My older three kids gave me a heck of a time when it came to taking a bottle, so with number four, I'm determined to find one that she not only takes, but doesn't add to the challenge with extra gas. And I may have just found the answer …
I've been gluten-free for coming up on a couple of years, now, and while I've learned to bake a few essentials, I've mostly given up on cookies. Because gluten-free cookies--by and large--suck. And I love to bake, but I'm certainly not g…
Could your local school use a salad bar? Because I sure know that ours could. Well, believe it or not, you can possibly get one --free-- thanks to a grant by the Salad Bar Project. But you need to hurry. Chef Ann Cooper, Whole Foods, and…
Kids like snacks. Like, really, really like them. Understatement of the year, right? I truly believe that if I just had a constant supply of snack-type foods on hand , my children would eat all day. And I have a sneaking --or is it snack…
I'd like to think of myself as somewhat of a yogurt connoisseur. I grew up on Dannon and over the years have tried everything from the healthy and organic to the junky and gimmicky. And apparently I've passed on the yogurt gene to my son…
I've never doubted the power of music to unite people--though it does bring to mind those big events like Woodstock or Live Aid. But it's the effort of one dad and some very cool bands with loads of heart that now deserve to get people b…
When Kristen and I had the opportunity to sit down with Sam Talbot, our Top Chef crush for the last few years, it was hard not to say yes. (Frankly, it was hard not to get all sweaty and nervous for days beforehand.) It was a bit intimid…
I have approximately 563 teensy glass baby food jars left over from when my 3-year-old was a baby. Okay, I may be exaggerating. But the pantry sure feels like Baby Food Container Central. My plan was to use these jars in all kinds of use…
Remember those Dapper Dan the Magnetic Man toys from when we (or , okay, maybe our parents) were kids? It was so much fun to use the magnetic wand to give that smiling bald dude bizarre facial hair, hats, and eye patches. And now our kid…
We know school lunches have been the butt of jokes since the invention of "mystery meat." But, if watching Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution taught us anything, it is that what our kids eat at lunchtime can get better with the effort and co…
I'm not going to bore you with facts and figures about childhood obesity in America, because we've all heard it before. What I will tell you is that there is little my kids enjoy more than receiving their own mail, and in particular, mag…
I have all sorts of tricks for when I worry too much, because I do worry -- too much and too often. Worrying happens to be a family trait. Unfortunately, that means I have a pint-sized worrier in my own house, and he can't self-medicate …
Check your tricycles, high chairs, play mats , and more, mamas - Fisher-Price has just this morning issued a recall of nearly 10 million toys and baby gear for all sorts of safety issues. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commissi…
I love this time of year. Now that it's not grossly hot, I feel inspired to do fun activities with my kids outdoors . But in a few months when the temperature dips? Yup, it's a long winter and there are only so many times you can walk ar…
Woe betide the mother who doesn't have a Band-Aid in her purse when the need arises. And the thing is, I've gotten the hint over the years, and sure, there's usually a bandage or two smashed down in the bottom of my bag somewhere. But do…
I'm a bit of a germ freak. Okay, a lot of a germ freak. Like the kind of person who has about twelve bottles of hand sanitizer on the go at any given time. And kids who use the word "sanitizer" like it's a normal thing for them to be say…
Those of you with little ones probably cannot imagine the day when your tween despairingly announces that her glasses make her look like "a total dork," but I'm here to tell you that it happens. And suddenly your kid is big enough to wea…
So what do I have in common with some of the coolest celebrity moms in America? And no, it's not rock-hard abs; it's an appreciation of Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers , an intriguing new "cookbook with a co…
Some like Epicurious , some prefer FoodNetwork.com . But me, I tend to head straight to Chef Google when I need help finding a specific recipe, even though it takes a decent amount of time to nail down something that's quick, simple, and…
Luckily, my kid's not as clumsy as I am. But lately, she keeps hoping to have a minor accident, because she knows I have two new boxes of super sweet kids bandages by Ouchies Jr. Although we select cereal and crackers based on nutritiona…
Well, call me a sucker for a cute dad with a British accent who knows his way around a chef's knife, but Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution has singlehandedly changed my Friday nights. And much much more. Oliver is best known for his previou…
We're all trying to eat better, right? And preparing fresh, healthy food for our families is no problem at all, what with our busy lives, children's picky palates, and our own dietary restrictions as we head into swimsuit season (ahem). …
I will admit it: I was not one to puree my own baby food. Ever. It always seemed like a fabulous idea and I envied those moms who did, but as a working mom it was just more effort than I had the energy for. Fortunately, there are great o…
Michelle Obama may be known for her sculpted arms, but her commitment to health and exercise goes a lot deeper. Last week, the First Lady introduced a new initiative, Let's Move! , which is supported by the newly created Partnership for …