It’s almost that time of year again—time for costumes, candy, and of course pumpkins! Halloween is just around the corner and that means it’s time to start thinking about the cutest pumpkins ever. This is the year to make something creative and to really work with your kids on something that will be adorable and memorable. There are so many fun and easy pumpkin carving ideas and the end product will be something to celebrate.

Though the typical Jack-O-Lantern smiling face works fine, perhaps it’s time to start thinking outside of the box. This is a great year to try something new, something fun, and yet something simple enough that a child of the right age can help you to carry it off. These ideas are great for your outdoor Halloween decor, So if you want to be the most memorable pumpkin on the block, then try out these ideas for a little fun and yet an easy execution.

A Flower

If you have a little girl just chomping at the bit to make something cute and over the top this year, this can seem overwhelming as a parent. Don’t’ fret because a flower is something that can appeal to her tastes and yet make you happy as the parent because it’s not at all hard to do. There are some simple stencils out there or you can just draw your own quite easily.

Start with the stem that is low on the front of the pumpkin to allow it plenty of room to “grow”. Then draw out the petals that you and your child can easily trace and then carve over which will be the signature look of the flower itself. You can get really creative with this and even draw on some color with pumpkin paint or just let the shape speak for itself.

A Dog

This works for either boys or girls and can be easy if you start with an easy design. The face of the dog and the ears have to somehow be connected as you draw this out so just take it slow. The wrong cut can send the ears flying so just keep them big and floppy with a simple connection to the head through a little curve.

Leave space as you draw this out for the cute little eyes and the perfect puppy nose. It can be that simple, just big floppy ears and a face made up of the eyes and puppy nose or you can go more elaborate if you like. You can even complete the look by attaching something that looks like a tale onto the side or the back for that “awwww” effect!

A Ghost

Is it cliché? Perhaps but it’s also classic and kids love it! So if you want to make a ghost this is perfect for Halloween and so very easy to do. There are tons of stencils out there for ghosts, some of which are actually quite easy to use. Even if you just draw it out yourself you can have fun with this and really find it easy.

Just draw out the silhouette of a ghost with the bottom being broader and flowing and the top coming into the perfect rounded head. This will look super cool with the light of the candle behind it and that makes it even better! Classic, easy, and so effective for the holiday!

A Decorated Happy Face

This goes well above and beyond just a happy face on a pumpkin because it’s all about the accessories. Trace out a cute and memorable face and leave room for the accessories. If it’s for a boy he may want to mix in scars or gore and if it’s for a girl then she may want to mix in jewelry and makeup. Dress the pumpkin up with a tiara, feather boa, bandana or anything else that strikes your child’s fancy. If you’re going to have a pirate Halloween party, for example, decorate half a dozen small pumpkins all as different pirates, and assemble them on the deck of a “ship” – on a table, lay out cardboard painted brown and stencil in wooden patterns to make it look like the planks of a ship – then add the “pumpkin heads” to it!

The face can be as happy as you want it to but then get out the pumpkin paint and let them throw on blood or make up depending on their taste. They can then get out the accessories like fake mustache or jewelry and a hat. This is the pumpkin that’s easy to carve but goes above and beyond the classic and traditional as it’s all about the accessories, paint and creativity!

Chris Molnar is a work-at-home Dad of two preschool daughters. He writes about theme parties at Themeaparty.com

It’s hard to believe but the end of the summer is upon us! Though it feels as if summer just began, it’s almost back to school time and a collective groan will soon weigh heavy over the children. If you want to make this a special and fun time of year for your kids, then consider throwing an end of summer bash where they can really let loose.

This is a fun way to let the kids get in some time at the pool and really connect with their friends before school starts. This can be a great way to kick off a school year or to end a fabulous summer. Either way it’s all about creating and reliving memories, having some great food and drink, and just having an all-around fun time!

Splashing Games

No matter what age your kids are it can be a lot of fun to play some fun summer games. Set them up for some fun in the pool and make some championship games centered around it. Set them up for diving contests, searching for rings, and even swimming competitions. Allow them to recapture their youth again (that is, from way back in early summer) before the madness of school begins, and set up a fun competition for them like water balloon toss or even hot potato.

Your child is never too old to have fun with their friends and this is a great way to celebrate summer and leave their worries about back to school behind. You can make it that much more fun by offering ribbons for the winners and prizes for all participants. You can go for picture frames, candy, or just a simple goodie bag to remember the day by.

The Best Food and Drink Around

The food and drink may be the best part of this end of summer party. There are many great things you can make and none of them are hard to do. You can start off with fresh fruit kabobs – they’re not only healthy but they’re fun to eat so kids of all ages will appreciate this little gem. Set out fresh veggies and a ranch dipping sauce, as well as some hummus and pita. You of course have to be sure to put out summer favorites like chips and fresh salsa or even a taco dip that they’ll all love.

