I love baking with my kids — except when I don't. Saturday morning I was rushing to finish some desserts I needed to take to our school party, and my eldest was hovering. I said in my sing-songiest, sweetest, most patient voice, 'Please scooch, honey, I can't let you help right now.' Obligingly she scooched over a half-millimeter, and in my rushing was elbowed in the head, and then she cried and I wasn't so sing songy anymore. But still, I do love to bake with them, when I have the extra 83 hours required, and especially with anything apple or pumpkin.

Keith Munslow comes to the Regent Theatre in Arlington on Saturday, 10/29, and two Mommy Poppins Boston families can win free tickets to see his show, Songs and Stories, Cartoons and Comedy.

Munslow is an award-winning performer who combines music, storytelling, visual art, and improvisation in a performance that includes plenty of audience participation.

For your chance to win one of two Family 4-Packs for the show, just send me an email before Friday at noon. Winner will be notified by 2pm.

By Monika Nica

The Mystic Seaport, America's Museum of the Sea is starting a week-long celebration for the 70th anniversary of the arrival of its crown-jewel, the Charles W. Morgan. This beautiful, 170 year old tall ship with its majestic sails is the world's last surviving wooden whaling ship. The seaport with its experts and volunteers has been working for many years on restoring this unique ship to its former glory. Now they are inviting visitors to celebrate the Morgan and remember the days of tall ships sailing the oceans.

We said we'd bring back our biweekly roundup of news and links that pique our interest and guess what? We're keeping that promise.

This time we've got info on a newish website about New York City schools, a well-known mommy blogger moving to a new online home, the next Kids' Night on Broadway and a rumor about a fresh bagel place taking over H&H's former space on the Upper West Side. Plus, if you've been dreaming of parlaying parenting into a shot on reality TV, we've got the scoop on two shows looking to cast locals mom. Sorry dads. We'll try to get you next time.

The days finally have a real fall crispness to them, the last of the leaves are turning, and pumpkins in windows and on front steps are starting to glow at night. There's plenty of spooky fun for Boston kids and families in this final week before Halloween, from costume parades and pumpkin festivals to town-wide trick or treating events. All month we have been reporting on special Halloween events for kids and families throughout the greater Boston area. Read on for a roundup of some of our favorites.

This tour is no longer happening. If your family is anything like mine, you and your kids spend so much time at the American Museum of Natural History, you probably feel like you live there. But if you think you've seen and done everything the museum has to offer, guess again. Mystery at the Museum is a brand new-way to explore AMNH.

Equal parts interactive mystery and live environmental theater, Mystery was developed by the same team behind Accomplice, that cool, adults-only walking tour of lower Manhattan. Mystery, however, is great for tweens and up, and takes patrons on an exciting scavenger hunt that renews your appreciation for this awesome institution.

We took this magical Mystery tour right before it went on summer hiatus, but now it's back at the museum. It's a fun brainteaser and total hoot, but I don't want to reveal too much—it would kind of ruin the point. But I can share a few details that will make you eager to solve this Mystery.

Can you imagine telling your kids to throw on their fairy costumes and run around the neighborhood in the dark ringing strangers’ doorbells and asking for candy? Ahhh...the good old days. But while door-to-door trick-or-treating seems to be quickly becoming a tradition of the past, Halloween remains a children’s holiday to be enjoyed with great gusto–so grab those costumes and celebrate the ghoulish fest with a slew of October 31st events sure to raise everyone’s spirits!

When you're a parent, Halloween feels like it's all about the kids. That's why for this month's Parents' Night Out post, we wanted to remind you that there are ways adults can enjoy treats and a few thrills, too.

We've got a list of tasty New York City places where you can indulge in adults-only desserts. Or if chills are what you're after, we know about a few restaurants with haunted histories.

Here are ways you can get a bit of a Halloween fix, without a costume or kid in sight.