Looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend? Come out to downtown Cloverdale for a safe and fun way to take your kids Trick or Treating in the Cloverdale Halloween Costume Parade this Saturday from 12:00-3:00pm. Stop by the HomeLife table to say hi and get some of our yummy chocolate treats! Or come out just to see all the cute little kids in their adorable Halloween costumes.

For more details and where to go to register visit the following link:

http://www.cloverdalebia.com/cgi-bin/itsmy/go.exe?page=13&domain=1&webdir=cloverdale

For some other great Halloween events for adult and family fun visit the following link:
http://www.vancouversun.com/Dare+check+these+Halloween+events/7444133/story.html

Some great fall gardening tips from Art's Nursery in Port Kells. One of 2 garden centres I get all my flowers from year round!

http://www.artsnursery.com/blog/october-2012-in-your-garden#.UId6DMXA818

The title of the following article is what caught my eye. My husband having worked in the restaurant business while we went to University developed an appreciation for good wine...the funny thing is he doesn't drink. But that doesn't stop him from admiring homes that have wine cellars and wanting to have one in our next home. But as the article makes mention to, there's a lot to consider when building a wine cellar.

http://life.nationalpost.com/2012/08/29/fellers-and-their-cellars-toasting-a-trend/

How important is a wine cellar to you? Do you like to enjoy a fine glass of wine after work or with dinner? Is a wine cellar a must have when purchasing your new home?

 Who doesn't love FREE movies???

Looking for something fun to do with your kids this weekend? Something fun and FREE??? Why not head to an early morning show at your local theatre and watch one of the many FREE family movies that Cineplex is showing for their Starlight Community Day event. Enjoy a FREE movie and get a regular popcorn, regular drink and candy for only $2.00. With all the proceeds going to Starlight Children's Foundation. Movies start at 9:00am.

Visit the following link for the movies playing at your local theatre tomorrow morning.

http://www.cineplex.com/Promos/Starlight/Community.aspx

Yesterday, my eldest had the honour and privilege to be a part of We Day Vancouver 2012. She attended with approximately 30 other students and teachers from her school. They all had an experience of a lifetime and heard speakers like "Desmond Tutu" and "Magic Johnson" speak, encouraging social change. This day will be one she will remembers and will likely share with her children one day.

"We Day is an educational event and the movement of our time—a movement of young people leading local and global change."

Her school like many others has taken part in the Me to We program which is partnered with Free the Children. They have helped to build schools in Africa and to provide clean water for these communities. The students who have taken part in We Day or Me to We programs are taking active roles in social justice initiatives in their schools.

The Story behind Me to We started in Ecuador over 10 years ago when the co-founders and brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger helped to build a school for an impoverished community. It was their experience and how the community and surrounding communities came together to make this school happen (when the Kielburgers feared it wouldn't) that brought about the Me to We mentality. Their main objective was to make the world a better place and that's exactly what the movement has achieved and will continue to do so through our children and hopefully through our children's, children and so on and so forth!

Be the Change you wish to see in the World!

How much do you think your home is worth? Do you think your home is worth more than your neighbours???

The argument made in this article is whether or not SOLD prices should be made public. Some people in our industry fear that should the public gain access to SOLD prices then they won't need Realtors... As if that is the only reason we are needed. Realtors offer a wealth of knowledge and I commend the author of this article for sharing a little bit about why it is important and always will be important to hire a knowledgeable Realtor to work for you and look out for your best interests.

Regardless of whether or not SOLD prices become public knowledge. Sellers will always think their home is worth more than it is because of the emotional value attached to their home and more importantly...bottom dollar. Every Seller wants this information private, but as a Buyer they want to know so that they can try and get the very best deal...Working with a realtor who is skilled in negotiations will be your better bet in ensuring you get the best price for your home, whetehr Buying or Selling.

The internet is full of medical information to help you diagnose your medical conditions...does that mean you won't ever go to a Doctor again? Of course not!

Have a read of the following article and let us know what you think, should SOLD prices be made public knowledge?

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1266560--should-your-home-s-selling-price-be-made-public

I came across a great company that provides clothing, toys, linens, books, movies, music, footwear, personal and household items FREE to those in need.

In these tough economic times, there are many people who find themselves in need that may or may not have ever been in this position before. There aren't many solutions to help and even less that are FREE like this. In a post I read it makes perfect sense how Clothes2u would be beneficial. If money is tight people have to prioritize their needs and usually shelter and food rank 1st. Leaving behind all the other essential items because even thrift shops can cost people more than their budget will allow.

We missed Clothes2u in Cloverdale this past weekend, but they will be holding an event to accept donations and help provide clothing to those in need. 

Saturday Oct.20 Sp0oktacular in North Delta @ North Delta Evangelical Church, 11300 – 84 Ave. 10 AM to 12:30 PM.

Check out their website for more details.
Clothes2u

Surrey's new ReThink Waste program does not have a solution for dog owners, but "Doggie detail" does. In fact most municipalities prohibit the disposal of pet waste in with regular garbage and always have. The cities don't seem to offer any real suggestions on how to effectively dispose of dog feces. Other than to suggest we could simply flush it down the toilet...I don't know about you, but it's bad enough I have to pick it up let alone cart it through my house and into the toilet. 

Which is why our family will be signing up for Doggie detail to safely dispose of our dog's waste every week. Doggie detail offers pet owners a solution and they offer residents an affordable dog waste removal service with rates starting as low as $5.00/week.  

If you sign up for their curbside bucket removal service before October 31, new customers will receive 2 weeks of free bucket service. For more details and to sign up visit their website at the following link:

http://doggiedetail.com/dog-waste-removal-surrey-bc/

I am writing today's blog in honour of a very dear friend who is 7 years cancer free.

It's hard to find someone who hasn't been affected by some form of cancer. Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian women. I personally know a number of women whether related, friend or acquaintance that have suffered from this wicked disease.

As a woman and mother of 2 teenage girls, breast cancer awareness is very important. All we can do is hope that we will somehow escape this terror. There is no rhyme or reason it attacks one of us over another. Thankfully our dear friend caught her lump early enough that it had barely even formed, just enough for her to question that there was something wrong with her breast.

It is important for all women to check their breasts monthly. Any irregular or change in breast tissue should be assessed by your doctor. If you get in to a routine of checking them once a month, you will have a better chance of finding something that isn't right if it happens. This is important for men and women to do, as men can get breast cancer as well...it's just not as common.

http://www.cbcf.org/bc/AboutUsMain/MediaCenter/Pages/default.aspx

October 19 is National Mammography Day. All provinces will sceen for breast cancer if you are between 50-69, but each province has different guidelines for screening from age 40-49. For screening locations in BC click on the following link:http://www.smpbc.ca/Program/Locations+and+Mobile+Services.htm