I love this month.  In Texas, it's finally cool enough to enjoy an entire day outside.  Yay!  So some fun ideas of things to do in October.

1.  Go to a pumpkin patch.  It's so much more fun to pick your own pumpkin.  http://www.pickyourown.org/ Then you can take it home and carve it.  No cheating - getting the stencils, being creative is half the fun.  You have to do your own thing.  You know what else is cool is pumpkin sculpting.   http://www.cool-pumpkins.geraldgore.com/psculpting.htm

2.  How about a trip to a corn maze?  I haven't ever been yet but I've always wanted to go.  Maybe this will be the year.  http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/ or http://www.cornfieldmaze.com/site_list.html  A lot of the farms that have pumpkin picking and mazes also have hayrides.  It is required to have apple cider and hot, fresh powdered donuts before, during and after a hayride. 

3.  Okay, I have to admit that I am kind of wussy about this but haunted houses are fun.  Even more fun if you have somebody to cling to when they scare you to death.  Even better is the fact that most are raising money for charities.  http://hauntedhouses.com/haunts/states.htm

4.  You must go to a football game.  It can be any level, professional, college, high school but my very favorite are the little kids games.  Make it a day and go tailgating.  Fall means football.  Make sure to bring a cowbell. 

5.  If you are lucky enough to live in an area that has beautiful changing leaves, take a drive and pack a picnic.  Enjoy it even more for me who lives somewhere where the leaves just turn brown and fall off when you're not looking. 

6.  Go to the zoo.  I love going to the zoo in the fall.  It's just too hot in the summer.  The animals are always hiding.  They are a little more active when the weather is cooler plus the crowds are smaller. 

7.  Go to Oktoberfest.  I think every place has an Oktoberfest festival.  If your area doesn't, just get drunk, eat a bratwurst and call it Oktoberfest.  Bonus points if you wear lederhosen.  Watch Beerfest to put yourself in the right mindframe. 

8.  Buy lots and lots of candy.  My favorite houses were always the ones that handed out mini candy bars.  Turn on your light and hand it out.  Really, it's fun seeing all of the kids in their costumes.   It's even more fun if you dress in costume and scare them.  And please if you take your kids trick or treating, if you drive to another neighborhood, park then get out and walk.  People that drive house to house make me crazy. 

9.  Okay maybe this isn't really fun but you know what's even less fun - getting the flu.  Don't forget to get your flu shot this month.  You will be glad if it passes you by later.

10.  Start saving your milk jugs so you can make a milk jug skeleton as a Halloween decoration.  http://prairiewebs.com/skeleton.html

11.  Make a scarecrow.  http://kids-outdoor-activities.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_build_a_scarecrow

12.  Make a homemade costume.  They are so much more fun, creative and original.  Those cheapy costumes are not made to even last a night.  It's really not that hard.  There are tons that you can make just by adding some embellishments to a cheap sweatshirt and sweatpants or out of a box.  There is always the old favorite of being a hobo.  Nobody is a hobo anymore.    http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/

13.  Make a sugar skull.  It's a great way to learn about another culture's celebration. http://www.mexicansugarskull.com/mexicansugarskull/recipe.htm 

Have a great October.  Let me know if you can think of anything else interesting to add to the list.