If you want a simple dinner then just go for hot dogs on the grill with all the condiments. Serve them up with chips and a nice pasta salad as that’s the perfect summer dish. Then you need to be sure that you have a great dessert like marshmallows that they can roast later on for s’mores along with a nice summer dessert like ice cream. Serve up a variety of ice cream to make it special and fun for this summer party.

You need some great drinks so go for different flavors of lemonade like raspberry and strawberry for a fun and special twist. If you have time, mix up some slushies that they can enjoy poolside. You can pick up an ice shaver from Hamilton Beach, but I actually have a margarita maker that works great for this (and it’s an opportunity to use up the rest of my Elmo party supplies from a birthday last spring.)

Memories of the Hot Days

Take pictures of them all summer long and of course at this fun little last of the year party. Then put this together into a quick little slideshow that they can watch as it’s set to their favorite music. This will allow them to reminisce on their fun days that they shared together all summer long. Print out pictures of the fun day for each of them to take home in a picture frame and they will never forget this summer or this awesome end of summer bash.

By Chris Molnar, editor of a theme party ideas website for kids and adults. He and his two kids greatly enjoy their massive five foot kiddie pool, but that won’t stop them from having a fun outdoor party this weekend with five screaming preschool friends, the hose, some water guns and slushies!

We have all been through times when we would love to entertain our family and friends, but we feel that money is just too tight to splurge on a party, or feel that we simply can’t make time to plan. Then that big event comes along, a milestone birthday or graduation, that you feel is too special to let slip by without a celebration. Don’t worry! It is entirely possible to have a great party without completely emptying your pockets and stressing over the planning. All you need to do is employ these important money and time saving tips.

Set a budget

This is an integral first step to any party. If you think “I’ll just spend as little as possible” it becomes way too easy to sneak in extra expenditures or spend beyond your means. Decide on an appropriate number, stick to it, and track your spending.

Have a theme

This isn’t strictly necessary, of course, but I find that by thinking of a particular theme, especially with children’s parties, the decorating is much more organized. Say your child loves Elmo – thinking of the character, you now know that you have red, white and yellow to work with. As a centerpiece, you can dig out that old fish tank and fill it with water and have a toy goldfish named Dorothy. You can make strawberry sandwiches cut like Elmo, you have your birthday cake idea, and you can think of Sesame Street games. Suddenly your creativity is running rampant!

Use email invites

Mailed invitations are a lovely party touch, but if you’re trying to save money and time, this can be the first thing to go. Websites such as Evite are free, and they make sending invitations as quick and easy as possible. You can send a party invitation to dozens of people with a quick click of a mouse, then easily track all of your RSVP responses.

Shop the internet

Walking up and down the aisles of a party supply store can be fun. But this is definitely not a way to save either time or money. For party supplies such as plates, napkins, cutlery, and decorations, try shopping online. You can find great prices and package deals that will be delivered straight to your door (great if you are having a themed party.) Gone are my days of going to four different places to find all my party supplies.

Be okay with not matching

When the day of the party arrives, you may realize that you’re 3 plates short. Don’t run out to buy another package of matching plates. If you have a few plain white paper plates in the back of your pantry, dig these out, then place them at the bottom of the stack underneath the cute, colorful plates that match your theme. No one will mind, trust me.

Do your own prep work – and ask for help

Pre-made relish trays, wrap sandwiches, and fruit trays score very high marks when it comes to convenience. However, the price of store-bought party trays is much higher compared to what you would spend for the raw materials. Take the time to wash and cut produce yourself. Actually, this is where you enlist that friend or family member who offers to help. While you decorate your living room, they will be doing the veggie chopping.

Serve starches

Simple, starchy foods tend to be easy to prepare and are filling for your guests. Think pasta and potatoes. You can make a huge bowl of pasta salad with spiral noodles, Italian salad dressing, black olives, and cherry tomatoes with almost no effort and little cost. Similarly, potatoes are super cheap, and it takes few additional ingredients to make a potato salad. Bread and rice are good dollar stretchers, too, and just one bag of popcorn kernels can make mountains of air-popped popcorn.

Make it BYOB

Alcohol is a huge money gobbler. If you wish to have alcohol available, limit it to a small selection of beer and wine. Otherwise, make it a BYOB. This is also an easy way to ensure that everyone has a beverage that they like, and you don’t end up in the kitchen mixing drinks for the entire duration of the party. You can stick to offering pitchers of inexpensive beverages such as punch, iced tea, and lemonade, and allow people to serve themselves.

Clean Up Tricks

The best way to ease your cleanup is to actually take come preventative measures before your party begins. Make sure that you have more than one trash can, and that you keep it in a highly visible place. If your trash can usually lives under the kitchen sink, temporarily give it a new highly visible home. If you are using plastic cups or people will be bringing glass bottles, it’s also a good idea to have some recycling bins handy. A few large trash cans labeled with “glass” and “plastic” signs can also do the trick.

