Halloween time is here and our October has been jam packed with fun, fall things to do in Utah! Today I’m sharing a few of our family favorites so that you can join in on the fun!

Photo Courtesy of Living Planet Aquarium

Skeletons, Spiders, and Sea Life – Oh My! 

The Haunted Aquarium in Draper is SPOOKTACULAR! All your favorite aquarium attractions with the added fun and flair of Halloween – skeletons, tombstones, spider webs and more! From skeleton dives with the sharks to pirate alchemy to trick or treating, you don’t want to miss out. The fun starts on October 21st and continues through Halloween – be sure to check their web-site for the full schedule.  See more of our spooky favorites from our visit to the Haunted Aquarium on Facebook Live and Instagram, too.

Photo Courtesy of Springville Museum

Halloween Party at Springville Museum of Art

We are excited to be adding a new party to our list this year! This one is held at the Springville Museum of Art on Wednesday, October 26th from 5 pm to 8 pm. Believe me, I am jumping at the chance to combine Halloween fun with culture. The Museum of Art is a local treasure and I’ll take any chance I can get to expose my kiddos to it! There will be Halloween games, treats, scary stories, art projects and more for the kiddos to enjoy as they explore the haunted halls of art. Plus it’s another chance to wear fun costumes!

Little Haunts – This is the Place Heritage Park

Head to Salt Lake for some old-fashioned, non-scary Halloween fun with Little Haunts at This is the Place Heritage Park.  Trick or treat in the pioneer village, visit the Story Witch, make take-home crafts and have so much fun! Plus my kids can’t get enough of the pony rides, train rides, and panning for gold! Little Haunts is this weekend as well as October 29th.  Be sure to visit their site and print off a coloring page in advance so your kids can enter the contest as well!

Jakers Pumpkin Patch

Halloween isn’t complete without a visit to the pumpkin patch! Jakers in Springville is especially fun for the younger kiddos! Love that they open at 9 am – perfect for moms with preschoolers.  Jump in the corn pile, take a hay ride or get lost in a maze – lots to do! Plus pumpkins start at $2.

Witch Fest at Gardner Village

This one has been a family favorite for almost 10 years and it just keeps getting better. The witch scavenger hunt is a must for us and it always ends with cheese bread and hot chocolate at the bakery. It’s a fantastic mix of Halloween for adults and children. Mom gets to check out the gorgeous shops an the kids get to have fun, too! My kids love the play area and I love the atmosphere. Dressing up makes it even more fun! Check out the schedule of events here. 

Cornbelly’s at Thanksgiving Point

Cornbelly’s is another attraction that just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year.  There’s so much to do that I am not surprised that they added season passes.  Spooky shows, haunted mazes, fireworks and more! Their fun lasts all of October. You can check out their calendar of events here. 

Scarecrow Walk at Homestead Resort

If you want to experience a true October in Utah, you have to head up the canyon to Midway. I guarantee it will be the prettiest fall experience you have this year. We love the quaintness of the Scarecrow Walk at Homestead Resort and the stunning foliage everywhere you look. Stop by the Homestead gift shop for some fudge before you go out and hike one of the many gorgeous trails! Here are a few more for our Midway favorites.  Make a weekend of it and enjoy a relaxing stay at the Homestead, too! 

What are your favorite family friendly Halloween activities in Utah?

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I love that both of my little boys costumes are perfect for Utah Halloweens. I hate having to cover up their cute costumes with coats. They’ll be warm and cozy in their full body suits this year.

When we are done with all these adorable costumes, it is nice to know that we can donate them back to Deseret Industries. Donations are tax deductible and help fund local training programs for employees in my community.

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This year I was finally prepared for the Halloween candy aftermath! I was up before dawn with my trusty Scotch Thermal Laminator and Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches (these have been worth their weight in gold this year!) making Halloween candy math games and studying candy experiments. If we’re all going to be on a sugar high the day after Halloween – we may as well learning something while we are at it!

My quick work did not disappoint. All three children (ages 3-7) had a blast doing Halloween math games and Halloween candy experiments. It easily held their attention this morning and was completely adaptable to each of their grade levels.

First up was candy graphing with M&Ms and Skittles as pictured above. I used this 2 inch printable graphing paper from Classroom Jr – perfect size for candy counting! And then I laminated those babies so that we can use them again next year! Before we started graphing with the M&Ms, we each guessed which color we would have the most of. The winner – orange! Interesting, huh?

After the graphing, we took a math break and did some candy science. We attended the BYU Chemistry Magic Show a few weeks ago and the kids loved it! (PS if you are in the Utah County area in October – you’ve got to attend!) I knew that doing our own candy experiment would be a hit.

