We have 45 BRILLIANT last-minute holiday gift ideas you can ship, make, pick up, or IOU. (Hey, moms are busy!)

We've always made it our mission to encourage kids to keep the art of handwriting alive, and to help parents looking to do the same. So we've put together some really terrific handwriting practice printables for kids of all ages. Yes, even teens. (We can tear them...

The magic art of tidying twice a year: Spawned Episode 46

If you've already watched all the Rio Olympics replays and you need a little entertainment, here's our newest Spawned episode. On this episode on Spawned with Kristen and Liz, we tackle the topic of life with mess. How do you deal with your kids' messy rooms? What do...

Frogglez are the kids’ swim goggles you’ve been looking for forever

Leave it to my own cool mom to provide us with a most excellent Cool Grandmom Pick as we make the most of the final sweltering weeks of summer -- Frogglez Goggles. My kids refuse to go in the pool without goggles, and these are the first ones I've ever tried that they...

7 must-haves for breastfeeding moms | Baby Registry Essentials Guide

Next up in our Baby Registry Essentials Guide series, we're excited to share 7 of our own must-haves for breastfeeding moms. And hey, just in time for National Breastfeeding Month -- although of course, these are all fantastically useful gifts any month at all. We're...

5 cool no-tie sneakers for boys. Because, anything to make the mornings easier.

I am definitely a fan of no-tie sneakers. I mean, even though my 9-year old son knows how to lace up his sneakers perfectly fine, he much prefers being able to slip his shoes on in the morning right before he runs out the door. And I'm all for anything to make our...

7 tricks to help kids pack their own school lunches. As in, them, not you!

We're all for making those crazy school mornings as un-crazy as possible, which is why we're big fans of having our kids pack their own lunches the night before. Yes, even our little ones! It can be done, promise. Not only does having kids pack their own lunches give...

Cleary Bikes: Like having a mountain, road, and BMX bike, all in one

With four kids who can ride their bikes to school on pavement and sidewalks, but also love to do a little off-roading as well, it's been a little challenging trying to figure out what kind of bike to get them. Until I discovered Cleary Bikes, which are the perfect mix...

Cool, colorful school supplies to make September a little more fun | Back to School Guide 2016

So once you've gotten the hand sanitizer, the tissue boxes, and everything else on that classroom shopping list, it's time to have a little fun with some colorful school supplies! We always recommend getting a little goodie or two for the kids that gets them more...

Sonnet James: Stylish dresses made just for busy moms. Like us!

Hooo boy, is it easy to get in a style rut as a busy mom. I can speak to this from experience, even as someone who prides myself on staying fairly on trend. While getting out of jeans and into a dress is one way to feel more put together, as much as I love wearing...

Custom portraits of your kid with their imaginary friend. How cool is that?

We've seen tons of amazing portrait artists we've absolutely loved (and hired) over the years, but the collaboration between photographer Anna Angenend and illustrator Amy Snyder may just be my favorite yet. These artists create custom portraits of your child with...

Here’s how you can follow Cool Mom Picks, Cool Mom Tech, Cool Mom Eats. We promise we’ll make it worth your while.

Whichever social media site is your guilty pleasure du jour, we’re there, making sure you don’t miss our favorite posts on parenting, fashion, apps, recipes, deals and discounts, and random awesomeness from around the web. Plus our favorite part: we love hearing from...

19 random acts of kindness you can have fun doing with your kids

There have been a lot of hard things in the news this year, and I think we can all agree we need a little more happy in our lives. So when a friend told me that her kids found $5 and a note to buy some candy "on us" tucked into her movie rental (yes, some people still...

Real Kids Sunglasses: Blending style with UVA/UVB protection

I'm like a lot of parents, in that I know my kids should be wearing sun protection for their eyes, but I'm not inclined to drop a lot on kids' sunglasses. Then I started thinking, if I'm spending $15–20 on safe kids' sunscreen that gives you maybe a week's worth of...

We’re cheering for these free, female Olympian coloring pages: Let the games (and coloring) begin!

So I'm so happy to share that Julie Kerwin, founder of the female superhero action figure line, I Am Elemental, has put together some fun free printable female Olympians coloring pages. The set of 15 printables features incredible women athletes across all different...

Swaddle sacks that help you give the perfect gift: A better sleep.

After I discovered the magic of swaddling to help my babies sleep for longer than, oh, 15 minutes at a time, I was hooked. And in the way newborns spit up, poop, and find other creative ways to get their clothes and bedding messy again and again, you really can't have...

Boom Boom Seamless Brow: Why it’s our new makeup must-have

When it comes to makeup, I'm all about the brows. I've suggested many times that if you leave the house with no makeup at all, at least give your eyebrows a little attention and you'll look groomed. For years now, I've been all about Bobbi Brown brow shadow and a good...

13 easy Rio Olympics crafts, printables and snacks to celebrate Team USA

Update: Most of these Olympic crafts work just perfectly for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Yes, the one in 2021. I have to admit, it's been a little difficult to get as excited about the summer Olympics as usual with all the trouble surrounding it this year, even...

5 tips for throwing an awesome kid’s birthday party on a budget of under $50. Yes, it’s possible.

We love a good birthday party around here. In fact, we've loved sharing our ideas for Minecraft, Star Wars, Minion, Finding Dory, and even storybook birthday parties for your kids. But some of the ideas we've seen on Pinterest (or our friends' Facebook feeds) have us...

A safer trampoline, because fewer trips to the ER is a good thing.

Our neighbors have a trampoline in their backyard, and I'm pretty sure it's been there for the last 30 years. It has no net. No cover for the springs. It's kind of a parent's worst nightmare, but the kids beg to get on it every day. And who can blame them? Trampolines...

34 of the coolest lunch boxes and bags | Back to School Guide 2016

While we admit we don't always love packing lunches every morning, we do love picking out cool new lunch boxes for our kids each year in time for back to school. And so, our Cool Mom Picks 2016 Back to School Guide continues with tons of our favorite finds this year!...

A Harry Potter crafts book that renews your faith in magic and hot glue guns