More coolness from recent weeks…

Prettying up the nursery in unexpected ways

Prettying up the nursery in unexpected ways

If you're anything like me, you spent all this time picking out the nursery colors, obsessing over the crib sheets, and then completely forgetting to beautiful the very thing you look at 40 times a day--the diaper storage. I never really liked those hanging diaper...

Weleda, take me away!

Weleda, take me away!

As the resident beauty product maven around here, I've always wondered why so many bath and beauty products include calendula. I mean, how powerful can a pretty little yellow flower be? I also wonder how they get the oil out of a rosehip, how they keep lotion from...

The British lunch bag invasion

The British lunch bag invasion

I can't believe I'm already looking at back to school items for my kids, but that I am. So I checked in to see if last year's CMP find, Dabbawalla Bags, was doing anything new for 2010. And that they are. Good stuff too! I adore this Union Jack lunch bag made of a...

Five stars for Toy Story 3

Five stars for Toy Story 3

This weekend, I finally managed to wrangle my kids--and a few of their friends -- to see Toy Story 3. Now before you read any further, I must first disclose a major bias: In my mind, Pixar's John Lasseter can do little wrong. I walked in wanting to like it.And loved...

Geeks of the world unite! Then, breed.

Geeks of the world unite! Then, breed.

Back in my day, kids wore My dad can beat up your dad shirt (well, certain kids) and they were considered oh so hilariously irreverent. We've certainly come full circle since then, haven't we, because the new hilariously irreverent kids are declaring My dad can beat...

Free books from Borders. Yes, free.

Free books from Borders. Yes, free.

They say you don't get something for nothing but today, that's not quite the case. Because Borders Books has got a special deal going right now when you download one of the Borders eReader apps, which are also free.  Downloads are for both Mac and PC, plus...

For some of us, 30 minute meals take about 20 minutes too long

For some of us, 30 minute meals take about 20 minutes too long

I really do like to cook, but I also like to keep my meals simple. Especially since my family eats like a pack of wolves and the meal that took me an hour to make is gone in about 8 minutes. So I've decided that, at least a few times a week, I'm going onto Funny Spoon...

New York City for kids. And their suburban parents.

New York City for kids. And their suburban parents.

The first time I took my daughter New York City, she spent so much time swiveling her head in every direction, I was afraid she'd tip over. I could have done a better job planning New York City for kids, and prepping my little suburban dweller for the "big city", but...

Shear genius

Shear genius

My sigOth, the culinary school grad, has turned me onto the joys of scissors in the kitchen. While I use them mainly to cut off the stupid packaging I can't pull open with my hands, he has always used kitchen shears for cutting herbs quickly, trimming veggies, and...

These t-shirts put your kid in the director’s chair

These t-shirts put your kid in the director’s chair

If your morning routine is anything like ours is, then there's probably a lot of hemming and hawing (that's putting it very politely) about what the kids are willing to wear. Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that we could eliminate all the hassles with the brand new...

Keep your mitts off mommy’s forspecial mug

Keep your mitts off mommy’s forspecial mug

There's just no comparison to the feel of handmade ceramics, knowing that an artisan's hands shaped the clay and followed inspiration to decorate something just for you. Don't moms deserve little islands of peace and beauty in our hectic lives? If I needed a new mug...

The perfect little summer bag, for under $30. Hello!

The perfect little summer bag, for under $30. Hello!

With a Caribbean business trip coming up (I know, cry for me) I started looking into cute little summery bags. Something just big enough for a room key, a camera and maybe a little scarf for my shoulders should the breeze fall below oh, say 75 at night. When I...

The secret is out on these princesses

The secret is out on these princesses

I've fought the princessification of my girls valiantly, as a mama who wants her girls to admire heroes who don't wait around for some dumb prince to find their happiness. As you may guess, it didn't work; they love princess everything, though I try to keep all the...