More coolness from recent weeks…
Dress-up clothes? Reader Q + A
My daughter is turning three soon, and I want to put together a dress up box for her. Any ideas for a great Etsy costume shop? She wants an astronaut costume but I need it to be something she can get on and off herself. Any other ideas? -Alison Hi Alison, We love your...
The kinder, gentler (and recyclable!) robot toy
My son, like so many kids, has a thing for robots, but the first few realistic robot toys he received were greeted with suspicion and trepidation: Why are those eyes blinking? and---ack!---will it talk at night when I'm in bed?!? So, both he and I were so pleased to...
Baby shower invitations get even cooler.
Unless I've got a friend who isn't telling me something, I have no need for baby shower invitations any time soon. I'm not hosting one--that I know of. But when the time comes, I'm so excited to use one of the new baby shower invitations from Tiny Prints. They've...
A baby rattle keepsake in shining…wood
When you think of a baby rattle as a keepsake gift, silver is probably the first material that pops to mind. But I've just found a wooden one that's so gorgeous, it's giving silver a run for its money. The Timbur Baby Rattle combines traditional woodworking skills...
House cleaning – now fierce.
I'd have to say that cleaning the kitchen has always been one of my least fashionable moments. I'm usually in an old t-shirt, with a scowl on my face and schvitz on my brow. But a new designer sponge (that's right, designer sponge!) may actually make the whole...
The single coolest Haggadah for kids, ever
Of all the Jewish holidays, I'd imagine Passover is the one many kids love best. If you're my kids, then it's like having crackers and grape juice for dinner. Dream holiday! I always love finding fun ways to get them involved, and have recently found a Haggadah made...
New bunk beds from Oeuf take room-sharing to stylish new heights
Living in a big city has tons of benefits, but ample living space is not one of them. Which is why bunk beds are the urban dweller's most functional answer to shared bedrooms. It will certainly be the answer for my sons' room when the time comes. Sure, there are many...
Quick, easy ways to volunteer while the kids are young
This is National Volunteer Week, a time to think about all those ways you can use your spare time to help others through good deeds and hard work--unless you are like me, and that first sentence makes you spit out apologies about not having any time or money to do...
For the perfect travel toy for kids, just add water.
If you could see the ground-in crayon and magic marker stains all over the back seats of our minivan, you'd understand why I'm so fond of a cool portable drawing tablet that uses nothing more than water, and generates no mess at all. As with so many of the toys we...
10 beautiful things at Supermarket that we’re coveting hard
We were so honored to be this week's guest curators at Supermarket, one of our favorite online resources for anything and everything in great design. Click over for 10 items that we're drooling over all from indie designers--from pretty jewelry for you, to baby gifts,...
Easter basket gifts without the Easter basket sugar
Ever since my daughter declared Easter was her favorite holiday, I've paid a little extra attention to the gifts I put in her Easter basket. After all, I'm sure the Easter Bunny thinks she's pretty great. While Easter is still a few weeks away, I've pulled together...
Handmade pillows to make you smile.
With a new couch on the way (yippee!) I'm preparing to say goodbye to the saggy, dog-scented, claw-worn monstrosity. It's easy. Trust me. One of the fun things: Shopping for new throw pillows. I'm thinking with a red TV and entertainment console and the charcoal...
Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution returns – Set your DVR!
It only took one episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution to suck me in for the entire season, and it wasn't just his cute face and adorable accent. The chef-crusader's passion for making real changes in the eating habits of our kids is compelling. And this season,...
ReCrib – Discount baby gear from brands that simply don’t discount
I've often said to new mom friends that if I had to do it over, I'd have spent less on the crib. Not that I didn't adore our crib for the four years that we used it; but there has to be a better way than shelling out a fortune, even for those of us who have high-end...
Turn kiddo castoffs into gorgeous keepsake art
I'm in a period of mega-emotion when it comes to the idea that my almost 4-year-old and about-to-be-1-year-old are past the wee little onesies. Every weekend, I sit down with a pile of old clothes from the garage--which is rapidly turning into a baby clothing...
You’re no bunny til some bunny loves you
I just got wind of an adorable new shop featuring anything and everything animal-themed for kids. Well, not everything animal. This is just the cute stuff. In other words, no magenta and gold metallic toddler cheetah leggings As Seen on the Real Housewives! Promise....
I’m a real fan of the meal plan
A year ago, I never would have thought I'd be excited about weekly meal planning. I was far too cool and spontaneous to be one of those people who actually planned what dinner we would be eating a day in advance. Please. What a silly mama I was! A year of...
Let puppies take over your kids’ underwear
Some girls like hair accessories, others like tutus. Mine? Are obsessed with underwear. OH THE DRAMA we have each morning over which pair to wear. If your kids, like mine, go gaga over character underwear, but you'd rather keep the TV characters away from one part of...
A world without fish? Say it isn’t so.
Just in time for Earth Day on April 22, a new book weaves together all the intricate threads --biology, climate, culture, economics, evolution, food, history, and politic -- that combined, makes up the rich tapestry of our world. And it does so gorgeously. With...
Easy lies the head that wears a birthday crown
A few years ago I got really ambitious and made birthday crowns for my two children. Flash forward a bit and I've now got a third child and still only two birthday crowns. Any guesses where this is going? Yeah. I'm kind of thinking these pretty, personalized felt...
The best best best hand lotion
I like to think I'm something of a hand lotion connoisseur. With the constant post-diaper hand washing, I'm glopping on the stuff at an alarming rate. I've tried pretty much every brand on the market and have always walked away wringing my (dry) hands in frustration....