I don’t know if it’s the Irish in me, but I’m an ardent four-season potato fan. Every winter I tend to crank up the oven and roast them, savoring each golden, crisp skin and soft, pillowy interior. And as summer approaches, there’s no re…
When a member of our Recipe Rescue Facebook group asked for a kitchen mat that would ease back strain while she's prepping dinner on her kitchen's stone floors, the group came through big time! Here are multiple readers' picks for the be…
If you're planning a family trip to one of our amazing national parks this summer, I want to recommend that you schedule some time to let your kids take part in the National Parks Junior Ranger program. This is a wonderful educational pr…
If you ask me, the most important aspect of throwing any cocktail or dinner party host to know is how to make a cheese plate. And not just any cheese plate, but knowing how to put one together that looks fancy, even when it’s made with a…
For years, we've written about the joy and beauty and specialness of baby dolls as gifts for our kids , from newborns to toddlers, even our school-aged kids. A doll can be a cherished best friend, a bedtime comfort, a travel companion, a…
I am tired all the time. Like, I'm a parent. You are probably a parent. You get it. And yet, entertainment junkie that I am, I found myself staying up until midnight (or later!) catching up on every darn MA-rated show and movie each nigh…
I've tried many different allowance systems and allowance apps over the years with my four kids, but it wasn't until I tried this new approach at the beginning of 2019 that I was able to stick with something for longer than a month. If y…
If my family could pick only a few dishes to put in our dinner rotation, breaded chicken cutlets would be at the top of the list. Learning how to make perfectly crispy chicken cutlets is easy, and once you do it a few times, you won’t ev…
As you may know, one of our top tips for affordable family travel , especially on an extended trip, is to rent an apartment or home instead of forking out big bucks for a hotel -- let alone renting two hotel rooms, if you've got a bigger…
I recently described my 10 tips for a Disney vacation with a special needs child , to help you ensure that the trip is as magical for all of you. But I wanted to give more details about the totally free Disability Access Service (DAS) ca…
Disney World is supposed to be the happiest place on earth, but as I was preparing for our family's recent trip, I admit I was dreading parts of it. It would be the first trip for our youngest daughter, who has cognitive special needs, a…
I love a classic guacamole recipe, a tropical one with pineapple or mango, and -- my favorite -- guacamole with smoky chipotles and gobs of shredded sharp cheddar. You kind of can't go wrong when you mix a perfectly ripe avocado with lim…
'Tis the season for deviled eggs, egg salad, eggs over greens, and basically whatever else you can think to do with all those leftover eggs after Easter. Because if the most traditional Easter Bunny visits your house, your kids' baskets …
We all know that buying a prom dress can be an exhausting and expensive process, but after learning about these prom dress rental sites, I'm convinced it really doesn't have to be. These rental sites all let you browse online, select a d…
What happened to simple, easy bread pudding? You can find it on all kinds of fancy menus these days, where it's been "elevated," as Chef Gordon Ramsay might say. And I love an "elevated" bread pudding as much as the next person, but an e…
The world is always divided into two types of people when it comes to food: Those who love cilantro and those who think it tastes like soap. Those who believe pineapple is a pizza ingredient, and those who do not (it’s not, BTW). Those w…
Lately I've been seeing friends post pictures of their kids' birthday cakes on Instagram, and they look amazing...and like they cost more than my wedding cake did! I love the ideas of the elaborate number cakes that people are ordering t…
We talk so much about the need for STEM education. Kids need computer skills, engineering skills, science of all kinds. We mourn the disappearance of cursive from the curriculum. We discuss which books our kids should be reading, and whe…
Recently, we've seen more and more doctors recommending sleep logs and sleep journals for those of us who regularly wake during the night, or have trouble falling asleep in the first place. It makes sense. Especially for parents. One of …
My cutting boards are in constant use so of course I'm obsessed with finding the best ways to disinfect said cutting boards. Whether it’s prepping chicken or chopping fresh produce, I know there are plenty of germs (hello, E. coli!) lurk…
Mirepoix sounds fancy, but it really isn't, and knowing how to make it can make cooking weeknight meals a lot easier. You don't even need to know that the name comes from Charles Pierre Gaston François, duc de Mirepoix (1699-1757), whose…
These days, I get nearly all of my family recipes online, and that includes Instagram -- so I've put together a list of some of my very favorite family food Instagram accounts, which are always a source of inspiration, motivation, humor,…
For this Valentine’s Day, I thought it would be fun to learn how to make natural pink frosting for cakes and cupcakes. My kids are at the age where they love the baking process almost ( almost ) as much as the finished treat, and our rec…
Valentine's Day is getting closer, and I've been searching for some fun, easy ideas for decorating heart-shaped cookies with my kids. Emphasis on easy. Because as much as my kids and I love a wow-inducing, Instagram-worthy Valentine’s Da…