I gave each child a small glass of water and instructed them to a put a skittle or M&M in the water. We then guessed what we thought would happen and eagerly watched to see if our guess was correct.

They correctly guessed that the color would come off of the candy, but they were so surprised when the letters, S & M, floated to the top. Definitely candy magic!

We also discovered that the skittle reacted much more quickly with the water than the M&M did.

And here’s another shot of the S floating to the top. Very cool when you are a five year old!

Next up was more laminated fun with M&Ms. I laminated these quick and easy math pages from the Mama Miss. Both my kindergartner and second grader had fun figuring out different ways to add to a certain number with their candy pieces.

Surprisingly, my kids didn’t gobble up all the candy. They were having too much fun doing the Halloween math games! I think having access to their candy in the morning and having fun with it helped to dull their immediate need to devour the entire bag like some years.

One aspect of this post-Halloween learning time that I loved was that my kindergartner began making up his own games. If you remember from my Halloween Pumpkin Learning Activities post, this boy loves to make patterns! Perfect way to use those M&Ms and Skittles again!

We had so much fun together this morning and I am thrilled to have them laminated for next year. I’m sure we will use them throughout the next week or so and then save them for next year (or the next time we have an influx of candy!)

What is your favorite Halloween candy?

How do you handle the Halloween candy in your house?

The post Four Ways to Use Up Your Halloween Candy – Math Games & Candy Experiments! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Date night just got spookier Utah! The husband and I attended a VIP event at Evermore Park Pumpkin Fest on Saturday and were blown away by the haunting details and stunning technology. This is not your average haunted forest and pumpkin festival peeps! Here’s a little sneak peek to what awaits:

Think choose your own adventure meets Halloween haunt meets Victorian time period. Did I scream like a little girl and push  my husband ahead of me in the twists and turns in the mausoleum – oh yes! Did I stop to oogle all the ah-mazing costumes when I was done screaming – that’s another yes!

The Evermore Pumpkin Fest includes an exhilarating jaunt through a haunted cemetery where you can complete one of four different quests (or keep going back to complete all four!) This was my husband’s favorite part. An interactive haunted quest – sign him up! I liked that it was subtly scary at times rather than in your face scary all the time. This totally makes it more spooky to me. All inhabitants of the tavern and cemetery are in character and interact with you. I believe it is the first time I have talked with someone on a haunted excursion before!

Word has it that the always in character residents of the tavern and haunted cemetery are very accommodating to all ages. But if a haunted cemetery isn’t your thing, there is plenty for the little ones to do as well! There are hundreds of jack o lanterns all designed and displayed in a unique fashion from the entrance archway to the giant pumpkin character at the end of a hay bale maze.

Don’t miss the street entertainers while you are checking out the pumpkins! You may even come across a 20 pound blood python or the birds of Evermore which were definitely crowd favorites amongst the kids and adults.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. TONIGHT (Wednesday, October 29th, 2014) is the PERFECT night to go to Evermore Park because not only will you be treated to all of the above, but there will also be a music festival starring Mindy Gledhill, Fictionist, and more! Get tickets online in advance for $5 off. Steal of a deal for a haunted excursion and a concert!

My husband and I had a blast at  Evermore Pumpkin Fest and definitely think it is the new haunted place to be in Utah. If you are looking for a fun activity to do with family or friends this week for Halloween, look no further. From college students to the littles, it’s fun for all ages.

One of my favorite parts of our VIP experience at the Pumpkin Fest was hearing from owner and visionary of Evermore,  Ken Bretschneider. While the grounds of Evermore hold the Pumpkin Fest this year, tentative plans are underway to begin construction on a multi million dollar adventure theme park that is both interactive and immersive. John and I marveled at the miniature set of the park that included a  graveyard and hedgemaze, a high-tech hotel, a water park nestled into a cliffside castle, a Victorian village straight from Dickens, a church complete with catacombs to explore underneath, a derelict pirate ship and hideaway cove and much, much more. Be sure to follow Evermore Park on facebook to keep up to date!

To say we are excited for it is an understatement! But for now, my husband is ready to go back and choose his next quest at the Evermore Nightshade Cemetery! Head on over tonight and catch Mindy Gledhill! Remember, tickets are $5 off if you preorder online. The Pumpkin Fest runs through November 1st and is located off exit 275 in Pleasant Grove.

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This year I traveled up from Orem at the beginning of October for a blogger’s night out courtesy of My Craft Channel.  We were treated to the delightful antics of Lucinda the Witch and a special presentation from puzzle folk-artist Eric Dowdle.  After that we were unleashed on Gardner Village. Oh how I love to browse and shop to my heart’s content in such a picturesque setting.

