More coolness from recent weeks…
A book of one’s own
As a former buyer of books for a chain of toy stores, it's pretty much redundant for me to tell you that my children have amassed quite the library. But when you're five (or, say, twenty-nine-and-a-half years older than five), you can sometimes be a little possessive...
A good reason to Dwink up
I'm still not sure why parents with white couches and white carpets put juice boxes out at their children's parties except maybe, they like a challenge? A few years back we discovered the awesome Dwink Boxes which keep kids from squeezing the middles and forcing all...
A better way to put their heads on plates
Somehow I think my oft-repeated empty threat of serving my kids' heads on a plate might have carried even less weight if we had owned had these adorable It Looks Like Me! personalized plates from Olliegraphic. Choose hair, eye and skin color, hairstyle, and (of...
Why you shouldn’t miss Ponyo or Hayao Miyazaki’s other family classics
I get to the movie theater about once a year, so it's no surprise I totally missed Ponyo when it first came out. But ever since I heard the buzz around this animated film by Japan's Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli, I've been waiting not-so-patiently for the home...
Smite those locusts!
Passover isn't exactly the giftiest of holidays, although if you were invited to join us in devouring my mother's matzoh ball soup, you'd think that was gift enough. Still, I'm intrigued with this adorable little 10 Plagues Bowling Set which comes in its own little...
The little desk set that could. And will.
There isn't a single thing not to like about the functional design of these groovy desk/chair pairings from midesk, from their hand-crafted here in the USA wooden cut-outs to the non-toxic paints used to finish them. These desks are a marvel of storage -- the chairs...
And a very happy vernal equinox to you too
There were many moments over the past three months that I thought it would never happen but, at long last, spring is here. (Once again: SPRING IS HERE!)My girls and I celebrated yesterday with a trip to the small farmer's market in our neighborhood, oohing and ahhing...
Of finger foods, flip-tops, and fingernails
You know that whole "kill three birds with one stone" thing? Well, Zo-li, the small company offering safe, green solutions to parenting problems, has conveniently solved three of my biggest problems with one Fedex shipment.First of all, we have the Case of the...
Tween cool, entirely 100% hoochie free
As the mother of a fashion-conscious tween, I am here to tell you that sizes 10-14 or so are a forgotten wasteland when it comes to outfitting your kid. Little kid clothes are plentiful and varied, but the choices taper off with each successive size. Most days I'm...
Easter baskets. Hold the cavities.
The biggest challenge I face every Easter is finding cool candy alternatives for my kids' Easter baskets. But thanks to CMP fave boutique Cattiwampus, my search for sugar-free Easter gifts just got a little easier. Their virtual shelves are stocked full of awesome,...
Down on the cardboard farm
My kids are still completely obsessed with the Calafant toys Santa left under the tree last year, which means I really shouldn't be eying anything else at all. But considering the prices and the versatility of these cool, cardboard toys, I just can't help myself. The...
The Easter dresses of my dreams
This will be the first Easter in a very long time that we'll actually be celebrating with extended family. Other than a plane flight with three young children (help!), the toughest item on my agenda will be tracking down cool Easter best clothes for my kids. In years...
Put your lips together and blow for National Bubble Week
I'm starting to see the signs of spring everywhere: Robins on the front lawn, crocus buds poking through the soil, and the kids lugging out the big jug of bubble juice so that they can blow bubbles outdoors to their hearts' content. They are right on cue, as March 20...
The heart–and art–of a mother
One of the most amazing aspects of being speakers and attendees at the recent Mom 2.0 summit, a conference from the collaborative team of Kirtsy and The Tasteful Life, was the joy of attending the launch of the unbelievable Mom 2.0: Defining a Movement Art Exhibit....
Wacky Packs are back – as tee shirts!
I grew up in the heyday of Mad Magazine and Wacky Packages and clearly my son has inherited both my twisted sense of humor and appreciation for fine parody. We both did a happy dance when we saw these new kids' Wacky Pack T-shirts from 10 Again Clothing.Moms and dads...
The best nest for your toy chest
I spent so long reading the instructions on a card game yesterday that I finally gave up and took my kids to the playground, where they invented a game that involved dumping sand on each others' heads. This morning's bath was grittier than Paula Deen, but I was...
Green beer for every other day of the year
I may put a few drops of food coloring into tonight's frosty beverage of choice, but otherwise, the only green beer you'll catch me drinking will be from those innovative brewers who are keeping the environment in mind as they craft their brews. Yes mamas, we thought...
Go for the green
I have always loved pretty much everything at KLT:Works. Kristin Loffer Theiss makes the beautiful artwork, plush, nursery decor and apparel that just makes you smile in every way. And I'm smiling even more since discovering that for St. Patrick's Day, through...
Putumayo Kids’ Jazz Playground wants kids to love jazz, but it worked on me too
I've never been much of a jazz fan, maybe because it conjures up images of being stuck in a smokey bar during an endless amatuer improv-and-scat sessions. But, I have to admit that when packaged into bite-sized, three-minutes-and-under portions on Putumayo Kids' new...
Versatility – the hot trend for moms any season
As someone who used to have a reputation for keeping up with style trends, I have to admit that it pains me now, as a busy mom, to have to shop for everyday clothes with limitations - you know, can I wear it with almost all my outfits? Will it hide my post-partum...
The Princess and the Frog and the DVD player
I have not been so eager for a Disney DVD release since...well, ever, as I have been with the Princess and the Frog DVD which is just out today. After seeing the film a few months ago with my kids in theaters (my full gushy raving review here), I knew right away that...