5 easy Fourth of July recipes to celebrate your independence from the kitchen
The best party recipes for occasions like the Fourth of July, are simple party recipes that allow you enjoy the celebration too. These festive treats are just that easy. You can even have little ones help with the prep work, while older kids can make some of these...
Fourth of July party printables and decor to make your cookout a standout
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 some...
And now, all the cute kids’ swimsuits go on sale
So of course as soon as we're stocked up on swimsuits for my girls for the summer, we start seeing the very same ones on sale. So if you're still looking for appropriate bikini swimsuits for little girls, we've got one more to add to our growing list, now at a great...
Summer sights from your child’s room, even with the blinds down.
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 her...
Cars Land at Disney’s California Adventure – yes, it’s all that
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 admit,...
Pixar’s Brave review – A princess movie without a handsome prince
It's kind of hard to believe that Disney produced the wonderful new "princess" movie Brave. After all, there's no handsome prince, no fantasy dance scene in a sweeping gown, and no dead mother. What there is is a strong (super strong) female lead, and a lot of big...
The Medik8 spa skincare system – two reviews, two kinds of skin, all kinds of wonderful
You know that feeling, that smell, those results (!!) of the skincare products from a really high-end spa? That's just what we were hoping for when we tried out the Medik8 skincare line. But we had a few questions--what kind of skin is it good for? Can we get the same...
Puzzles lovely enough to frame.
Puzzles are the new family time favorite of our preschooler who is outgrowing her wooden pegged farm animals for more complex designs. I am happy to indulge her, but I refuse to throw down any more money on unimaginative cartoon character puzzles. I think puzzles can...
Birthday gifts for 5-year-old girl? Reader Q&A
I need a birthday gift idea for my soon-to-be 5-year-old daughter. She has tons of Barbies, tons of clothes - she is a girly girl and loves all things to do with painting nails, wearing girly stuff. I feel like we have way too many toys and clothes. What else is new...
5 tech picks you won’t want to miss this week
Here are some of our favorite tech picks from the last week on Cool Mom Tech, just in case you missed them.1. This lovely linen bag is almost too pretty to be taking such good care of your laptop. Almost.2. Ever wonder how to make collages with your Instagram photos?...