Growing up on the East Coast, our family beach vacations were always limited to the Jersey Shore (no, not that one), where the beaches were crowded and the water was pretty cold, even in the dead of summer. It wasn't until I was living i…
There are a lot of days when having a kid with social challenges isn't particularly funny; when his feelings get hurt, when making friends is difficult, when he despairs of ever "getting it right" when it comes to following society's rul…
In a field of ironic, cynical tees for kids ( homework sucks, anyone?) I was kind of glad to stumble across this one. Reading simply Today Is the Best Day Ever in big bold type of the FRANKIE SAYS RELAX variety, I could totally see an ol…
I have this one person on my list that I can't stand holiday shopping for. Why? Because she already has everything . Really. If it's something she likes, she buys it before anyone else has the chance. It's the worst. But, for the first t…
Remember your pre-baby years when you would gazing longingly at the adorable baby and toddler clothes in your favorite stores just dreaming of the day when you would be part of the world with a valid reason to buy them? That was exactly …
I love teaching my children about different cultures and how to appreciate the beauty of family traditions . This lesson is most important around the holidays. There is a Christmas tree on every corner, sometimes with a Hanukkah menorah …
I'm particularly envious right now of the Jonathan Adler Skip Hop line that launched yesterday. Which is funny, because I do not miss the days of hauling a baby bag around with me. I love a great bag , don't get me wrong, but when my kid…
I hate the feeling of cold feet -- yuck! -- but my kids must not mind because they kick off their slippers at the slightest provocation, freezing floors be damned. Kids! They just don't appreciate cozy toes. Or baths. Or naps. (Silly chi…
Life with four kids means there are a lot of last minute "oops" happening around my place when it comes to gifts and cards. This is also why I've been a fan of Animoto since we first featured them on Cool Mom Picks a few years ago. Their…
Last night, I was privileged to attend a taping of the Daily Show, thanks to the wonderful folks at One.org . Yes, I was sitting about 15 feet from Bono. Feel free to be jealous--I was jealous of myself! Bono spoke in such an impassioned…
Baby's first anything can be difficult to shop for and baby's first Hanukkah doubly so. So if you are looking for something different and special for the little bundle I suggest you check out Judaica pioneer Emily Rosenfeld. I have perso…
Designer clothes tend to be timeless and well made -- I guess that is why the magazines call it "investment dressing." However, the reality is that most moms simply cannot afford to invest thousands of dollars on one article of clothing,…
I always feel more social during the holidays. Maybe it's the cooler weather and festive music that inspires me to finally bring out the welcome mat and throw a party. (Fine, the fact that the house is finally decorated doesn't hurt.) Bu…
We're kicking November to the curb and happily welcoming December with our highly anticipated, super spectacular 2011 Holiday Gift Guide ! Whoo! For the 6th straight year, we've scoured the web for the best gifts ever--150 this year at e…
Though my religious affiliation can best be summed up with a long puzzled silence, there are certain things from my youth that I carry with me to this day, like praying when the plane jets down the runway, and setting up the nativity sce…
Along with decking the halls, we hope to finally redo the walls in my son's bedroom, but given that it has taken years for us to get around to this project, there will be no painted murals of his favorite cartoon characters. Instead, I'm…
My kids fell in love with Anamalz right away. Not so much because they were made out of eco-friendly, organic wood and textiles by a super cool Australian company. But because of all the reasons kids like toys--they're cute. And they're …
I have an arsenal of go-to occasion gifts and one of my favs for the ladies in my life is the classic initial necklace . Perfect for a new mama or a friend's birthday it always leaves my girls feeling extra special. I couldn't be more th…
I feel like, every fall, I end up on on a mission to find handmade sweaters and other goodies that have that little extra bit of TLC knitted in. You know, like someone made them just for my kids Robbie Carmack of RCforkids is pretty much…
We're honored to be working with our sponsor the American Cancer Society , who's doing such good work in ensuring that all of us continue to have many more birthdays. My mom hit the big 60 birthday milestone last year (don't kill me for …
Looking for a gift this holiday season that won't take up any more space in the playroom? How about some practical and functional items for your little ones to call all their own? Artist Mayi Carles has a full line of pieces that you can…
When we find something as smart and cool as the magnetic blocks by Tegu, we keep an eye out for whatever they come up with next, because we know it's going to knock our socks off. This time, they're knocking our blocks off by adding--- d…
First of all, a big welcome to The Today Show viewers! If you caught our Editor-in-Chief Liz Gumbinner today talking about Cyber Monday fashion deals --and you like the idea of doing your holiday shopping from work or from home while you…
Of all the Cyber Monday deals today, we might be the most excited about Tea Collection. A frequent CMP sponsor and a label our own kids wear a lot of, they're not only offering 25% off their already reduced sale collection today, but for…
