I am definitely not one for gimmicky baby and new mom products that you really don't need. That's probably why you don't see a lot of stroller accessories on here, or stuff like the dreaded wipes warmer. (Sorry to those of you who love t…
Let me start by saying I am not some Les Mis groupie. I have never seen the play or even read Victor Hugo's book, so it's not like I have childhood memories to stir up. That said, I cannot think of the last time I walked out of a movie s…
While yes, mugs make good fallback holiday gifts for teachers and coaches and colleagues and your mother-in-law, on their own they're not necessarily...special. (Although we did find one in our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide in the gifts under …
Hooray for the funniest holiday cards! Now, while of course we love those beautiful, sweet, sentimental holiday photo cards just like any other parents, we gotta say, sometimes we're kind of thanking the universe for that one friend who …
While overall, I admit I'm growing a little weary of all the membership-only shopping sites (and the subsequent eight million "OUR SALE IS STARTING!" alerts in my inbox each day), there is a new one I'm excited about. I love its focus on…
I can't imagine that Gretchen Rubin offers a money-back guarantee on happiness after reading her best-selling book Happiness at Home , but based on Kristen's review, I think we would be inclined to do it for her. To sweeten the deal, her…
I give up. My daughters like the idea of makeup as part of their dress-up routine. Uncle! Still, I insist on two things: it's not for wearing to school, and it needs to be kid-friendly makeup, as in all-natural, with no harmful stuff. So…
Whether you love your mother-in-law or you wonder where the heck your husband came from, I've always found MILs to be the toughest to shop for when it comes to the perfect holiday gift. So instead of leaving it up to my husband (which wo…
It feels like the world is in a very give-back kind of mood this year, doesn't it? And while we have quite a few gifts that give back on our holiday gift guide , there's something particularly special about ornaments that support a great…
One of my favorite categories on our Holiday Gift Guide this year is first Christmas gifts for babies that are all handmade. Recently we shared an entire selection of great first holiday gifts for baby (lots of handmade goodness there to…
DIY handmade ornaments make some of the most lovely Christmas gifts . Our own Christmas tree is filled with handmade holiday ornaments, some from flea markets and craft shops on our travels, and some DIY ornaments from crafty friends. (S…
I feel a personal commitment to the amazing company fashionABLE, since having visited their operation in Ethiopia and meeting so many of the women who actually made the scarves. It's even one of my very favorite picks this year in our Ho…
In honor of World AIDS Day today, there's a lot you can do. It can be as simple as signing a petition to keep funding for AIDS treatment and prevention going to save the lives of moms and babies. It can be talking to your kids about AIDS…
I am a frequent business traveler, an entertainment junkie (jazz hands!) and a big fan of not cooking on special occasions when a great restaurant can do it for me. That's why I've been an American Express Platinum holder for a long time…
I have never been to Glens Falls, NY--and to be honest, I hadn't actually heard of it either. But after discovering this amazing little shop that's a celebration of everything that indie small-town America stands for, I'm ready to road t…
As some of you know, I recently spent a week in Ethiopia with the amazing organization ONE, specifically to see the tangible good that foreign aid is doing for mothers and families around the globe . The amazing thing about ONE is that t…
I love children's books with messages that support our values, but a lot of those books seem to put the messages ahead of the storytelling. In other words, I'd like to own more books that are as engaging as Eloise but maybe aren't how-to…
I admit I swooned just a little when I saw this beautiful play food toy at longtime CMP favorite, Cattiwampus. Then I saw that they were on sale, too, with an extra discount for Black Friday --and a little extra discount just for our rea…
Today we are feeling so thankful to be home, safe, and with family, taking it all for granted that we can make fun of our aunt's terrible stuffing and bitch about the football game that just happens to be "very important," right when the…
I kind of love everything from Jonathan Adler. Especially the scents of his new candles, which are sure to make your home smell greenmarket-fresh, even if you're just cracking open canned...whatever. Don't expect the traditional nutmeg, …
I have this inkling that gourmet marshmallows just may be the new macaron (which was the new whoopie pie which was the new cupcake). And when you see the flavors like the ones from Wondermade, you are going to agree with me completely. W…
Recently we found a wonderful pin on Pinterest that our followers loved too--an editorial photo of a dozen shades of crayons all labeled flesh . Awesome! We've been actively trying to track down the creator of the photo (any help is welc…
A few years back we admitted our collective devotion to Biscoff cookies--you know, those ones you get on the airplanes?--and it turns out we were not alone. Since then we've discovered the joy of Biscoff cookie spread, and now we're droo…
I am not the craftiest of the bunch at Cool Mom Picks, so when I see something that looks like, "Hey, we could do that!" I'm all over it. And this kids' Thanksgiving table craft that you can do super easily fits the bill perfectly. From …
