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And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Moms’ Buzz features tips for a stress-free holiday season. Modern Mom presents its holiday gift guide. Healthy Bump has raves for the Cuddoozle Nursing Pillow. Clever Parents reviews the First Adventures of Incredible You. Classy Mommy video reviews a glam holiday tee. And up for the winning are a Lillébaby EuroTote from MomFinds and a Kaboost seat from One Chic Mama.
One of my eventual goals for Boston Mamas is to launch a local philanthropic arm; meanwhile, I’ll report to you on other wonderful efforts. The Big Wishes for Little Wanderers gift drive in Jamaica Plain is underway (through Dec. 21); select a gift from a child’s wish list, deliver donations, or purchase a gift online for delivery (have tissues handy before you read the descriptions of the kids in need). And to get fit while helping others, head to the Blue Hills Reservation toy drive & bike or hike event on Sunday (10am – 1pm) to benefit Interfaith Social Services. Make your donation then hit the hike or bike trails. Both efforts are very much in need of items for older kids.
Seriously, why on earth did I soldier on with ill-fitting plastic or easily soaked cotton bibs when Laurel was experimenting with solid foods? DaBib rights those bib wrongs with a chic, lead-free winner. Featuring a piped terry cloth side to absorb spills and a waterproof, striped reverse with crumb catcher to keep mess on the bib and off the clothes, the bib also has a soft, adjustable scrunch collar to keep food out of the neck folds. Despite all of these features, the construction is lightweight and flexible, to ensure a comfy fit.
Want to be one of two winners to receive DaBib? Here’s how:
Today, Heather shares a fabulous family photo system find, SmugMug:
“I’ll admit to my uncontrollable need to document my 4 children's every smile, frown, silly face, and everything in between. With my first child I was vigilant about taking, loading, and emailing loved ones about photos that were ready for viewing. I tried various online album services, but my main complaint was the requirement for viewers to create an account to log in to view. I also needed to send an invitation email in order for friends and family to check out the latest collection.
With the arrival of our triplets, I’m still pretty good about snapping away, slower to load, terrible about organizing and editing, and basically forgetful about notifying friends and family. So I was absolutely thrilled to discover SmugMug. For a nominal annual fee, I was able to create a 'branded' photo website with our own URL (e.g., www.familyname.smugmug.com)! Loading, organizing, and editing pictures is a breeze, I no longer need to send an email inviting friends and family to view pictures, and there’s no requirement to register or log in to view our photos. I typically print our SmugMug URL on our family correspondence (e.g., thank you notes, holiday cards) and friends and family can visit our site whenever they wish.
SmugMug standard accounts include lots of features, such as the ability to personalize your site with themes, send photo emails, view photos at large size, see pictures on your iPhone, and post photos in blogs & forums. They also offer backup services, unlimited storage, no ads or spam, complete privacy, photo traffic and comment tracking, and the ability to create private ShareGroups and create and join communities.”
Growing up, our multigenerational household was replete with seemingly odd remedies; among them, a Korean herb-filled warming device that my grandmother placed squarely over my belly button when I had a tummy ache. To this day I have no idea what that gadget was called, but today there’s a similar remedy in Happi Tummi, which provides relief for babies with colic and gas. Just microwave the herbal pouch to activate the healing properties of the lavender, chamomile, lemongrass, peppermint, spearmint, wheat, and flax seed, slide the pouch into the snuggly, washable waistband, and secure around baby’s waist. We love that this remedy is natural, external (no sleep deprived panic over medication dosage), and dually useful as aromatherapy for the parents.
Want to win a Happi Tummi waistband? Here’s how:
Following our first installment, here’s part II of our series with nutrition expert Elizabeth Ward, featuring tips and menu ideas to help parents squeeze in breakfast:
“Half the battle of eating a nutritious breakfast is having healthy ingredients on hand. Make breakfast a snap by stocking your kitchen with healthy, convenient ingredients for the morning meal. For balance, incorporate choices from three of the five food groups below. Shop on a regular basis for healthy, convenient foods such as these:
Grains
Vegetables
Fruits
Dairy
Protein
Menu Ideas
Photo credit: FloridaJuice.com
To prep for my comprehensive exams in grad school, I spent 7 weeks (50-60 hours a week) absorbing everything I could about human perception. To introduce your kids to the power of the senses in a decidedly more fun manner, check out Braincandy's series of DVDs and music CDs on sight
Sense: Smell
Kid Response: “My son Jack definitely enjoyed watching the DVD… Jack’s favorite portions of the DVD were the children dancing to music during the interludes. He jumped up and joined them and had a great time!”
