Berry Picking in the Park

~ By Sam ~

Fall is officially here and before we turn in our t-shirts and light sweaters for heavy coats and scarves here in Washington, we like to get some last minute blackberry picking in at a local park. Gathering blackberries to make muffins and pie is how we kick off the fall around here. The boys love to walk along the brush and find the fattest berries they can! It is a fun tradition I hope to carry on through the years. Do you have any fun family traditions to jump start the fall?

Dark Shadows with Johnny Depp Blu-ray Combo Giveaway

I have been a Johnny Depp fan since Edward Scissorhands! I was so excited to see he was doing another spooky type of movie this year. Just in time for Halloween his newest movie Dark Shadows is available in stores on Oct. 2nd.


Movie Summary:

Warner Bros. Pictures is proud to announce the release of Dark Shadows on DVD and Blu-Ray October 2nd 2012; along with the Dark Shadows Blog App!  

From the incredible mind of Tim Burton comes the hit film Dark Shadows, based on the classic television series!  Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover.  Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever changing 1970s and save his families business!  With an all star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more, Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun.

To celebrate the release of the new Johnny Depp movie Dark Shadows I am hosting a giveaway of the Blu-Ray combo pack!

Enter to Win in the Rafflecopter Giveaway Below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Limited to US residents 18 years old and above. Giveaway starts Oct. 1,  2012 and ends on Oct. 13, 2012 at 12:01 am EST. Winner will be emailed and has 72 hours to respond before another winner is selected. I was not paid for this giveaway or post. The opinions on this item are 100% mine and may vary from others. The sponsor is responsible for providing the prize. Warner Bros. supplied these materials used in this post.

Fright Fest Halloween Fun at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Do you live in Northern CA or planning to visit during October? I have an fun and spooky idea for you! Visit Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo CA (near San Francisco) for Fright Fest. Fright Fest is when Discovery Kingdom is turned into a spooky frightful theme park! They have all the great rides and shows but with an added thrill!

I laughed when I read some of the Tips for Family Fun for Fright Fest.
Some of them are:   
-Our park is a smoke-free facility. This is a safety measure — smoking attracts demons and werewolves!  
- Weapons are not allowed in the park so please leave wooden stakes, silver bullets, garlic and holy water at home.

This Saturday Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is having a special day. October 6th is Resident Evil day!

 Special Event Admission Ticket – ONLY on October 6!
Pre-order or purchase the new Resident Evil 6, available October 2, 2012, online or in-store at GameStop and receive an exclusive ticket offer for Six Flags Fright Fest on October 6 – Resident Evil 6 Flags Night!  Ticket benefits include access to an Exclusive Ride Time event, a voucher for one free haunted attraction and a special admission discount!** Present your specially marked GameStop receipt at designated Resident Evil 6 Flags Night ticket booths at Six Flags to redeem your offer.
Valid October 6, 2012 ONLY.


Experience Resident Evil 6 at Fright Fest
All guests on October 6 who are age 17 or older can play the new Resident Evil 6 game live at Six Flags at our In-Park Game Zones.  In a first for the franchise, Resident Evil 6 sees series favorites Leon and Chris come together to face this unprecedented threat. They will be joined by new characters, each with their own unique perspective and involvement, in this relentless dramatic horror experience enacted on a global scale.

Want More?
Enter the Resident Evil 6: Fright Fest Getaway Sweepstakes NOW for your chance to win a fly-away trip to Fright Fest at the Six Flags Theme Park of your choice this year!  Getaway package includes airfare, hotel, tickets to Six Flags, front line privileges AND the new Resident Evil 6 game for Xbox 360®.***

Enter the Resident Evil 6: Fright Fest Getaway Sweepstakes for your chance to win.  And visit GameStop to purchase Resident Evil 6 and join us on October 6 for Resident Evil 6 Flags Night.
If you're 17 or older, you may enter once per person/per email address per day through October 14. Click here for official rules.
By entering, you agree that you are 17 or older and you agree to receive Six Flags email updates.


You can learn more about Fright Fest at Discovery Kingdom in CA by visiting the website, facebook and twitter. 


* I was not paid for this post. We will be guest of Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for Fright Fest.

Halloween, Halloween, Halloween!

 ~By Laura

Ok so I am a little excited that its October 1st! This means I can decorate for Halloween and start to plan some fun ideas. I want to make some great treats and projects this year.

Here are a few from previous Halloween:

I have noticed they are all goodies LOL. I love Halloween treats and this year I am determined to do more crafts.

Do you have any Halloween ideas or post to share? 

I would love you to share them or leave a link for me to read.

Champions For Kids Dial Into Giving #CBias

By Patricia

This month's Champions for Kids Simple Service Project is all about providing personal care items for children in need. Champions for Kids has teamed up with Dial Soap in the month of October to encourage donations of these very important items that children need to be and stay healthy.

In 2011 the number of Americans receiving food stamps hit an all time high. But families receiving food stamps cannot use them to buy soap, shampoo, or other basic personal items that help keep kids clean and healthy.

I am so proud to be participating in this month's Simple Service Project and helping the kids in my community. I have been made aware that there is a real need at the local food bank. Donations are down, not just for food, but for other personal and household items that they distribute to those in need as well. As parents need help in providing meals for their families, that means they don't usually have money for soaps, toothpaste, and other needed items. I am very happy to be making my donation here to the food bank, and that what I contribute will be put into the hands of children that need them the most.

I went to my local Walmart to buy Dial Soaps and other personal care products. I love that this Champions for Kids Simple Service Project. is so important to kids physical and mental health. When children feel good about themselves, they are more confident and do better in school.

Besides buying Dial bar soap and dial hand soap, I am also buying toothpaste and toothbrushes. I am going to be making some personal care kits that the food bank can give to the kids that need them.

This is what I am buying today to start my donation. I will also be asking family and friends to contribute soap, shampoo, and other items that I can put into the personal care kits. I would like to make as many kits as possible for the food bank.

I am happy to be 1 in a million to help Champions for Kids reach and help 20 million kids by 2020. You can Dial into Giving too, by contributing Dial Soaps and other products to kids in your community. #DialCFK

I will be putting the personal care kits together to include Dial bar soap, Dial hand soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and shampoo/conditioner. I have also included colorful nylon scrubs to have some soapy fun in the bathtub or shower.

I'm encouraging everyone to contribute and participate in this very important project for children. So many of us take soap and other basic hygiene products for granted, but for the kids that don't have them, they can make all the difference in the quality of those children's lives. 

Make October the month that you begin making a difference for the children in your community. Join Dial Soap and Champions for Kids and help bring a healthier and happier life to kids everywhere.

Visit the Champions For Kids website to learn all about the Dial Into Giving project. You can read my Google+ story about my shopping trip to Walmart for Dial Soap products for ideas for your donation.
             .
You can learn more about Champions for Kids and Dial by following them online:

Champions for Kids Twitter 
Champions for Kids Facebook
Dial on Facebook
Dial on Twitter

*I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Dial Soaps  #DialCFK  #CBias #SocialFabric