5 energy-boosting drink recipes, all coffee alternatives
I'd completely forgotten how much energy--and energy-boosting drinks--it takes to keep our school year routine running smoothly. Summer wiped away the evidence of our hectic September-May life, but, just like having a newborn again, back-to-school reality hit hard and...
Getting stylish to help support Baby Buggy
Even if you're nowhere near New York's Fashion Week, let alone teetering in a pair of too-high stilettos over New York's cobblestones this week (always good for a few giggles), you can help support one of my favorite organizations, Baby Buggy, the same way the...
Custom embroidery on just about any kids’ gifts you can imagine
We all know that personalized items make a baby's or kid's gift ten times more special. While many of the big catalog stores offer custom embroidery, they'll usually only personalize their own brand's items--which is kind of limiting. So I'm so happy to find a shop...
Gorgeous quilts that look great beyond the nursery
One of my most favorite items is a quilt made by my great-grandmother, handed down to me by my grandmother. There is something so special and meaningful about a handmade quilt, although quilting for most people seems like a talent reserved for other people. I feel...
Reach for the stars: galactic growth charts track rocketing kiddos
When I was a kid, instead of a growth chart, my parents measured us old-school style on the doorframe between the kitchen and the dining room. Quaint they were, but old-school doorway measurements had their drawbacks. Before my folks eventually painted over our...
Remembering 9/11 with charities and causes that make a difference
For many of us, this is a sobering and painful day, one that we will always remember. Whether we lived through the darkness in NYC and DC 11 years ago, or we watched the terrible events unfold from our homes and offices far away, 9/11 will never be far from our...
Good Food on a Tight Budget, EWG’s new shopping guide
The Cool Moms (me especially) always check EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database before reviewing a product to make sure the ingredients meet a persnickety mom's health and safety needs. Now we're excited to announce that EWG is going further than Skin Deep--straight...
Our favorite fall baby clothes from Zutano
Don't miss an exclusive discount just for Cool Mom Picks readers, below!We can't help but get nostalgic seeing the wonderful new fall baby fashions for Zutano, since all of our older kids, now too big too fit them, wore so many of their amazing designs which were then...
The Sh*tty Mom book: you don’t even have to be sh*tty to love it
I admit, I'm a little over the "Yay, let's celebrate moms who suck!" thing that seems to have grown in popularity over the last few years. However, the hilarious new book Sh*tty Mom: The Parenting Guide for the Rest of Us may be one of the very excellent exceptions....
The biggest sale ever at one of our favorite shops ever
One of the awesome things about this job is getting to discover so many wonderful small businesses run by the most amazing people. One of the hard parts: hearing that they're closing shop to move onto new ventures. This is the case with one of our longtime favorite...