For your restroom, place a stack of anti-bacterial wipes on your bathroom sink. If they’re there, people tend to clean up after themselves. Clorox even makes a nice selection of wipes in pretty containers to fit your powder room décor. Similarly, place a stack of disposable paper hand towels on your sink instead of your cotton towels. Guests are much more likely to use the disposable towels to clean up drips on the sink, and it’s more sanitary than having 20 people wipe their hands on the same damp towel.

Send Leftovers Home with Guests

Don’t want to take the time to clean up and put away food leftovers after the party? Send them home with your guests. Before the conclusion of the party, hand out doggie bags, or Chinese take-out style containers (which you can find online) and encourage people to fill them before leaving. This works great after a party with a large buffet or a potluck.

The last time saving tip – dim the lights and put on a smile before your party. Dim lights will hide any dust that’s hanging out on your furniture, and your bright smile is sure to be the very first thing that your guests notice! Remember, parties are meant to be fun and non-stressful. So employ these time and money saving tips, then relax as you enjoy your celebration.

Chris Molnar is a work-at-home Dad of two preschool daughters. He writes about theme parties at Themeaparty.com, and has a sneaking suspicion he’ll soon have to plan an Elmo birthday party for his youngest.

Throwing a birthday party for your child can seem a bit overwhelming. There is all this pressure to have the perfect birthday party. While it certainly doesn’t have to be perfect, there are a number of ways to make sure that it is successful. Here are the 7 elements of a successful birthday party.

1. Cake. A birthday party without singing Happy Birthday over a cake aglow with candles just doesn’t seem complete. This is an absolute must for any birthday party. It doesn’t have to be cake if the birthday child doesn’t like it. This ritual can also be done over a pie, ice cream cake or other favorite dessert as well.

2. Theme. Planning a birthday party around a central theme is just easier to pull together. It can be a favorite color, character, activity, or animal and will give you the basis for everything in the party.

3. Games. Trust me that a party will run smoother when you have activities to entertain your guests with. Plan on having 3 games to play with a fourth one as a backup. You can also play the most popular game again if you still have time. A pinata is a perennial favorite party game.

4. Decorations. Balloons and streamers are the perfect accompaniments for a birthday party. Get ones that match your party theme and hang them everywhere. They are usually very inexpensive so you can afford to use many of them. Reusable wall clings, personalized banners, and table centerpieces are also popular items to decorate with right now.

5. Favors. Usually passed out as your guests are leaving, this is a nice way to thank your guests for attending. It doesn’t have to be a large or expensive item.

6. Presents. No I don’t mean there should be a huge pile of them. I do think that you should always unwrap presents at the party. There is a trend lately of saving the unwrapping for when everyone has gone home. I understand some of the reasons for doing so, but part of the delight of giving a gift is seeing the recipient unwrap it.

7. Thank you notes. This is an item for after the party is over. While your child should always thank each of their guests in person after opening presents, etiquette and common courtesy still dictates that a handwritten thank you note is required. A hand colored thank you note is a great alternative for a younger child.

If you have all 7 of these elements at your child’s birthday party, then your guests are sure to have a wonderful time. It will also be a party that your child will long remember.

Shannon Weidemann is best known as the Partyelf. Let her help you plan your next birthday party.

Ever tried having a discussion with your teen daughter about dating, having sex, drinking alcohol or being exposed to drugs? If so, you may have discovered that she puts up a wall against these types of conversations.  She may be too embarrassed or too afraid to reveal what she and her friends are doing, even if she has questions.

You may also be reluctant to bring up topics like these. What do you do if she asks about your own experiences and you don’t want to share them? Yet these are important issues. Talking with their moms can give girls crucial information that may keep them safe and help them make informed decisions when their peers engage in risky behavior.

This is where books can really help. When you read the same titles your daughter is reading, it gives you an entrée to talk about themes that appear in the pages—without the pressure of discussing either of your own personal details.

For instance, when the girls in my daughter’s mother-daughter book club read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, we were able to talk about date rape and how alcohol plays a role in it. We brainstormed ways the main character could have acted to keep herself safe while at a party. This was a non-confrontational way to discuss situations the girls may face as they entered high school and started socializing with friends more and parents less.

You also benefit when you listen to concerns you daughter and her friends have. Discussing actions by a character in a book may bring up topics you never even knew they worried about. Talking about these actions is a non-threatening way to gain insight into your daughter’s world and issues she may face.

Another plus is that you may hear of the topic again months later, when your daughter encounters a similar situation in real life. Once you’ve broken the ice, it’s easier for you or your daughter to refer back to an earlier discussion. And that keeps the lines open for honest communication about even more issues in the future.

