Halloween is barely over and I am already preparing my Thanksgiving menu and checking names off my Christmas list.  I love the holidays, but just when I think my stress level couldn’t be any higher, this wonderful time of the year rolls around and I have to juggle the needs of my children and the desire to make this a great holiday season for them. For those of you who are in the same boat and in need of some support, here are a few support groups in the Burlington & Camden county areas.

Many of you have heard about the snow storm that ravaged CT Halloween Weekend. Many events have been canceled and rescheduled. As of this writing 675,000 homes are still without power, including my home. At times we've enjoyed the quiet and solace that power outages force upon you as well as having to cuddle together for warmth. However, today when we found out that school was closed yet again we ditched the cold, snow and electric free country life and drove into the city; hence how I am able to publish this post. Electricity is good. Very good. And we miss it. Badly. Please have patience with us here at MP CT as we get back on track. Things are destined to be wacky for the next few days. And if you are suffering too, we hope you are making the most of this imposed down time and are able to spend quality time with friends and family. Instead of trick or treating this year my children went sledding with friends. What else can you do but make the most of it?! Stay safe out there!

by Julie Marden

We recently added to our Preschools in Boston series with a post focusing on five preschools in Cambridge. Three of the five hold Open Houses in November. These are great opportunities to tour the facilities, meet teachers and staff, and get a feel for how your child might fit in.

by Julie Marden

We continue our Preschools in Boston series with a glimpse at five Cambridge preschools, from one of the oldest parent cooperatives in the country to a Harvard affiliated non-profit childcare center. Granted, some of these have long wait lists, but there are a surprising handful of openings right now.

We’ve provided an overview of the school philosophies and basic requirements below, but a look at these schools’ websites – and, of course, a visit! – is highly recommended as you begin to clarify your hopes and requirements for your children and their educational paths.

We’re not sure if you’ve noticed, but New Jersey is a big state. BIG. And as Mommy Poppins expands to cover more of this BIG place, we find ourselves in need of more writers who want to help us create the best content for local parents. We're looking for freelance bloggers to write reviews of local venues and events, as well as well-researched roundups of the top activities, classes and experiences for kids. Read on for additional information and instructions on how to apply.

Yes, we realize your kids will be unwrapping their trick-or-treat loot for weeks to come. But if your family is as serious about sweets as mine, it's worth checking out the 14th annual Chocolate Show - New York, which takes place Thursday, November 10-Sunday, November 13. While the tickets are pricey ($30-$40 for adults), children under 12 get in free and once inside, all tastes and activities are included. The only additional cost is if you want to buy chocolates to take home. (For me, resistance is futile.)

My children and I attended Chocolate Show - NY last year and just loved it. (I mean, it's chocolate. What's not to love?) It's very family-friendly and even includes a Kids Zone, where creative youngsters can draw and paint with chocolate, make chocolate-flavored pasta and decorate cupcakes with—wait for it—chocolate. New this year is the Chocolate Grab game. Just like a scene out of Willy Wonka, kids will grab handfuls of chocolate and the child who finds the specially wrapped piece will win a prize, like tickets to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular or the upcoming revival of Peter Pan.

Here are other some other sweet things you can do at the 2011 edition of Chocolate Show - New York.

It's been a few years since Halloween fell on a school day (not to mention a school night). But if your kids didn't get trick-or-treating out of their system over the weekend at various parties (or if their festivities were totally snowed out on Saturday, which felt more like Christmas than Halloween), you can still celebrate on Monday night.

We've rounded up awesome family parades, spooky parties, cool haunted houses and, of course, great places to score candy. And here's the real treat: All of them are free or very inexpensive. So grab your little ghosts and goblins—or in my case, a flying squirrel—and hit the town. Whatever you decide to do, try to arrive early and plan for crowds: Young or old, everyone in New York City loves Halloween!