We imagine a whole lot of parents out there are starting to plan some amazing Star Wars birthday parties and are going to be looking for some creative, cool ideas. After all, in just a few months, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens will be…
If you've got a construction themed party on the brain, well first, you have to check out the awesome DIY dumptruck cake idea we included in our post on how to 18 easy cake decorating ideas for a store-bought cake. Then, you have to sign…
It's that time of year that we're all digging up all sorts of easy Halloween craft ideas for kids to share with you. And yet I've said it before (and I'm sure I'll say it again): I'm not a very crafty mom. I hardly ever have the urge to …
A big part of my preparations for the busy fall/winter entertaining season always includes stocking my pantry with snacks. And not just our standard go-to choices, but also nut-free snacks that are safe for school, a bigger selection of …
More and more we're hearing that sugary snacks are no longer allowed in the classroom to celebrate birthdays: healthy snacks only, please . This happened at my niece and nephew's school and they were crestfallen, thinking they'd be releg…
You might be wondering: Skinny cocktails? As the weather gets cooler? Yes. Because, for me, once the initial shock of bathing suit season passes in June, I stop thinking about diets and calories and romp around in loose sun dresses and f…
There's something about back-to-school that makes me want to bake cookies. Maybe it's that start of the school year energy that makes me feel like I can take on the world and balance work, school lunches, after school activities, and hom…
If you're anything like me, when throwing parties you want to put out an awesome dessert spread without baking a 7 layer ombre rainbow cake or piling on several sugar-loaded desserts. That's why I found these 6 super impressive fruit rec…
If you aren't familiar with CHARM IT, the wildly popular charm bracelet brand for girls, then you haven't ever browsed at the black hole of impulse purchase crack by the register at your favorite kids' boutique. Well now there's a fun, a…
Choosing the coolest party supplies for your birthday is a time-honored tradition at our house, and this year I'm pretty sure the winner will be these adorable color your own paper cups from the Oh Happy Day party shop. These coloring cu…
I'm usually a decisive person, but when it comes to choosing a recipe for a bake sale at my kids' school, I'm as indecisive as they come. Everything always looks so ridiculously yummy! This year, I'm getting ready ahead of time with thes…
If it's not clear, we all love parties around here. But planning and hosting them? Well, that can be a challenge, especially if you're a busy parent. But fear not! We've put together a ton of ideas to help make parties even easier. In ot…
It’s been a slow ramp up—at least for those of us in NYC, where it seems we’ve started school later than everyone else in the country—but everyone is officially back to school. And back to school means fall fun, from apple picking to pum…
This past week, I I joined Stacie and her husband at a wonderful ramen restaurant, where everyone at the table was flipping over a fantastic shishito pepper appetizer. (And fortunately, our children didn't look at the word on the menu lo…
We're jumping head first into the pool of #ForceFriday because we admit it. We're huge Star Wars fans around here (yep, we have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to it) and we can't wait for Star Wars VII: Force Awakens as much as the …
It's unmistakable, emoji are everywhere! So of course my kids are begging for an emoji party. They are like the new My Little Pony. The new Cabbage Patch Kids. The new Pet Rocks. (Ha.) I am waiting for Time Magazine to give their 2015 Pe…
With Labor Day entertaining coming up, that also means we've got party food on our minds. These easy, fix-ahead Labor Day party appetizers have been a huge hit at home (yes, I sacrificed and made pizza dip and honey Sriracha hot wings al…
Now that I'm a grown-up, i.e., responsible for making holidays awesome for my kids, I've found that the ( ahem ) b-level holidays like Labor Day are quickly becoming my favorites. There's no pressure to shop and decorate. Instead, we jus…
How has nearly the entire summer passed without us talking about gin and tonics? The classic summer sip is one of my favorites and always a crowd pleaser. Since you don't need help making the traditional version, I found a super creative…
I have no idea how August snuck up on us, but it has. And right now, the only good thing about the end of summer nearing is that end of summer fruit is so good. Good enough to drink, which is what I need to pretend that it's not the end …
I have to admit that at the beginning of summer I take advantage of the bounty. I put off cooking and, after a long winter (and lame spring) of long-cooked stews and comfort foods, I find solace in serving deliciously fresh fruits and ve…
Everyone loves chocolate dipped strawberries and with good reason: Fresh fruit with a light touch of chocolate is still mostly healthy—especially if you use a high-quality chocolate without icky ingredients added—and totally delicious. S…
I f you could do a post on cool favor ideas, that'd be great! My daughter's third birthday is coming up this fall, and I like to get children's party favors for 3 year olds that won't be thrown away when the guests get home! -CMP reader …
It’s summer and I feel like celebrating. Maybe it’s because I finally feel like we’re in the swing of things. Or maybe it’s because it’s my birthday weekend. (A big one, too!) It doesn’t really matter, because anytime is a good time to c…