More coolness from recent weeks…
What’s it really like to be a solo parent (and what other parents can learn from them)
If you've ever wondered what it was like to be a solo parent (or a single married parent, as they're sometimes called), you're in luck! Both Kristen and our special guest co-host Courtney Greisman have been there, and share their honest experiences about...
Where to find 20 of the best romantic movies streaming for Valentine’s Day
We get it: Valentine's Day with kids means you may not be headed out to some big concert, to the opera, to Paris (hey, we can dream, right?) or even to a local joint for dinner. So if your plan, by preference or by necessity, is to spend Valentine's night in bed with...
Modern DIY baby blanket kits for moms who love to get crafty
Thanks to my mom, who put me in sewing camp when I was a kid (for real), I know a little bit about patterns, pleats and patchwork. While sewing doesn't evoke some kind of longing for the carefree days of my youth, I do get pretty sentimental over making something...
Because Of Them, We Can: Where kids honor our Black History heroes, charmingly
To be honest, Black History Month is year round for me. As a black woman, especially one living in the U.S., I'm reminded of and inspired by the endless contributions of black people to the collective betterment of this nation on a daily basis. And now, as a mother...
120+ easy Valentine’s Day recipes, drinks and last-minute DIY treats you’re going to love
Need some last-minute help planning a deliciously sweet Valentine's Day menu? We've put together all our favorite easy Valentine's Day recipes that we've been sharing on Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Eats -- from breakfast to dessert -- in one place. This way, you can...
Bitter mugs: For those who think February 15 can’t come fast enough
At least speaking for Kristen and myself, we certainly been through every stage of Valentine's Day at various times in our life -- denial, anger, depression, acceptance. If you fall into any of the first three categories, we feel you. So for those of you Valentine's...
Last-minute Valentine’s gifts you can still get for your sweetheart: Because we think thoughts count, whenever you come up with them.
So we've officially hit last-minute Valentine's gift territory, which is something I know well. Whether you've been busy, stuck for ideas, watching a little too much Netflix, tight on budget, or, like me, spending all your time coming up with Valentine's gift...
We heart this free printable Valentine’s Day gift wrap!
Once you've found a special gift for your Valentine -- perhaps from our Valentine's Day Gift Guide? -- you'll probably want to wrap it in something other than leftover holiday gift wrap. Got nothing at home but yesterday's newspaper and arts-and-crafts scraps? You're...
Treehouse Kid & Craft: A cool indie toy shop that makes you want to buy everything.
If you're the type willing to seek out creative, responsibly made, well-designed gifts for your kids -- or for one of the endless stream of birthday parties they get invited to -- then you have to check out Treehouse Kid & Craft. We just discovered this little gem...
Happy Year of the Monkey, baby. You’re intelligent, creative, and darnit, people like you!
Today starts the Lunar New Year, and lots of little Year of the Monkey babies are soon to be born. If not already. I've always loved Tree by Kerri Lee's beautiful wooden birth year blocks, which a make sweet gift for a special little someone. Handcrafted by artist...
30 super cool printable Valentine’s Day cards for the classroom, all free or close to it.
Each year, we search high and low for the best printable Valentine's Day cards for the classroom, to make is so much easier for kids (or, ahem, their parents) to get all those heartfelt wishes ready for friends, families and classmates. By now, our readers know that...
4 Valentine’s Day books for kids that you’re going to love too
It's no secret that a good book is one of our favorite ways to celebrate holidays and important milestones of pretty much any kind, and Valentine's Day is no exception. So, we've collected a few of our favorite Valentine's Day books for kids this year so you can share...
Rainbow housewares to brighten up winter. Or any season.
January is tough on my but by February I tend to hit the doldrums. Yes, it's actually light until (nearly) 5:20 so that's in the plus column, but I start to feel like everything around me is gray, including the remaining snow piles on the sidewalks in New York. So I...
200+ Super Bowl recipes, drinks, and last-minute party-planning help. We’re here for you.
If you're looking for Super Bowl recipes for your game day party, from big hearty food to fun appetizers and even cocktails and mocktails should you need a break from beer, we've got you covered. Here are some of our favorite past posts, roundups, and recipe...
12 romantic Valentine’s gifts for him under $50 | Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas 2016
We love the idea of romantic valentine's gifts for him that don't break the bank, which is why we scoured the web for some of the coolest ideas for the lucky man in your life that all happen to be under $50. Of course, we won't discourage a bigger, more expensive...
Sponsored Message: The Upromise MasterCard helps you save money for college when you shop
This is a sponsored message from Upromise by Sallie Mae Saving money for college just got a whole lot easier thanks to the Upromise MasterCard, which can help you earn up to 10% cash back just by shopping the way you already do. With 5% back when you shop...
17 wonderful DIY Valentine’s Day gifts that the kids can make | Valentine’s Day Gifts 2016
I love looking for crafty DIY Valentine's Day gifts that my kids can make, and I hope you like when I look for them for you. Because my criteria, I think, are fairly straightforward, and ones I bet a lot of you can relate to as well: 1) Do I own any of that stuff? 2)...
New and cool: Personalized Moleskines. Notebooks, journals, you name it. (Get it?)
I never leave home without my Moleskine notebook, as I've recently shared -- or really, I should say "notebooks" considering how many I have for lists, ideas, and... more lists. Now I'm so excited that you can finally order personalized Moleskine notebooks online,...
21 cool Valentine’s Day gift ideas for kids of all ages | Valentine’s Gift Guide 2016
We always have the best time looking for cool Valentine's Day gift ideas for our kids, whether they're toddlers, tweens or teens. Hey, it's not like they're expecting spendy chocolate truffles or diamond jewelry! Of course not every family exchanges Valentine's gifts...
Kids say the darndest things…and then you frame them.
When I first got wind of the Kickstarter for Peanut Gallery Comics, how could I not smile? The idea is so simple and smart -- commissioning one of four illustrators to create an original comic strip or frame of some funny, quirky, wonderful thing your kid said that...
11 of the cutest Valentine’s Day gift ideas for babies and toddlers | Valentine’s Gift Guide 2016
It's February, yay! And that means it's time for our annual series filled with Valentines gift ideas of all kinds. Starting with those littlest loves in your life. So take a peek at all the cute Valentine's Day gift ideas for babies and toddlers we're excited to have...