The weather was spectacular this weekend and our leaves are definitely starting to change on the East Coast! This week’s Carnival of Family Life feels a lot like a Fall Festival at the local farm, complete with pumpkins, farm animals and hay rides!

At the Ticket Booth

• Super Saver presents Our Three-Year Old Makes Her First Purchase posted at My Wealth Builder.
• Stephanie presents Keeping Christmas Spending Under Control posted at Unclaimed Money, saying, “Making a plan and start shopping now to keep your holidays more enjoyable.”
• Stephanie presents Don’t Get Buried Under Toys this Christmas - TT#13 posted at Stop the Ride!, saying, “Recommendations for a Christmas that is simpler and doesn’t leave you buried in your kids’ toys!”
• Kyle James presents What My Dad Taught Me About Money posted at Rather-Be-Shopping.com Blog, saying, “Tips on money that my dad taught me and now I will pass down to my children.”
• Christine from Are We There Yet presents A Weekend in YOUR City posted at arewethereyetmom.com.
  Kathryn Lang presents 5 Free (or Nearly Free) Things for the Family posted at The Peculiar Club, saying, “Some budget saving ideas for the family.”
• Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents How To Be Healthy, Protect The Environment and Keep Some Green In Your Wallet posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door, saying, “Originally, I implemented these lifestyle changes to improve my family’s health and protect our environment. I’ve since discovered that most of these changes save money, too.”
• Joy Miller presents Ivy League universities now offer online degrees and certificates posted at Online College Blog, saying, “Ivy League dreams? Make them a reality. Although you may not be able to physically commute to an Ivy League campus, that shouldn’t keep you from “attending” classes at an Ivy League university.”
• Carissa presents GOYB Challenge: Home Sweet Home posted at SAHMmy Says, saying, “Give yourself and your family the same respect you offer guests!”

On to the Pumpkin Patch

• GP presents Halloween Goes Green posted at Innside Montana-Your Home at the Range, saying, “Halloween goes green this year!”
• Char presents 5 Fun Halloween Coloring Pages at Printables4Kids, saying, “Marshmallow or mummy - you decide, but there’s a lot more Halloween fun where this came from.”
• Amy Allen Clark presents The Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dinner: Appetizers posted at MomAdvice.
• Jennifer in OR presents Pumpkin Patch/Petting Zoo in Black and White posted at Diary of 1, saying, “our visit to the pumpkin patch in glorious black and white”
• Lori Cooperstein presents Halloween Horrors - Scary Movies that Kids Will Love posted at Fun Playdates, saying, “Great movie fun for the whole family!”
• Robert Bach presents Haunted Gingerbread House posted at Kintropy In Action, saying, “Creaking, screaming, crunching - oh, that would be the Halloween gingerbread roof Gabriel is chewing.”
• HowToMe presents How to Make a Natural Wreath posted at HowToMe, saying, “I love to make wreaths for my home. My favorite base is made of scuppernong or muscadine vines. However, almost any vine or flexible branch will work (but make sure to avoid things like poison oak - eek). In the past I have even used pyracantha. Come see how you can make a natural wreath for your home.”
• Summer presents A Beautiful Day posted at Mom Is Teaching.

Now to the Petting Zoo

• Lill Hawkins presents Don’t Agonize. Sing at News from Hawkhill Acres.
• Chris Wondra presents How to kill a house-wasp without breaking anything posted at Chris Wondra . com.
• DoggieWoggie presents How To Walk Your Dog With No Pulling on the Leash posted at Doggiewoggie - All About Dogs, saying, “Learn how to make walking your dog a pleasant experience instead of a dreaded chore.”
• Dawn Adams presents My Cat’s Butt Glitters in the Sun posted at Day by Day Homeschooling.
• Terri Mauro presents Further Thoughts About Kids and Dogs posted at About Parenting Special Needs.

Overheard at the Hen House

• Kalyn presents The Cost of Having a Baby posted at LifeEdit.
• Shera R. presents The Good Mommy posted at Theres A Frog In My Soup . . . and other mixed blessings!, saying, “Another mommy reality check reveals the truth about being a “good” mommy!”
• Holly Ord presents Birth Control for Middle School Students posted at Woman Tribune.
• Laura presents babies on the brain posted at Adventures in Juggling.
• Silicon Valley Blogger presents Saving Tips For New Parents: Get Ready For Baby! posted at The Digerati Life.
• Seabird presents Daily toddler chores – woo hoo! posted at SeaBird Chronicles, saying, “The four daily chores of my twin toddlers.”
• Mama Zen presents The Zen of Motherhood: Help! My Four Year Old Is Out Of Control! posted at The Zen of Motherhood, saying, “Life with a Diva isn’t always easy!”
• Brandy Shaffels presents Should Parents be Banned from Smoking? posted at Ask Patty - Automotive Advice for Women.
• Eric Ellen presents How To Create An Effective Splint For A Child In Seconds posted at Husbandhood.
• Donetta presents Oh family life. posted at A Life Uncommon, saying, “Everyone gets hurt and we take turns comforting each other.”
  FamilyBriefs presents To Each Their Own posted at Family Briefs.com.
• Lisa Mitchell presents Kangaroo Care posted at Let’s Talk Babies.
• zamejias presents Lessons from a 23-month old posted at Verb.
• Kevin Heath presents Top Parenting Websites posted at More4kids.

