This is National Volunteer Week , a time to think about all those ways you can use your spare time to help others through good deeds and hard work--unless you are like me, and that first sentence makes you spit out apologies about not ha…
Living in a big city has tons of benefits, but ample living space is not one of them. Which is why bunk beds are the urban dweller's most functional answer to shared bedrooms. It will certainly be the answer for my sons' room when the ti…
If you could see the ground-in crayon and magic marker stains all over the back seats of our minivan, you'd understand why I'm so fond of a cool portable drawing tablet that uses nothing more than water, and generates no mess at all. As …
We were so honored to be this week's guest curators at Supermarket , one of our favorite online resources for anything and everything in great design. Click over for 10 items that we're drooling over all from indie designers--from pretty…
It only took one episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution to suck me in for the entire season, and it wasn't just his cute face and adorable accent. The chef-crusader's passion for making real changes in the eating habits of our kids is…
With a new couch on the way (yippee!) I'm preparing to say goodbye to the saggy, dog-scented, claw-worn monstrosity. It's easy. Trust me. One of the fun things: Shopping for new throw pillows. I'm thinking with a red TV and entertainment…
Ever since my daughter declared Easter was her favorite holiday, I've paid a little extra attention to the gifts I put in her Easter basket . After all, I'm sure the Easter Bunny thinks she's pretty great. While Easter is still a few wee…
I've often said to new mom friends that if I had to do it over, I'd have spent less on the crib. Not that I didn't adore our crib for the four years that we used it; but there has to be a better way than shelling out a fortune, even for …
I just got wind of an adorable new shop featuring anything and everything animal-themed for kids. Well, not everything animal. This is just the cute stuff. In other words, no magenta and gold metallic toddler cheetah leggings As Seen on …
I'm in a period of mega-emotion when it comes to the idea that my almost 4-year-old and about-to-be-1-year-old are past the wee little onesies. Every weekend, I sit down with a pile of old clothes from the garage--which is rapidly turnin…
Some girls like hair accessories, others like tutus. Mine? Are obsessed with underwear. OH THE DRAMA we have each morning over which pair to wear. If your kids, like mine, go gaga over character underwear, but you'd rather keep the TV ch…
Just in time for Earth Day on April 22, a new book weaves together all the intricate threads --biology, climate, culture, economics, evolution, food, history, and politic -- that combined, makes up the rich tapestry of our world. And it …
A year ago, I never would have thought I'd be excited about weekly meal planning. I was far too cool and spontaneous to be one of those people who actually planned what dinner we would be eating a day in advance. Please. What a silly mam…
Ever since I can remember, my family has used cloth instead of paper , to wrap gifts. My mom was ahead of her time, I tell you, because now it's all the rage. And for good reason, really. Or should I say good reasons? Cloth is beautiful.…
A few years ago I got really ambitious and made birthday crowns for my two children. Flash forward a bit and I've now got a third child and still only two birthday crowns. Any guesses where this is going? Yeah. I'm kind of thinking these…
I like to think I'm something of a hand lotion connoisseur. With the constant post-diaper hand washing, I'm glopping on the stuff at an alarming rate. I've tried pretty much every brand on the market and have always walked away wringing …
If there's someone who knows about beauty products for moms, it's Amy Keller Laird. As the beauty director of beauty and style bible Allure, she gets her hands on practically every product on the market (I know! We're jealous too!) and h…
It's a given in most of my kids' story books: Other than the demise of a wicked witch or two, the main characters are going to live until the end of the story. But, I just discovered a timeless, beautiful tale about life--and, yes, its e…
When we bought our first crib, we listened to everyone who told us to make sure to get one that converts to a toddler bed. But then we had another kid who needed that crib, so we still ended up getting a toddler bed anyway. Truth be told…
This morning, our editor-in-chief Liz Gumbinner sat down with The Early Show on CBS to talk about the new Babycenter study on moms and mobile phones. If you want to catch the segment--and some of her recommendations for popular apps for …
We've so enjoyed being a part of the More Birthdays campaign on behalf of our amazing sponsor, the American Cancer Society. Over the past few months, we've shared some of the ways you can send a personalized celebrity birthday wish to an…
Don't tell the Easter Bunny, but there's a new rabbit in town. Actually, a few new rabbits. Mirabelle is a dancer and Balthazar is a magician and I think they probably have French accents. Don't they look like they would be great guests …
I am used to seeing my kids pushing buttons, laughing delightedly as they zoom around another wii game, or play with their father's tablet. But, let me tell you, I wasn't prepared to see them having the same reaction to a simple three-co…
For my entire life, dairy and I have had a love/hate relationship. Currently we're in hate mode. Well, at least my stomach is. And the same goes for a couple of my kids. But I'm also a bit of a sweets addict, which makes binges a little …
