Gardner Historic Village is an old mill converted into eclectic shops and antique stores with grassy areas and streams throughout. It may not be Salem, Massachusetts, but it is the perfect place for an awesome month-long Halloween celebration fit for the entire family.

I didn’t wait for October to arrive this year before heading over for the festivities. I met my mom, sister, and cousin there the other day for lunch. OK! I won’t lie. I was really after the pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies from the Naborhood Bakery (I bought eight!). Don’t worry! I shared.

Now, I need to plan a time to go back with my kids to take advantage of one of these Witchfest activities:

• Breakfast With a Witch—Take your kiddos to a magical breakfast with witches and warlords. (Check here for available tickets.)
• Ride to a Witch—Behind the village, you can take your kids on a hay ride, a pony ride, and buy a pumpkin. (Check out the dates/times before you go!)
• Witchapalooza—Enjoy a fun dinner theater with witches dancing and singing as your entertainment. (Tickets are on sale for shows Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays all month long.)
• Bewitching Scavenger Hunt—Take your kids around the grounds and identify all the locations of the witches on display. You can print the scavenger hunt before going!
• Witch’s Night Out—All you girls and women can dress up as witches and gather for fun (October 14 and 15, 2011).
• Whimsical Witch Displays—Check out the handmade witches on display like “Witchey Poo” here below!

Whether it’s ghosting someone, trunk or treating, creating a magic garden, or a local celebration with witches like this one at Gardner Historic Village, family traditions make holidays more fun.

What local, fun activities and events do you have planned for the Halloween season this year? What is your favorite part about the Halloween season?

You might call her a fantastic chef.

She is a Mommy, a friend and a fighter.  I call her an inspiration.

Those who inspire most deeply tend to be the people who lead by example.  Rachel from A Southern Fairy Tale does just that.  She is dedicating her blog to fighting breast cancer for the entire month of October.  As is typical of Rachel’s sweet nature and wit, she is calling it Blogging for Boobs.

Last year she did a huge giveaway to drive traffic to her site to increase awareness and raise money through Ad revenue.  This year, she is stepping up her committment.  She is donating her entire site to the cause.  Come October, her blog will turn pink and she will have guest posters sharing their stories, their tributes and information.  Items have already been donated so she can do weekly giveaways – and she has set up a special page called, what else – Blogging for Boobs  where people can donate directly to the Susan G Komen foundation.

Why is Rachel doing this?  Not because she has to.  But because she knows you and I have likely been touched, in some way, by this disease – and she knows a cure is in our future – if only we can continue to fight, spread awareness and raise money.

For Rachel, it is her mother-in-law and at least three friends who’s moms have been affected.  These women serve as a reminder of the pervasiveness of this disease.  And it is for them that Rachel is Blogging for Boobs.

About the Author: Danielle Smith is a mommy to two smart and sassy small people, as well as the founder and primary author of ExtraordinaryMommy.com. You can catch her hosting a brand new live show, The Spin Cycle, on MomTV.com every Wednesday at 9pmEST. She also hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio and contributes to WhyMomsMatter. Danielle is thrilled to be contributing to MomItForward as ‘giving back’ has always been an important part of who she is and what she hopes to teach her children.