More coolness from recent weeks…
5 great tips for eating healthy on the road with kids
With summer officially here and schools pretty much out almost everywhere, many families (like ours) are getting ready for summer travel and trying to figure out how to eat healthy on the road. With a fair share of road and plane trips under our belts (yes, we've...
Summer camp care package ideas so cool, the kids might even miss you. Maybe. | Updated for 2019
If your kids are headed to camp this summer, sending them a cool summer camp care package will make their day. Or week. Even if they didn't even look back to wave when you dropped them off. We've got a whole bunch of fun ideas for care package goodies that, according...
Teaching kids bathroom manners through art
When I was growing up, my grandmother had a lovely little poster on her bathroom wall reminding us of all kinds of old fashioned bathroom manners. My favorite was the reminder not to "keep the bath an hour or more when other folks are wanting one" because, well, I...
Cool umbrella stands: From modern to traditional, glam to just doing my job, ma’am.
I remember getting that last big piece of furniture for my house--years after moving in, of course--and thinking, "Finally, this is it!" It took no time to realize that a house truly comes together in the small, pretty details--at least the ones that the kids don't...
9 cool, free summer coloring pages. Because…it’s summer!
Happy summer solstice everyone. Whether you're celebrating or just enjoying having your kids wake up at 5:15 AM with the sun, we thought we'd share a few cool free summer coloring pages we've seen around the web, just to get the kids into the spirit. There are nine...
Pretty leather summer totes, now made in the U.S.A.
It's no secret that I've got an obsession with bags, so when I saw these leather summer totes from CMP fave Ellington (so pretty!) the only question in my mind was which color to get. I really love that Ellington took their popular classic totes and went back...
12 favorite sloth picks to kick off Sloth Week. Yes, that’s a thing now.
They aren't as sly as a fox, as wise as an owl, or as puffy as a hedgehog, but the unassuming sloth is poised to be the next big thing for kids, as Liz and I noticed as we toured Toy Fair earlier this year. These slow-moving, surprisingly adorable creatures even have...
It’s World Cup time, and this new soccer book for kids is a winner.
Everyone's eyes are on World Cup soccer for the next month, and The Soccer Fence by Phil Bildner, a thought-provoking and hope-filled soccer book for kids set in the waning days of South African Apartheid, is perfect for reading breaks between games. The book tells...
Sponsored Post: Generation Grit retro-inspired action figures that come from history, not cartoons
This is a sponsored message from Generation Grit Mom of four, Laura Hale, was looking for action figures for her sons that would offer some of the wholesome, creative play accompanied by thoughtful storybooks that so many girls had already discovered with their own...
Pucker up, natural remedy fans: Urban Moonshine is bringing back digestive bitters.
Owners of a grumbly tummy or troublesome digestion, I have good news. There's a new old-fashioned weapon in your arsenal, and it's all-natural and even helps me be more aware of what I'm eating. Whether you fight bloating, crave sugar, or just ate too darn much,...
5 truly phenomenal milkshake recipes that will bring all the kids (and grownups) to the yard.
Popsicles and icies are good, but when you want something great you need to grab some ice cream, milk, and your favorite mix-ins to make a killer milkshake. This summer, if you want to make a frozen treat that will bring all the kids (and grownups!) to the yard, try...
Leather wrap bracelets with a big heart to help little hearts
I've been deeply committed to supporting FashionABLE since visiting them in Ethiopia on a humanitarian trip with ONE nearly two years ago. These guys get it right, producing gorgeous handmade scarves and accessories that are not only incredibly wearable, but they get...
Welcome baby! Cool summer birth announcements for the hottest months.
New parents, we know you couldn't be more proud. You've waited months--years, maybe--for your new baby to be here and you are so ready to share him or her (or him and her) with the world. We get it. So, in honor of the sunniest months, we've scoured our favorite...
3 cool new albums for kids, just in time for summer road trips.
Between road trips, hot days spent in front of the AC, and impromptu neighborhood BBQs, summer means lots of time together to enjoy great new family and kids' music. And we've discovered new albums from They Might Be Giants' Danny Weinkauf, The Walkmen's Walter...
Sandals for girls with wide feet? Reader Q+A
My 7 year old daughter has wide feet and we desperately need sandals! Do you have any recommendations for something cute and stylish for girls but not so narrow? Thanks! - Martha G Hi Martha, I have the opposite issue--girls with slightly narrow feet--but from...
Genius summer beauty tip: Waterproof eyeliner
Of course I'm already to the joys of waterproof mascara in the summer, as we all are by now no doubt. But when the kind woman at the Laura Mercier counter pointed me toward their waterproof eyeliner I was like...wha-ah? For some reason, I had no idea such a thing...
The Munchkin LATCH bottle may be the closest to breastfeeding yet
When my first baby was just a few weeks old, I injured my back which meant medicine for me and bottles for my baby. I was a basketcase, and he was totally confused because he was used to nursing. Of course there are all kinds of reasons that new moms bottle feed, and...
Squash summer boredom with Kiwi Crate’s summer craft kits
CMP favorite Kiwi Crate has been keeping kids I know engaged in fun, educational, and creative projects for the past few years since they launched., and now they offer a trio of crates specifically for summer, to help banish the dreaded "b" word that is bound to be...
Beat the humidity with 6 of the best anti-frizz hair products. Because it’s so not the heat.
In an effort to tame my locks sans chemicals, I rounded up the best anti-frizz hair products for the summer for you all. Because I know that I'm not alone here! At the first sign of humidity in the air, my thick and wavy hair goes crazy. Forget blow drying-- the...
Looking for a great bed rail with night light built right in? We’ve found a great one.
My kids are rollers. I can't count how many times I've gone to check on them while they sleep, only to find them on the floor. I've considered getting a bed rail but they think they're so babyish. And when you're a big four-year-old, is there a worse fate? But then I...
31 quotes that may change your view of fatherhood from real moms and daughters: What the women in your life really think of you
As part of our big Father's Day gift guide giveaway over the past few weeks, we asked some simple questions of our readers for a chance to enter. We expected lots of different responses. What we didn't expect though, is how emotional we all have been reading all of...