Don’t Miss the Hay Rides

• Suzanne presents her Ode to summer 2007 posted at adventures in daily living.
• Marilyn Terrell presents Home (Away From) Home on the Range posted at Intelligent Travel, saying, “Mom and sons take a covered wagon camping trip in the Old West.”
• Pushpa Sathish presents Travelhacker » 27 Free Games to Keep Your Kids Entertained on a Road Trip posted at Travelhacker.
• Tupelo Kenyon presents Choose Excellence and Lose Mediocrity posted at Tupelo Kenyon, saying, “What if you knew that a life of excellence was lurking right around the corner, if you would only prioritize your moments in such a way so that you could recognize it. Take an objective look at the various activities of your life. Get inspired to lose the mediocre to make room for something better. (Enjoy soothing instrumental music as you read plus songs with lyrics related to each article – all free.)”
• Bob Crawford presents Growing Your SELF - Bob Crawford Online posted at Growing Your SELF Blog - Bob Crawford Online, saying, “Learn to create your day! Give yourself the edge when it comes to manifesting your dreams. It’s your day - you get to choose what kind of day it will be. Choose well! Part two of this popular article.”
• Grace presents Eid weekend at the beach posted at Sandier Pastures, saying, “Summer has ended in most parts of the world but we are headed back to the beach in Dubai!”
  Barefoot Paula presents What?s your story? posted at Happy Tracks in the Snow.
• Jenny presents Strummin’ on the Old Banjo posted at the so called me.
• Trish presents Flying with Kids - Airplane Travel Planning | Our Family Village posted at Our Family Village.
• Jenny Rapson presents The Itsy-Bitsy Lyricist posted at Mommin’ It Up!.

Every Loves the Cake Walk

• George presents Eating Fish During Pregnancy posted at Man and his Baby, saying, “Thanks.”
• MC Milker presents Making McDonalds Stay…Out! posted at The Not Quite Crunchy Parent, saying, “Some how McDonalds snuck back into my life”
• Expat Chef presents School Lunch Menus posted at The Expatriate’s Kitchen, saying, “What’s for lunch? A look at school lunch menus good and bad during national school lunch week.”
• Aparna presents Medicinal uses of black pepper (Kali Mirch) posted at Beauty and Personality Grooming, saying, “Most cuisines of the world would have been incomplete without this small black ball called ‘Black Pepper’ which has a world of spice in it. With a huge list of medicinal properties, pepper plays the home doctor in many Indian homes. Its aroma is a treat to the senses and it is so commonly used that we can almost say that all dishes have a sprinkling of pepper in one form or the other.”

Time for Fun & Games

• Melitsa presents Walkie talkie parenting posted at Play-Activities.com, saying, “You may not have a walkie talkie buggy but you can try walkie talkie parenting. Try these talk to your baby ideas.”
• TherapyDoc presents Calvin and Hobbs and Reality posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, “I don’t have to explain this one.”
• gameguy presents The Master of Fun posted at play2relax.com, saying, “Imagine waking up to this on an early Sunday morning.”
• Elaine presents Fun Fine Motor / Sensory Activity posted at Littlesheep Learning.
• WhatWorksForUs presents What Works For Us: Get Ready Bdonk-A-Donk Butt posted at What Works For Us.
• Stephanie presents Potty Talk posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood, saying, “Boys and pee! UGH~!”

Under the Shade Tree

• GrrlScientist presents Father Knows Less posted at Living the Scientific Life, saying, “The new book by Wendell Jamieson, is a father’s delightful and interesting quest to find the answers to his young son’s questions. [book review]”
• Matthew Spears presents Joy at All Times posted at Loving Awareness, saying, “We tend to think of joy as somehow mutually exclusive to other experiences. If we’re feeling sad, then of course it’s impossible to have joy. Likewise if we’re having a fight or our business is having a downturn. This article points out how they’re not exclusive, and helps the invitation of joy into your life.”
• Deb presents Expectations posted at Mom Of 3 Girls, saying, “Why are there so many expectations put on us and by who?”
• Leslie Williams presents Do You Remember When? posted at Do You Weary Like I Do?, saying, “Remembering YOUR teen years as your children go through theirs!”
• Hueina Su presents The Gift of Receiving posted at Intensive Care for the Nurturer’s Soul, saying, “Most moms have mastered the gift of giving, but few understand the gift of receiving. An encounter outside of Home Depot made me pause and ponder the importance of learning both.”
• Abel Cheng presents Are You Doing Enough To Teach Your Child About Personal Safety? posted at Parent Wonder.
• Doug Boude presents Promoting Family Unity - The Power of Forgiveness posted at Doug Boude (rhymes with ‘loud’).
• Hal Sommerschield, Ph.D. presents “Me and God-Had a Heart-to-Heart” posted at North Star Mental Fitness Blog.
• Warren Wong presents How To Be Genuinely Interested In People posted at Personal Development for INTJs, saying, “Why you should show genuine interest in people and how to go about doing it.”
• Admin presents Anything Goes & General News: Why Males Die Before Females posted at Anything Goes & General News, saying, “In humans and many other animals, males age faster and die earlier than females. “
• Aruni Gunasegaram presents entrepreMusings » A Smoking Fireman!?! posted at Entrepremusings, saying, “It’s interesting when life throws you such oxymorons as firemen who smoke.”
• Dave Gooden presents A cabin, a family and a choice posted at Dave Gooden.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of family life using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. Thanks to Kailani at An Island Life for allowing me to host the carnival this week!

Posted on October 22nd, 2007 by Char
Filed under: Carnival of Family Life