We all try to make the best, most wholesome meals for our families, but life happens, and increasingly, families are eating out; of course, increasingly, prices are going up, and budgets are getting tighter, often making family dinners at restaurants the first thing to get cut. But it is possible for a family of four or more to eat out affordably. Lots of restaurants across the Island offer kids-eat-free deals with the purchase of adult entrees. Here, a good sample of the deals.

As you can see from the photo of my daughter in full Nightmare Before Christmas regalia, we're ready for Halloween in our house! We're ready for it on the Mommy Poppins sites, too. This week, we rounded up free family-friendly Halloween parades in NYC, do-it-yourself Halloween decorations and accessories, haunted houses in New Jersey and Halloween train rides in Connecticut. Be sure to check out our Halloween Guides for NYC, New Jersey and Connecticut for a truly terrifying amount of seasonal activities.

Of course Halloween isn't the only scary thing on our mind: We're also all obsessed with the upcoming election. Our Boston site shared a wonderful post about teaching your kids about voting. Regardless of which candidate you support, it's important to involve your kids in the process so that when they grow up, they become voters, too.

In other big news this week, Mommy Poppins is getting our own ice cream flavor! And we want you to help us choose what it will be. Our friends at Malu, which is one of our top places to have dessert in Long Island City, are considering five different flavors and you can vote for your favorite on our Facebook page. Make it sweet!

Here's what else we covered on our NYC site this week:

Are you looking to add a new member to the family? A pet can be a friend for life for the little ones—and the rest of the family. So if your home has an open space ready to be filled by a furry friend, here are NYC's top places to adopt a new dog or cat. Plus, check out some lesser-known options for adoption and some things to consider before taking the plunge if you're a first-time pet owner. 

And if you're a dog lover, don't miss out on Grand Central's Museum of the Dog!

This weekend has the stink of Halloween all over it.  Oh, some folks might try to pull the cobwebs over your eyes, talking about “autumn” and “the harvest.”   Yeah, that’s why we’re hitting every pumpkin patch and hayride within a 50 mile limit.  For autumn. And throwin’ candy in kids’ bags is totally a harvest thing.

We all know where this is heading. Four weeks of Halloween mania will give way to two solid months of … the C word. (Not the bad one, the good, merry-jolly one, but I don’t want to say it too loud lest little ears get ideas).  Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a little something up our sleeves, something to help you get an early start to your holiday prep?  Silly old bear!  Anyway, you know what they say: giveaways - you never have them until you’re having them. Surprise! We're having one! (You can do that sort of thing when you have 500 Facebook followers.)

This weekend holds tons of other surprises, like the Kinetic Sculpture Race, a skateboard art workshop, LA’s Largest Block Party and the Jewish County Fair, a concert at the beach and a chance to look to the stars.  Might even be enough to distract someone who has pumpkin on the brain. Or hunny…

Keep reading for our favorite picks for the weekend, and to get the deal on that giveaway…

Boston families are treated to a host of family-friendly festivals this weekend, from the Fungi Fest at the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Great Pumpkin Fest at the EcoTarium to Applefest at Wachusett Mountain and the National Cranberry Festival at Edaville Railroad; two celebrations of National Archaeology Day; and the opening of Anne of Green Gables, Wheelock Family Theatre's musical adaptation of the classic book. These, plus a pumpkin float, the annual Head of the Charles Regatta, and Boo at the Zoo are just some of the many weekend options available. And be sure to check our Events Calendar for more things to do.

We’ve also added some scary-fun haunted houses (among other things) to our growing collection of things to do for Halloween. Plus, let your creative spirit run wild with our DIY Halloween decorations (and some really cute masks) for you and the kids to make together. And while the Presidential debate is fresh on our minds, it’s a good time to read our post about Teaching Your Children about Voting. Plus, be sure to enter our Boxcar Children Signed Book Giveaway!

Enjoy!

There are a scary number of awesome Halloween and harvest festivals this weekend, and the most terrifying part will be deciding what to do! There are seasonal celebrations all over town, including Greenwich Village, Long Island City, Far Rockaway and Brooklyn Bridge Park to name just a few. Plus there are a slew of school fairs and special Halloween events, like the Spooky Nighttime Adventure at the NYBG's Haunted Pumpkin Garden.

If you're already suffering from Halloween and fall fatigue, there are lots of cool non-seasonal events, too. Check out cute cats and dogs at the American Kennel Club's Meet the Breeds, hit the Children's Museum of Manhattan's brand-new Grinch's Holiday Workshop, celebrate our melting pot at the annual Marco Polo Festival or marvel at youth circus performers at Cirkus in Wonderland.

Those are just a few of the great things going on this weekend. All of our best bets are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Halloween Fun Guide.

Now that Halloween is nigh, you can count on some fun & spooky seasonal events such as the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival, the Children's SPOOKtacular Magic Show and the Last Fling Pumpkin Sling. If you need a break from all things pumpkin, there are other entertaining events including The Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey and the Rock, Mineral and Gem Show. Read on for our top picks and remember you can find a listing of all NJ activities for kids in our Event Calendar.

One of the main reasons I love the New Victory is that the theater continually surprises me with its amazing lineup of multicultural dance, music,circus and dramatic performances for families. And the theater's searing season opener, Urban, is all of those genres rolled into one.

Conceived and performed by Circolombia, Urban features ridiculously fit youths doing incredible circus feats to a pounding reggaeton beat. But unlike other shows of its ilk, this one has dark references to the lives of the performers, most of whom were raised on the tough streets of Cali, Colombia. Their strength and daring is mixed with swagger and honesty and it's totally thrilling.