More coolness from recent weeks…
Boys love playing daddy, too.
I have nothing against boys embracing pink, but when I went to buy a little boy doll for my nephew to love while his mama was caring for a newborn, I found that 99% of the baby dolls in the big toy store were of the female persuasion.France's Corolle, the maker of...
Children’s backpacks aren’t just for back to school
We're huge fans of the Dante Beatrix backpacks for almost too many reasons to mention--the eco-friendly materials, the perfect toddler sizing, the adorable designs. How's that for a start?Now the company is simply named Beatrix NY. And to celebrate their name change,...
Calling dibs on affordable bibs
After getting two kids through the messy eating phase and currently dealing with one who's in the thick of it, I might just be a bib expert. And I have to say that the bibs from JJ Cole are some of my all-time favorites.It doesn't hurt that they've added two very...
Going Down, Down, Down to help the Gulf
Though I haven't seen the Gulf of Mexico since I was a teen, I'll never forget the color and warmth of the turquoise-blue water that lured me in until I was wrinkled and waterlogged. It's those waters and the creatures most affected by them that The Gulf Restoration...
LOL with Mabel’s Labels
No matter what season it is, I can always find a reason to use our Mabel's Labels, and with everything from summer camps and lessons, to pool playdates and picnics these days, I'm always putting those handy labels on something.Now if you've got a camper, then you...
Geek may be a four letter word, but then, so is cool
My husband's favorite childhood memory may involve cracking open his brand new Atari game system and having a marathon Pong session, so it's no surprise that he grew up to be a tad tech-obsessed. Which is why I got him a copy of Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and...
Kids’ rain gear in June, because Mother Nature likes to break the rules
As my poor waterlogged friends in the Pacific Northwest know all too well, June can be a wet one. It's as if Mother Nature doesn't give a hoot that we have bored little faces staring up at us waiting for summer to begin. I think it's better to wrap the kids up in a...
Caps off to you
I have hostess gifts on the brain these days; maybe it's just wishful thinking that I'll get lots of fancy summer house invitations this season? Or maybe I'm just dying to get someone a little gift as cool as this sleek little Urban Creature bottle opener. I actually...
Not too shabby but affordably chic
When I got word that online boutique Shabby Apple is now promoting their dresses for women, I have to be honest, I was a bit skeptical. I like some but not all of their little girls' dresses, and on top of that, mail order clothes + cheap prices are a combo that...
Gummy bears that won’t wreck your teeth
Despite the fact that looking at this kids furniture got The Gummy Bear Song stuck in my head (no, I won't burden you if you don't already know it), I'm totally grooving on these adorable gummy bear chairs from yam & toast. They're sweet without going overboard--a...
Handmade Father’s Day cards – only not by your own hand
When your kids are still too young to break out the glitter glue and make dad a Father's Day card--or too old--a printed card can still go a long way. So to keep you from the card aisle crush the next Saturday, I searched through Etsy (with the help of some of our...
Snack, wash, dry, repeat
I'll never be the eco-mama who reuses plastic wrap or gives up the soft toilet paper for the stuff that feels like newspaper. Mostly I look for small changes I can live with, and one of those has been cutting down on my reliance on disposable plastic snack bags. There...
The long of board shorts
With summer officially underway, I am busy getting my beach bag stocked so I can run off to the pool at a moment's notice. Along with towels, my unfashionable floppy hat and tons of sunscreen, I'm going to be including the new UV Board Shorts from Baby Banz for my...
Dear Dad: I found you the perfect book for Father’s Day
Stumped for Father's Day? Maybe it's because I'm married to a photographer (though I don't think so), but I'm thinking that if Dear Dad from Chronicle Books doesn't bring a little tear to his eye, he might not actually be human. The volume is filled with breathtaking...
Our 2010 Father’s Day Gift Guide is here!
Yesterday, our subscribers got a first look at our super-awesome, totally helpful, very cool Father's Day Gift Guide. (Yet another reason you should sign up to be a subscriber too!) And now we're putting it out there for all to see.Because tokens of love and...
Make sure what goes to camp, doesn’t stay at camp
I've never been good at labeling my kids' stuff which means I've paid the price in misplaced water bottles, forgotten jackets and other random missing objects. But with three kids going to camp this summer, I'd better get on my game to make sure what walks out of the...
Yo Gabba Gabba finger puppets, aka There’s a Party on my Fingers
These so-called "friendly monster finger puppets" bear such a striking resemblance to the Yo Gabba Gabba characters that I had to break down and buy them for my YGG-obsessed daughter's third birthday.I mean, that striped green one does look a whole lot like Brobee and...
Come hang out on Justin Roberts’ new Jungle Gym
Though we have stacks of kids' music CD's---one of the perks of reviewing kids' music for Cool Mom Picks--I know that I'll always hear something from Justin Roberts coming through our stereo's speakers every few days. It's a powerful testament to the many infectious,...
The miraculous, affordable, eco-friendly storage cubes of your dreams
I usually leave the furniture assembly to my husband; not because I don't know my way around a tool box, but because I figure I did all that kid-having so it's only fair that he do all the direction-following and screwing together of 400 parts.But since he...
Passage to India
Now that our air conditioner is blaring full force (curse you, NYC humidity!), I've finally gotten around to summer-izing the linens. I find a simple little change like switching throw pillow covers from wool to cotton or swapping out our duvet for something lighter...
Don’t spend another summer blowing those perfect snapshots
I got a snazzy new camera for Mother's Day and hoped it would instantly turn me into a photographer that makes grown men cry. Instead, I'm still taking loads of uninspired, far-away photos of my kids doing various inexplicable things. What I need is a little direction...