Parent Response: “I was a little bored because all the segments on the DVD focused on the sense of smell. I would have preferred one DVD with short segments on the different senses. However, when we finished watching it, Jack walked around the house sniffing various things (like Daddy’s coffee and some fruit that was sitting on the counter). It was cute, and it showed that he understood what he saw and was trying to apply it to his world. I was glad to see this… The background music was enjoyable for parents too.”
Sense: Touch
Kid Response: “From the start, I could tell what appealed to Noah about the show, and also what he wasn't so crazy about. For example, he loved the catchy "Makes Me So Happy" theme song and was humming and singing it after only watching the video once. Also, he was really into basically any scene that involved children - the gigantic lollipops scene was a hit, and so was the part where the kids were blindly touching spaghetti in a bowl (after we carved our Halloween pumpkin and I let Noah play with the squishy insides, he imitated the video dialogue saying thoughtfully, "What does it feel like?"). On the downside, unfortunately, Noah was a bit afraid of the Braincandy characters - especially Harry Hand (he was rather frightened when Harry Hand was stung by the bee and also at Harry's response to Hot & Cold Food). But that is something he will probably outgrow.”
Parent Response: “I love the concept behind Braincandy's Five Senses series - especially the idea that each video is dedicated to one of the senses and is designed to encourage children to experience their environment more fully through their eyes, ears, nose, mouth and/or touch. So I was really excited to watch Touch My World
Sense: Touch
Kid Response: “Unfortunately for mom, [my 3.5 year old daughter] was not captivated…After about 2-4 minutes of viewing, she was on to the next activity despite being able to relate to the children in the video. The one segment that did capture her attention was the 'Touch Test,' a game in which children approximate 3-4 years of age used their hands and sense of touch to feel the contents of a bowl on the opposite side of a screen. This seemed like fun and [my daughter] promptly asked if we could play that game. Shortly thereafter, however, she again found another activity to attend to.
[My 14 month old] on the other hand, is not generally a TV watcher. While exposed to the TV, she generally has not yet taken interest. She too had a short attention span during the video. She did however, become engaged when she saw babies on the screen, at which she shrieked with joy.”
Parent Response: “Mom enjoyed the video best. I appreciated the music, the lessons, and most importantly the diversity of characters present throughout. Unfortunately, I think my kids are on the lower and upper age ranges for whom this video is most appropriate. I suspect children between 18-30 months may enjoy and benefit most from this fresh perspective of programming.”
Many thanks to Braincandy for sending us review copies and to my mama reviewers for these thoughtful comments. Want to win a Braincandy DVD? FIVE WINNERS will receive one of Braincandy’s award-winning DVDs. Here’s how to enter to win:
As promised in an earlier feature on The Handbag
:
“At the age of thirty-four, I have come to the conclusion that the perfect handbag may not exist. I fall in love with new ones on a fairly regular basis, only to discover that the handles aren't quite long enough, the pockets aren't in the right place, the fabric gets dirty really easily, or there's no easily accessible spot in which to tuck my Ipod and BlackBerry. Ever the romantic, I've spent more money than I care to count to experiment with new styles and brands, developing in the process a collection large enough to cause remark among those who visit my home, but have yet to find exactly the right bag. And though I've enjoyed the quest, I'm now trying a different tact. Bag Borrow or Steal makes a wide variety of handbags - different styles, designers, vintages, and tastes - available for 'rent' without time limit and at affordable rates. Handbag lovers can either become members of the site - membership ranges from $5.00-$9.00 per month - or borrow on their own, paying different weekly or monthly rental rates based on their membership status and the type of bag they select. Bags arrive by UPS and are lovingly wrapped - many come in their original packaging - each with a note reminding the borrower to treat it as if it were a loaner from a close friend. My first bag - a brightly colored Coach tote - has so far not proven to be the bag of my dreams, but is stylish and useful and perfect for the season. And I'm already looking forward to picking out my next one - this time without adding to the collection in my foyer.”
Amidst fall and winter’s carb-laden comfort foods, it’s easy to forget about the roughage. Thankfully, for a Thanksgiving potluck with friends this past weekend, our pal Nooshi brought this fabulous Bibb Lettuce Salad with Persimmons & Candied Pecans. The salad offered a refreshing, welcome contrast to the table.
The candied pecans were divine and I plan on making these for holiday gifts (see last year’s magic salt gift). I thought they were perfect as they were, but Nooshi suggested, “I think the pecans would have looked nicer if I had made sure to get the excess egg-white mixture off of them before they landed on the cookie sheet. I just stirred them loosely and clumped everything on the pan. They were yummy though!” Indeed.
