Holiday Cheer and Chores

Halloween's approach marks the beginning of the holiday season for many families.  It brings the smell of smoky, crackling fireplaces and cinnamon and apple, along with the sight of red, gold, yellow, and orange leaves crowning dark limbed trees.  There is an expectation of fun-filled days to come.

"halloween decorations" by Maggie Not Margaret

Scarecrows made from straw-stuffed clothing with jack-o'-lantern heads sit atop haystacks, small wispy white ghosts tied among bare branches float in the breeze, and lighted pumpkins with carved faces laugh before the doorsteps of many homes.  After a night of trick-or-treating, there will be more to look forward to -- warm, welcoming Thanksgiving gatherings, Christmas and Chanukah cheer, and the crisp coldness of a winter's day, marking the fresh start of a new year.

But what comes after each bustle of activity?  In many cases, clean-up!  Even if you have hired help, that help may not be on a daily basis.  There usually is something left for you to do.  But lucky for you, you probably have one or more little people in the house who have busy little hands, looking for something to delve into.   In fact, those munchkins may be at an age where anything the adults do is exactly what they want to do.  So, how about giving your eager kids a few chores, clean-up or otherwise?

Here are a few ideas for chores for children, by age (thanks to the Flanders Family for sharing).

  http://www.flandersfamily.info/web/age-appropriate-chores-for-children/

Now enjoy the holidays . . . and the clean-up, with a little help from the kids!

About the Author
Darlene W. Cancell is an attorney turned stay-at-home mom, and most recently, the blog coordinator for Parent Talk.

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Local Apple Picking Farms for Families

Goodbye summer, hello fall.  Fall to me means apple picking, warm cider doughnuts and then an afternoon making pie.  We often make a visit to the local u-pick farms to get our apples.  They are so good straight off the vine.  This year, due to the crazy warm weather in the winter, apples arrived early.  Now is the time to get picking before they are gone.  Here's my recap of local apple picking farms closest to Needham.

Belkin Lookout Farm
-Located in South Natick, this is the shortest drive to an apple picking farm.  We get the season pass which covers the entrance fee for a family of four.  If you go on weekends, the pass pays for itself quickly.  All fruit is $2.50/pound no matter what you pick.  This is great for when you want to pick both pears and apples.  There is an entrance fee, which is discounted on weekdays. Don't miss the fun play area for kids, pony rides, farm animals, caterpillar kid's train and more.   They have a special deal this weekend to get a season's pass at 50% off, $49 only! 

Dowse Orchards
-This is another local orchard in Sherborn.  It is smaller, but also offers u-pick on small trees.  Call ahead as their apple crop is a little light this season.

Honeypot Orchard
-A bit of a drive but a great spot for apple picking.  Located in Stow, it takes about 35 minutes from Needham to get there. This year they have a new hedge maze to visit, plus the farm animals. A few of the trees here are taller so if you want to go climbing, this is the place. They offer hayrides during the week and weekends. A 20 lb bag is $24 (covers 5 people), a 10 lb bag is $16 (covers 3 people). Note, there are additional fees for entrance to the mazes and hayrides.

Fairmont Fruit Farm
-Another smaller farm option in Franklin near the Medway line. They also have farm animals to visit and sell free range eggs at their farm stand. Plus they offer hayrides! Call ahead to confirm availability.

Which is your favorite apple picking farm?

About the Author
Emily lives in Needham with her husband Jim and two children.  After working in retail for 10 years, she decided to stay home with the kids and bake.  Emily writes the blog Random Recycling, co-manages the Parent Talk Blog and does social media consulting for small businesses (and friends.)