle, nature exploration, relaxation for the whole family, water sport, and a pick for parents of girls. Enjoy!

Image credit: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When Laurel started using a locker at school, I was immediately transported back to the days where I'd gaze lovingly at magazine cutouts in my locker between periods. Included were the likes of Michael J. Fox, Rob Lowe, and Duran Duran (and yes, I had coordinated pieces of flair for all of these artists on my denim jacket). Subsequently, I was feeling rather nostalgic when I heard that Duran Duran is playing at the Wang Theatre in Boston on October 28. Reps for the show kindly offered me tickets but I wanted to pass them along to one of you awesome readers, so read on to learn how to enter to win! Meanwhile, now I can't get Hungry Like the Wolf out of my head.

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THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED
Congrats to winner Junelle!
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Rules:

Simply e-mail contests@bostonmamas.com with "Duran Duran" in the subject.

Entry period closes at midnight EST, Tuesday, October 18, 2010.

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*One lucky winner will win a pair of tickets to Duran Duran, October 28, 8pm at the Wang Theatre in Boston. Sweet!

We're hosting friends today so I'm just popping in quickly to share some fun event ideas for this week, spanning Hispanic culture, green living, babywearing, fossils, a shopping extravaganza, opera for kids, and a lovely event for bookworms young and old. Have a great Monday and to my friends northward, Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

Image credit: JFK Library & Museum

Today, Stacey Sao of Boston Central kindly shares a guest post including a fantastic roundup of activities for the holiday weekend:

Happy October! This massive event roundup should help everyone get into the autumn groove. There is much to cover so I'll just get to it! On the fall festival scene, there'll be lots to see and do at the Annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration in Wareham. If pumpkins are more your thing, you can pick out this year's pumpkin at Pumpkin Day at Bourne Farm in Falmouth. In Providence, families are invited to see thousands of nifty jack-o-lanterns at the Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular at Roger Williams Zoo. It's also the final week to visit the Topsfield Fair.
If you're heading up to New Hampshire to get a sneak peek at the foliage, you can swing by the Pumpkin Festival at Charmingfare Farm in Candia, the Warner Fall Foliage Festival, or the Milford Pumpkin Festival featuring the famous Punkin' Chunkin' Air Cannon.

For Columbus Day weekend, take advantage of the extra day off at the MFA's Annual Fall Open House with free admission and special activities to enjoy. In addition, The Fenway Alliance: Opening Our Doors Day 2011 will be granting free access to 22 other cultural gems in the Fenway Alliance. View the entire list of venues that will be welcoming visitors at no charge this Columbus Day. Additionally, you can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the JFK Library & Museum with a festive Mariachi Band Performance with Veronica Robles free of charge.

For those who love a quest: Partake in a fun, outdoor Columbus Day Scavenger Hunt at Gore Place in Waltham. Or, if you dig archaeology, check out the AIA-Museum of Science Archaeology Fair at the Museum of Science for lots of interactive exhibits. If you are on the hunt for a great deal, swing by Family Swap Day in Somerville with a bag of gently-used clothing, toys, games & costumes, then fill up a bag full of new-to-you consignment treasures to take home. Recycle and rejoice! Finally, if a new pet is what you seek, trek on up to the New England Reptile Expo. You'll find reptiles, invertebrates, and amphibians galore!

On the music and theatre scene, The King & I is playing at the North Shore Music Theater. This show is a real crowd pleaser with lots of singing, dancing, and an amazing set. At the Regent Theatre in Arlington, SteveSongs (aka Mr. Steve from PBSkids) is back in town for a fun new CD Release Concert. And on the literary front, the Wellesley Players will be performing Little Women, the Musical.

Lastly, the food truck craze that's been sweeping the nation will be hitting Metrowest in Framingham on Sunday. Enjoy your favorite foods to the tunes of live music at the WBLX Monster Food Truck Festival at Shoppers World.

For lots more family-friendly event choices this month and all year long, visit BostonCentral.com.

Image credit: Arvind Balaraman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net