It's all Halloween all the time here in New Jersey and the events are flying fast and furious (on brooms, even.) Here are a few more haunted houses, a haunted firehouse, a few haunted towns, a scary aquarium and even a frightening cake contest. I'm terrified. Especially of the baked goods.

As you may already know, Mommy Poppins is growing, so we're looking for some new faces to join our team. We'd love to hear from writers who live in New York City, Westchester, Long Island and New Jersey, 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 info about this opportunity, as well as instructions on how to apply.

I love taking my kids to see live theater, but since they're both under five, there aren't a whole lot of shows that are appropriate for them (or, more to the point, that engage them). But every season, the New Victory Theater presents a few productions that are specifically aimed at preschoolers. That's why I jumped at the chance to see White, a short, low-key show for 2- to 5-year-olds.

Presented in the New Victory's intimate New 42nd Street Studios, the show follows Cotton and Wrinkle, two characters who lovingly care for their all-white world and work hard to keep it completely color-free. The guys sweep the white floors with white brooms, sleep in a white teepee, wear all white clothes and catch white eggs from the sky. But one day, a red egg appears, and suddenly Cotton and Wrinkle realize what they're missing.

When a friend tells you she's pregnant, after all of the usual questions—due date, boy or girl or unknown—you usually ask where she's registered. But as a parent of two I can tell you, sometimes it's best to think outside the box. Buying off the registry is nice but some parents—especially first-time moms and dads—don't realize what they really need until the baby arrives. This is especially true for New York City families, who are usually way too space-challenged to accommodate large or unnecessary items, like one of those humongous stuffed animals that requires its own bedroom.

As someone who's had to freecycle a number of well intentioned but extraneous gifts (see ya, wipe warmer), I've compiled a list of presents that I think NYC parents will be psyched to receive.

I'm a huge fan of the excitement and hoopla found in all the popular museums, kid play places, fairs and events that New Jersey has to offer. But let's face it, sometimes it's nice to take a step back and do something a little obscure, creative or off the beaten path to shake things up a bit. After all, it's all about having fun with our kids while exploring our great state! Here's a sampling of some unique destinations for the next time you are looking to take the road less traveled with your family.

Don't be surprised if every single person you see this weekend is in costume. In addition to the numerous Halloween happenings taking place all over NYC, including lots of free festivals, the sixth annual Comic Con at the Javits Center is sure to attract lots of cosplayers (that's geek talk for adults in costume).

This week, we continued our series of posts on Chinatown with a profile of the fabulous Hester Street Playground. We also brought back our Notable News posts, in which we link to articles and items that pique our interest. This edition's got info on families who've joined the Occupy Wall Street ranks and other stories.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut, as well as selected stories from our brand-new sites in Boston and Los Angeles.