Stretch your budget with these 24 legit ways to make extra money each month

Making new friends as adults is hard enough as it is, but it can be especially challenging when you have kids. And it's not just making new friends, but also maintaining those old ones too. I know first-hand that when you've already gone all those life changes that...

8 great cars for big families that fit 3 car seats safely in the second row

I still remember car shopping when I was pregnant with my third child, trying to figure out which cars for big families would be right for me. As in, I didn't want a minivan, and I wanted my car to safely fit three car seats, for my three kids under four. To be...

9 modern kids’ desks for small spaces, that don’t feel like kids’ desks at all.

For those of us in smaller homes, finding our kids a great desk can be a challenge. With my two girls sharing a small room, it's not like I can just grab one of those giant kids' desks you see in the catalogs and call it a day. In fact, their shared desk isn't even in...

Meet Marco. He’s here to help keep your kids in the bath.

You always need a few toys to keep kids entertained in the bath, of course. Cups and boats have always always been a hit with mine, but I just had to share the adorable new Marco light-up bath toy from Boon from Boon for something a little more special or even a fun...

TIA Girl Club for Tweens: A monthly subscription of role models

While I can't pick my daughters' friends for them, I do try to help my girls grow up with smart, healthy, and interesting women as role models. You know, not the ones whose biggest life advice has to do with how to take a great selfie. So, I'm really interested in the...

7 favorite beauty product splurges that are absolutely worthwhile.

Okay so let's start with a disclaimer: When I describe beauty products I can't live without, I'm being a bit hyperbolic. Do they fall under food? No. Clothing? No. Shelter? No, unless we're talking sunscreen should I ever be stranded on a tropical island. So of course...

Stand up straight! 5 simple ways to improve your posture

I'm not sure whether it's because I'm tall or because I sit hunched over a computer all day long, but I have terrible posture. This isn't necessarily a new discovery, but what is new to me is how much bad posture can actually affect your stress levels -- something I...

The Volume Mascara by Kevyn Aucoin: You’ll never buy another mascara ever again.

I discovered The Volume Mascara by Kevyn Aucoin last year when Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere raved about it, and after using it for this long (hey, it takes me awhile!), I feel comfortable saying that it is by far the best mascara I have ever owned. If you're...

The 2016 Coretta Scott King book award winners: Great reads for MLK Day and beyond

I don't want to let holidays like Martin Luther King Jr. Day slip by with my kids thinking it's just an extra day off of school. So if you're like me and are looking for some ways to honor the spirit of MLK while you're home today, we highly recommend you check out...

Great family craft project for MLK Day: Come together to create this Martin Luther King Jr. mural

Over the years, we have shared our favorite books, videos and websites that help our kids learn about the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. And now, along with learning about his life, we can add an interesting art project that our kids can do with their friends or in...

Our favorite cool tech picks this week

by Cool Mom Team

Here are 5 of our favorite tech picks this week from Cool Mom Tech. Look what you might have missed! 1. Our Editor Kristen cut the cable cord and shares what she discovered when she did (Hint: so much money saved) 2. The coolest wearable fitness trackers from...

Putting your heart where your head is

Just in time for Valentine's Day, cold weather, and rebellion streaks, I spotted this adorable girls mohawk snowboard hat on Etsy, beautifully handmade at the Washington State shop, Tory Makes. It can be sized for punk rock babies through preschoolers, teens and even...

15 of the coolest indoor playhouses for kids, from DIY to a few splurges

As someone living in Massachusetts, I've always gotten the appeal of having a great playhouse for kids. For many of us, our kids' primary playtime through the winter will take place indoors where it isn't 20 degrees and icy. So if you're looking for ways to make your...

Decluttering tips from 5 top organization experts: Which is best for you? | Spawned Episode 29

I fully admit that home organization is the bane of my existence. If you're a hard-core reader of this site or a listener of the Spawned podcast then you know that while Kristen is an avid purger, I'm what I like to think of, fondly, as a Nostalgic Hoarder. It's like...

Friendships and middle school collide in Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

The other night my ten-year-old son was looking for something to read at bedtime. I handed him my review copy of Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, not sure what to expect. When I checked on him an hour later, he was just a few pages away from the end of this 250-page...

Photo Valentine’s Cards: The brilliant solution to not having sent holiday cards

I learned soon after becoming a mom that there are just some years I will not get my you-know-what in order in time, to be able to send out holiday cards. New Year's cards are a terrific alternative as we've suggested before, but look, holidays can be a busy time....

Would you be mine? Could you be mine?

It'll be a beautiful day in the neighborhood for someone who gets a set of these awesome Mister Rogers sticky notes I just found. Featuring the iconic images of Mister Rogers and his comfy cardigan, as well as Lady Elaine Fairchild, X the Owl, King Friday XIII, and...

David Bowie, cassette deck memories, and me. | Thinking : Parent

We've had conversations around here from time to time about musical artists, and the few of them who are able endure over time, even managing to evolve and experiment and remain relevant for four or more decades. David Bowie is easily on that list for us and we were...

7 creative, stylish ways to help you eliminate desk clutter once and for all

by Cool Mom Team

If you spend as much time at your desk as each of us do, then you probably understand the challenge of keeping it organized. In fact, you might have incorporated that into one of your New Year's resolutions. (Again?) We so get it. The struggle is real. That's why...

19 cool Rey Star Wars toys and gifts: She might not be in Monopoly, but she sure is here. | Spawned episode 28

We've been super frustrated with the lack of Star Wars toys for kids featuring Rey. Not just because she's a woman, and all of our kids -- male and female -- love her, but uh...she's the hero. How the heck do you make a Star Wars Monopoly set or a Star Wars 6-piece...

The ultimate list of the best kids’ books of 2015: All the annual best-of lists and award winners all in one place.