I wanted to take this dazzling skeleton from Down to Earth home with me. Before I started coming to Gardner Village’s WitchFest, Halloween was losing it’s sparkle for me and seemed more appealing to the candy-munching kiddies. Gardner Village will definitely renew your Halloween spirit while still providing fun for the younger set. From the petting zoo to the witch scavenger hunt – your children will have plenty to do while you engage in a little retail therapy.

My visits to Gardner Village have convinced me that my entire home needs to be decked out for Halloween from the bed spread to the children’s toys. Shopping at Gardner Village definitely takes Halloween decorating to the next level!

In the midst of the seasonal shopping, you can always find classic gems as well. I want to outfit all of my children entirely from the fabulous finds at Spoiled Rotten. I have yet to stop in Spoiled Rotten and not come out with something I love for my children. From home decor to toys to fashion – Gardner Village has something to satisfy everyone’s tastes. What I love most about the shops at Gardner Village are the unique and high-quality products. Seriously a shopper’s dream!

Gardner Village Witchfest continues through the 31st so be sure to stop by soon! I will be making one last trip with my family. Be sure to catch the Elves at Gardner Village who will start appearing on November 22nd and stay through Christmas!

I did not receive monetary compensation for this post, but I am grateful for my swag bag from Riley Blake, Eric Dowdle, Miss Mustard Seed, My Craft Channel, and Gardner Village.

You can find out more about Gardner Village and My Craft Channel via their web-sites and social media channels:

Websites – www.gardnervillage.com  mycraftchannel.com

Blogs – http://www.gardnervillageblog./com  http://mycraftchannelblog./blogspot.com/

Facebook – facebook.com/gardnervillage  facebook.com/mycraftchannel

Instagram – @gardnervillage @mycraftchannel

Pinterest – @gardnervillage  @mycraftchannel

Have you been to Gardner Village?

What are your favorite Halloween decorations?

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One of my favorite fall activities is going to Gardner Village with my sisters and mom. Seriously love this place. From the shops, to the spooky decor, to the food – it is seriously the highlight of my Halloween season. Let’s be honest, Halloween lost some of its magic to me once I moved past the trick or treating stage of life, but Gardner Village has made Halloween memorable for me once again.

I jumped at the chance to check out the Halloween festivities courtesy of My Craft Channel. Loved spending the night with some of my favorite bloggers! I talked to all the owners from my favorite shops and I’m excited to be telling you more about them on my blog. So stay tuned! But for now enjoy these pictures of the “treats” I found at Gardner Village. Be sure to head on over to Gardner Village this week as part of your Halloween festivities!

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I was so excited when a package from Oh My Crafts full of these lovely items appeared on my doorstep as part of their Bloggers Craft Challenge. With such a variety of fun products, my daughter Lily and I have visions of many a craft project, but were specifically inspired by this Halloween paper by Michelle Coleman.

I’ve been wanting to do a Halloween banner for ages and loved that these paper cut outs would be the perfect size.  My trusty helper assisted me in cutting them out and then it was on to decorating.
To decorate we used buttons, flowers, and lots of little trinkets from an embellishment set. The crafting tape provided by Oh My Crafts worked perfectly to get everything in the right place.

To personalize it to our family, we decided to do thumb print monsters using some leftover paint I had from another project. Stamp ink would have worked better, but it was a make it work moment! After the paint dried, we each drew our own monsters onto the thumb prints.

We ran into a minor snafu when my three year old refused to have anything to do with the thumbprints. Instead, he decided to paint his card. Everyone is allowed their creativity, eh?

Next we hole punched the cards and strung our ribbon through. Voila – a simple, personalized Halloween banner for our stair railing.

Next up, I need to decide on a fabulous way to use the plate from the Blogger’s Challenge Kit.

Working on the banner got me in the mood for Halloween decorations! I found some fun inspiration poking around Oh My Craft’s web-site. Check it out:

Loving these Martha Stewart Creep Candelabras. 

We do a murder mystery party for Halloween and these would be the perfect touch!

Love me some glitter! This  Martha Stewart Carnival Glitter 
may find its way on to my pumpkins this year.

Oh My Crafts also has several classes each week. You can even learn how to make these darling witches feet!

If you are interested in finding out more about Oh My Crafts you can check them out at:
(just save me some of that Martha Stewart glitter!)

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oh-My-Crafts/31250764811
Website – http://www.ohmycrafts.com/
Twitter – http://twitter.com/ohmycrafts/
Ebay – http://stores.ebay.com/Oh-My-Crafts/
Blog – http://ohmycrafts.blogspot.com/
Channel – http://www.ustream.tv/channel/oh-my-crafts
http://www.ustream.tv/user/OhMyCrafts/videos?page=2

What do you think I should do with my gorgeous plate?

*I received a craft kit to complete this post, but I was not compensated in any other way. The creation and opinions are my own and my five year olds :).

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