Cindy Hudson is the author of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs (Seal Press, October 2009). She is the founder of two long-running mother-daughter book clubs, and she lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two daughters. Visit her online at www.MotherDaughterBookClub.com.

by Cathy Stucker, author of The Mystery Shopper’s Manual

Mystery shopping is not all fun and games, but it is a flexible and enjoyable way to make extra money and get “free” stuff.

Although mystery shopping is work, it has definite advantages over a regular job. Because most mystery shoppers are independent contractors, they choose the assignments they are willing to do and work the hours they choose.

The variety of mystery shopping assignments available means there are jobs that will appeal to anyone. Just about any type of business may be mystery shopped—everything from stores and restaurants to banks and apartments, florists, casinos, hair salons, movie theaters, car dealers, and even doctors and hospitals.

Many people think of mystery shopping as a way of getting paid for your opinions, but these “undercover customers” are more like reporters. They provide answers to a series of objective questions about what the shopper’s experience was during a visit. Questions might include things such as: Were you greeted within 30 seconds? Did the salesperson tell you about the extended warranty? Did the cashier say thank you? Were you given a receipt?

In addition to answering a series of “yes” or “no” questions, the mystery shopper is usually asked to write a few comments or a brief narrative about the visit, giving additional information. For example, if the answer was no, the rest room was not clean, the client will want to know what was wrong.

Although the specifics of what happens on a secret shopping assignment will vary from one job to the next, the basic premise is the same: Mystery shoppers are the eyes and ears of the business owner, making sure that the standards established by the business are maintained at each location.

There are some shops that pay fees of $50, $100 or more, but most fees will be $5 – $20 or so. However, mystery shops requiring a purchase usually include a reimbursement, and the reimbursements can add up quickly. I have been reimbursed for everything from fast food to dry cleaning, salon services, an oil change for my car, cell phones, eyeglasses, groceries, expensive dinners at fine restaurants and much more. Reimbursements and discounts may range from a low of $10 or so to hundreds of dollars or, in some cases, thousands.

If you would like to be a mystery shopper, getting started is simple. Just apply to several legitimate companies and watch for assignments in your area. It can take a little time to get your first jobs, but once you have proven yourself to be reliable, you will see more and better opportunities come your way.

There are scams to watch out for, though. First, never pay to sign up as a mystery shopper. Legitimate companies will not charge you. And never cash a check or money order and wire money to someone you do not know. This is always a scam and mystery shopping companies will not ask you to do this.

You can learn more about becoming a mystery shopper and access a free list of nearly 200 legitimate mystery shopping companies at Cathy Stucker’s blog, http://MysteryShoppersManual.com/. Cathy has been a mystery shopper since 1995, she is the author of The Mystery Shopper’s Manual, and she has personally trained more than 10,000 mystery shoppers. You can make money as a professional mystery shopper, and Cathy can help!

With four kids I do a lot of reading.  I’ve taught each one of them to read with phonics my way.  However, as they outgrew the phonics program we started to read together each night.  I realized that reading together can do more than just benefit your kids – it benefits me as a parent.

READING TO TEACH

When my kids were toddlers until second grade I would read a book with them each night.  I did it to teach them to read.  It was the icing on the cake of our lessons.  I realized that my younger children learned to read and memorize words even earlier than my older children.  It was an enlightening benefit to reading with them so early.  Also, they used that for their cuddle time with mommy or daddy.  Both my husband and I would take turns reading to them.  Before we knew it, they wanted to read to us.

READING FOR BONDING

Even though reading offered a learning opportunity, it also offered a time to bond with our kids.  During the reading of stories we would ask questions.  Then as the kids got older (I have a 6, 9, 13, and 15yr old) we would act out stories that we repeated.  The kids loved, loved, loved this.  Even the older kids would play with us, just to get a kick out of scaring the little ones.  It was a way to move our reading to a family bonding experience that pulled the older kids into playing with our younger ones.  Not to mention it is just darn fun.

READING FOR EVOLVING

As an avid reader all of my life, my husband and kids encouraged me to write stories for them.  It was an inspiration for writing my books Explorer X-Alpha and The Pack.  My kids became my beta readers and active in story development.  Our reading together turned into us writing together.   All of my kids come up with story ideas, and my older two have even started writing.  My oldest son has entered a contest or two, and my oldest daughter beta reads for other authors also.  My youngest two kids, love to give me story ideas and even came up with the idea for the world I built for THE PACK and BANDITS by throwing suggestions at me.

THE OVERALL BENEFITS

Reading with your kids has given me so many gifts.  It’s been a teaching tool, a bonding tool, a safe platform for conversation, and the beginning of my career as a writer.   Try it for at least a year and you will be surprised how much reading just ten minutes a day can benefit you and your family.

By LM Preston, author of Explorer X-Alpha and THE PACK, http://lmpreston.blogspot.com/