One of my favorite holiday traditions is sending and receiving cards in the mail -- especially the photo kind. (I can't possibly be the only one. Who doesn't love getting real mail? And photos? Everyone does!) It's the best part of Decem…
My kids won't even go into the basement by themselves, so let's just say we do Halloween Lite around here. For our kinder, gentler Halloween, I've found a tee shirt from CMP favorite Threadless that would fit in just fine to our version …
In case you missed them, here five of our favorite picks from Cool Mom Tech this past week. 1. Pumpkin carving meets Angry Birds. We just hope no one starts launching them... 2. These two amazing new apps from Toca Boca will keep kids ha…
My middle son loves graphic novels. They really get him excited about reading, and I'm certainly down with that. I want him to excitedly pick out a book from the library and read it on the ride home. So he about nearly flipped when we sa…
I'm back in town from a delicious jaunt to the Rogue Valley in southern Oregon, and I've got all the dirt on one of my favorite holiday gift companies, Harry & David . (You know, the pear people. With all the catalogs?) So here's my conf…
As every mom learns pretty early on, ease of travel with kids can come down to having the right gear. Whether we're flying across the country or just taking the kiddos out to eat in our 'hood, if we don't have the proper seat, stroller o…
When new babies make their grand entrances, their bigger siblings can sometimes feel the shaft. It's important to include them in welcoming the new addition--or, you can do what I did and have them so close together the older one doesn't…
What do you get when you combine a kindhearted elephant, some hard-working mice, and the Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator of Click Clack Moo? A sweet little treat that's fun to eat... I mean, read . The Little Bitty Bakery by Leslie M…
My first job out of college was managing a fantastic gallery of artisan crafts in Philadelphia. It was in that glorious place full of so many beautiful things that I began a love affair with handmade designer jewelry. Let's just say that…
The good ol' days sort of lose their luster for me when I think about a life without indoor plumbing, internet access and Starbucks. But, I will give them one thing: Their folk songs sure were beautiful as evidenced in this lovely and pl…
I've tried to encourage my tween's intense love of all things art since she was a wee thing. To fuel her fire, we have loads of art books from "open-ended" coloring books like Rosie Flo's and those by Taro Gomi, to more academic tomes wi…
Oh, honey. You know we love our flash deal sites. Gilt for designer duds? Check! Fab for home goods? Totally! Little Rue for kids? Please! Ideeli for splurges? You get the picture. And it goes on. But this one has a unique twist that mak…
Every year I go through my son's clothes to see what has stood the test of a season, and what needs to be retired. Since discovering Red 21 Boys last year, I'm delighted to say he's still wearing everything. And for my crazy active boy, …
My oldest daughter, now 7, learned how to ride a bike in a matter of minutes thanks to a few months spent on a balance bike beforehand. However, when it comes to my littler kiddos, they tend to get more frustration than fun out of riding…
With the money I'm spending on Halloween costumes and bags of candy, I'm not about to drop a fortune on decor too. So, I'm so pleased to have found so many affordable (and free!) printables that don't require me to do much of anything or…
My kids are at the age where their Trick-or-Treat bags return home weighing almost as much as they do. At this rate they'll be up to their knees in mini-treats until 2012. So I'm often looking out for other things to hand out at Hallowee…
We have loved the beautiful keepsake jewelry of JULIAN & Co. since way back when they went by the name Little Jules . Since then, we have been consistently impressed with Tania Condon's vision and unique designs that interpret "mother's …
Forget the plastic--we've found a shiny little metal school bus that's ready to rock the five food groups-- and keep them separated, too. The Din Din Smart Stainless Steel Bus Platter is non-toxic, lead-free, and it's heavy-duty, too; we…
A good babysitter is hard to find. I've been way picky about who gets the, er, privilege of watching our active preschooler and toddler. This has kind of backfired--the only guaranteed babysitters we now have are grandparents. And, since…
Let's face it: If Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter had twins, they would look just like this, and Johnny Depp would give them a set of onesies like this at their Beetlejuice-themed baby shower . The Skeleton Love Kids organic shirt fr…
If you've seen our posts about our favorite subscription box gifts for moms ,, book subscription boxes for kids of all ages , and cool subscription gifts made for men and dads , you'll recognize that monthly subscriptions are all the rag…
As much as my 5 month old would love for me to hold him 24/7, it's just not humanly possible. For the times I need to put him down, I think there's nothing better than a well-designed bouncy chair to keep baby upright while giving him a …
If there's one thing I can't leave the house without, it's mascara. When you're a busy mom, it's a quick way to feel "done" without having to spend an hour in front of a mirror in the morning. And I recently discovered two new mascaras, …
I love family projects that are truly intended for the whole family. You know, instead the kind where on parent works (and gets frustrated), the other parent helps (and offers constructive advice), and the kids sit waiting impatiently. S…
