More coolness from recent weeks…
Celebrate good times. Like, uh, the first day of school.
With my kids rapidly becoming tired of our regular summer activities, I can't be more excited for the start of school. Or at least, that's the story I'm going with. So to celebrate your kiddo's first day back (you know, other than the sound of your screeching tires as...
Dan Zanes rides the XM waves to your radio
Family-friendly Grammy-nominated musician extraordinaire Dan Zanes apparently had a secret desire to be a disc jockey. Which is a coincidence, because I had a secret desire to hear awesome radio music that wasn't pure dreck (mainstream kid music) or me fake-sneezing...
Stitch by Stitch – Proving that everyone can indeed sew
I've often joked that I'm devoid of the crafty gene, but that's not completely true. I actually do enjoy crafting; it's just that I don't often have the time or the individual instruction I need to get me over those challenging humps. Well, thanks to Atlanta-based mom...
Baby Loves Disco, now with extra added boogie
Why did the handkerchief dance? Because you put a little boogie in it. (Heh). And why does my kid dance? Because she's a ballerina/ninja/cheerleader/doctor/dinosaur-tamer. And that is why Baby Loves Disco keeps on rockin' with some super cool news for families all...
Easy, comfy, Euro-cool
I spent a lot of time in airports last month, and one thing became as clear as an airplane-sized glass of Sprite: Europeans are just uniquely cool. I think they must be born with it. The scarves, the sunglasses, the bags -- and definitely the shoes. [don't miss a...
Kids’ tees with teeth. Fierce.
After she watches Lion King, my kid spends most of the day running around in her pink underoos and roaring. She's being Simba, of course. But it's not really a costume she can wear out in public when she's feeling fierce. These t-shirts by Kit and Lili, on the other...
Sale alert – Eco-friendly deals that will knock your organic socks off
I'm never far from a good sale, but a great one - well, I just can't pull myself away. And thus is the case with the awesome moving sale at natural boutique UrthChild. You can score great deals on all sorts of fantastic eco-friendly brands, like this adorable Kate...
Need a travel crib? Just pump it up.
Words I never thought I'd hear come out of my husband's mouth as he strolled by our living room: Whoa, that's some cool-looking pack-and-play.While I've never thought of a portable crib as particularly cool, I do admit this is one that would stop me in my tracks too....
Art appreciation for the preverbal set
Every few months (okay, every year or so) I take my son into New York City and hit one of the many art museums. After all, who doesn't want their child to have an appreciation of art? Evidently I'm not alone. New Editions believes you shouldn't have to look any...
Good news! You don’t have to alphabetize your spices anymore!
If there was such a thing as Martha Anonymous, TV Host Lisa Quinn's introduction would go something like this, Hi, My name's Lisa and it's been 5 years since my last cranberry wreath." Sick of trying to live up to the standards of being the perfect wife, mother, and...
Group gift for kids ages 2-11? Reader Q&A
My nieces and nephews from Israel are on their way visit grandparents. My 2 year old son will probably not have a chance to visit but would like to send something to them while they are here. Any ideas for a gift to help entertain the 2 to 11 year-olds? Thanks...
There are no small parts, only small children who are super cute playing Cinderella.
One of the most all-time hilarious family moments of ours was the time my mom (the awesome elementary educator) got my kids (the hams) into handmade masks and acted out Little Rabbit Foo Foo for the whole brood. Let's just say a kid's crayon interpretation of a "goon"...
May the Force be with you, and don’t forget your homework
As your little Padawan goes back to school, you've got a long list of supplies: Lightsaber, translator droid, nerf sandwich, and a schoolbus that can make the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs. Oh, I'm sorry, did you just figure out that I'm the resident CMP Star...
Randy Kaplan is the thinking kids’ musician
Super storyteller/singer Randy Kaplan is no ordinary kids' music performer. Oh, sure, he may sing about monkeys, bears and queen bees, but on his latest CD he also has my kids asking me to explain Freud, the definition of Hebrew terms, and even why someone might be...
Clearance sales abound! Avast ye bargain shoppers!
It's probably pretty clear that my favorite time for shopping is anytime, but I do so love the end of season sales - and what a doozy we found over at Parasols Kids Boutique. If you act fast, you can grab designer duds for your kids ranging in price from $5 to $25,...
Stop me! Before I buy another pair of kids mary janes!
If there were ever a Fall/Winter collection I've been waiting for, it's the one from one of my favorite kid's shoe designers, See Kai Run. And while my kids will probably be in sandals for a few more months down here in the Deep South, that doesn't mean I can't be...
As close to being Harry Potter we’ll ever get
My children would give just about anything to apparate inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort. The early reviews (and word from CMP Editor Liz who worked with Universal early on in the development) make it look so cool, it almost makes...
Technology is getting smaller; your chance of winning some, kind of big.
In case you missed it, you've still got until tomorrow, Sunday, to enter to win the super fabulous new HP Mini 210 netbook and the utterly adorable HP V5040u Camcorder.No, seriously. You can win both of them. Would we kid? (Well, maybe. But not about this.)For all the...
Safe and yummy treats, now homemade
We first raved about Divvies Bakery almost four years ago, when we discovered that nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free didn't have to mean yummy-free. There's nothing not to love about vegan, kosher, most-common-allergen-free bakery treats that actually taste the way...
Let’s get a million books to the kids who need them most
I've read to my kids since they were wee little things and have never felt like they were lacking in books. Especially since birthdays, holidays and frequent trips to the book store insure they always have new titles to enjoy. But, then again, I've never had to...
Trading Cradles – It’s like Twitter and Craigslist had a really well-behaved baby
Honestly, the number of hoops you have to jump through to sell on eBay these days is crazy (who has the patience?), and I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels like Craigslist is overrun with scammers, cheapskates and crazy people.So what's a mama with limited time...