If you're wondering why you haven't heard from us in a little while, it's because we've been busy getting our two new stores ready to open. A lot of people thought we were crazy for opening two stores at the same time, and while we wish we could say they were wrong, they weren't. We are crazy. And tired. But the new stores are almost ready to go.

Join us for our Grand Opening Weekend celebration November 16-18. We'll have product giveaways, demonstrations and entertainment for the whole family. Most of the action will be happening at the two new stores in Hingham and Wellesley, but we'll have a few surprises in store for our loyal Brookline customers, too. Stay tuned for a full schedule of events.

Dreading the sugar rush aftermath of Halloween? Last year, we offered a sweet deal for our local trick or treaters, and it was so popular, we're going to do it again. This year, we're keeping it simple. Just bring in your haul by November 4th and get a free gift plus a coupon for 15% off the purchase of a toy.

Parents across the country are buzzing about our blog. This month marks two years since we started Spillingthebeans.net. Every week, we review new toys and baby gear, highlight local events, post recall notices and just talk about parenting. If you haven't checked it out, take a look.

What kid can resist a handful of electric-green slime? Though the stuff looks pretty gross to us adults, it's not hard to understand why it is such a hit: it's green and slimy. Need we say more? So, whether you are hosting an epic spook-fest for the neighborhood or just want some messy fun for a Sunday afternoon, green slime isn't just for Ghostbusters anymore.

2 mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
1 cup glue
4 tsp. borax
Green food coloring
Water

1. Mix together 3/4 cup warm water, the glue and several drops of green food coloring in the first bowl.

2. In the second bowl, mix together the borax and 1 1/3 cups warm water.

3. Pour the contents of the first bowl into the second, but don't stir. Let it sit for 1 minute, then lift the now-congealed slime out of the bowl. Knead on a clean surface until moisture is mostly absorbed and texture is smooth. Store in an airtight container.

We're always looking for ways to make life easier for parents. For busy families, finding time to create unique holiday cards, birth announcements and birthday party invitations seems impossible. We always thought that going the custom printed route was a costly and time-intensive process. But then we discovered tinyprints.com, and now we know better. Their designs are fresh, reasonably priced and they ship in just four business days - two if you pay for rush service.

We particularly like their envelope pre-ship option for birth announcements, so you can get your envelopes before the baby arrives and address them while you still have the energy. Just in time for your holiday cards, we've got a nice offer from our friends at tinyprints.com. They're giving away an unrestricted $10 gift certificate with any purchase of $40 or more at Magic Beans, in-store(s) or online. That $10 will go a surprisingly long way towards your first order, so give it a try; we think you'll be impressed.