7 of the best toys for the car (and books and games too!)

by Liz Gumbinner | Toys + Playthings

We’re about to head on one of our annual summer road trips, which means packing plenty of toys for the car. We try to avoid the DVD–and generally succeed if we’ve planned ahead. Here, some of my favorite toys for the car for toddlers and bigger kids,...

Fourth of July party printables and decor to make your cookout a standout

by Roxanna | Party Ideas

I love Fourth of July parties, but not all Fourth of July party decor. Beer, hot dogs, fireworks and vintage Americana are good. Red white and blue painted garden gnomes, not so much. I’ve tracked down these cool, classy options for festive decorating including...

Summer sights from your child’s room, even with the blinds down.

by Stephanie Mayers | Art + Decor

Every summer for the past few years, my entire family makes a pilgrimage to the Jersey shore for a week of pure old fashioned beach and boardwalk fun. I spend the other 51 weeks of the year making solo trips to the beach… in my head. But thanks to Meg Venter and...

Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure – yes, it’s all that

by Eva Glettner | Entertainment + Media

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I take my Disneyland fix quite seriously and I love Mickey Mouse. So, you can only imagine my excitement when I was invited to check out the grand opening of the new Cars Land area of Disney’s California Adventure. I must...

More bathing suits for little girls that are big on style, not skin

by Liz Gumbinner | Kid Style

I’m so happy to know that our recent post on appropriate swimsuits for little girls was so well-received! Also glad to know it’s not just us that’s thinking our girls can still be girls for a good while longer–there’s plenty of time later...

8 must-try smoothie recipes for a fresh and fruity summer

by Stacie Billis | Food + Recipes

Fresh fruit is so glorious this time of year that sometimes whirling up a smoothie from a great recipe is the most I need to do with my farmer’s market score. All you need at the very least is ice and a killer combination of seasonal fruit. Or, get more fancy if...

8 girls’ bikinis and two-piece swimsuits that are…appropriate.

by Cool Mom Team | Kid Style

Last summer, I shopped around for bikinis and two-piece swimsuits for little girls that didn’t make them look like teens before their time. Our readers responded so positively, I thought I’d take a browse around this year and see what looks promising in...

Reinventing the beach towel

by Liz Gumbinner | Family Travel

It’s not too often that I get excited about a beach towel for kids. Yes, I get it – some have cuter patterns or whatever. But in the case of Towelmate, they really did reinvent the beach towel for both kids and adults–and it’s awesome. Hit the...

Homemade popsicle recipes for the Zoku Single Pop Maker

by Stacie Billis | Food + Recipes

Memorial Day is this weekend, which in my world means the beginning of popsicle season. It’s hard to talk diy popsicles without talking the Zoku pop maker, so it’s a good thing they’ve given us something new to talk about!This summer, you can indulge...

Sunny days, sweeping those clouds away

by Roxanna | Kid Style

My kids have tons of cheap sunglasses — they’re fun and perfect for when they’re playing spies, but I know they’re not ideal when we’re in the sun. In fact, they always seem to “borrow” my expensive sunglasses when we’re...