Image credit: Bon Appétit, December 2005 per Epicurious.com
If you haven’t done so already, be sure to enter to win our featured November contest in partnership with Skimbaco. One lucky winner will receive fabulous Marimekko bedding. This contest closes at midnight, EST November 30, 2007. Good luck!
The closest I’ve come to a panic attack was when I was trapped like a sardine at London’s Tate Modern, shortly after the gallery’s opening in 2000. Not surprisingly then, aside from supporting our little local shops, I’ll be opting for online shopping over mall mobs this holiday season. For those who similarly dread crowds, our bargains page has lots of exclusive shopping codes from independent retailers, as well as deals from our shopping affiliates. Some of the latter are running great limited time holiday offers (some expire today); we’ve created a special section for these deals and will update the listings as we hear of more special offers. Enjoy!
Baby blankets see a lot of action so it’s critical that they’re cute, cuddly, and up to many, many washings. Fitting all of these criteria are Ga-Ga Baby Boutique’s ready-for-double-duty blankets. Constructed of cotton denim (front) and contrasting fleece (reverse and dinosaur, flower, butterfly, airplane appliqué designs), these blankets are ready to withstand plenty of cuddle and play. The fleece side keeps baby tucked cozily, while the top side makes for a great tummy time surface; the appliqués provide intrigue and the denim fabric will hold up well in the face of baby games and spit up.
Want to win a Ga-Ga appliqué blanket? Here’s how:
And for those who wish to shop now, sign up for Ga-Ga Baby Boutique’s mailing list to receive a 10% discount on your order (email them indicating referral from Boston Mamas).
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Good to Know: Clever Parents offers up a great recipe to sneak in the spinach. One Chic Mama discusses items worth the splurge, and those to get discounted. Moms’ Buzz features tips on how to spot an online donation scam this holiday season.
Good to Get: Healthy Bump reviews Baby Spaces, a nursery planning tool for expecting parents. Classy Mommy reviews Uncommonly Cute baby clothing. And visit MomFinds to enter to win a pair of angora booties from Yo My Booties.
Many thanks to reader Molly for submitting a tip about baby/toddler consignment event Baby Revolution, running November 28 – 30 at the Holiday Inn in Peabody. Volunteers, consignors, and first time moms get first dibs on the goods on the 28th (the last day to sign up as a consignor is Sunday the 25th; check the site for information on first time mom passes and volunteering). The sale is open to the public on the 29th.
If you’re fed up with the recent toy recalls and want to do something about it, the Consumers Union is running a Twelve Days of Safe Shopping campaign to engage and educate shoppers. Ground efforts will take place in Boston, New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis this Friday (the biggest shopping day of the year). To become part of the local effort, meet up at 9:45am this Friday at the Park Street T station. CU also has an easy online means to send a message to lawmakers urging for improved toy safety legislation.
Some princesses seem born and some made (my adorable girly-girl-from-day-one niece and tomboy-turned-butterfly-princess daughter offer good data here); either way, girls will find plenty of fancy at My Princess Closet.
As someone who prefers cute comfort, I’ll admit that part of the head to toe princess thing I don’t get is the itchy fabric factor. Luckily, for those who desire comfort and girly flounce, there's MPC’s Princess Ballerina Onezies. Available in lavender or pink, the 100% cotton bodysuit has an organza tutu and satin ribbon band cleverly sewn around the middle. Getting baby holiday fancy without them knowing there’s a fuss will be a breeze by pairing this onesie with cute patterned tights and a pretty knit cardigan.
Want to win a Princess Ballerina Onezie? Here’s how:
It’s almost as if Michelle knew I was on side dish duty this Thursday. Today she shares two tasty Thanksgiving recipes – Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cherries and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples – along with her typical fabulous tips on how to involve kids in the cooking process. I hope your little helpers look as happy as these cuties!
"Every year, as the days grow cooler and the night comes earlier, I feel an itch to get into the kitchen to cook up some new culinary creations for the holidays. The produce at the farmer’s market is beginning to change with the season, and fall delights such as pumpkins, squash, and sweet potatoes are becoming more readily available.
During the month of November, I teach a popular cooking class for children called Everything But The Bird. During this class, we prepare several dishes that can be served with a Thanksgiving dinner. We strive to build confidence and enthusiasm in our students so that they are eager to participate in the preparation of their family’s holiday feast.
We aim to select recipes that put a fresh twist on some traditional favorites. Try calling your kids into the kitchen to prepare a few of our recipes this season. And don’t forget to bring them in to help you prepare healthy family meals during the rest of the year, too!
Cranberry Sauce with Dried Cherries
Children and adults alike love the flavor contrast of the tart cranberries and the sweet dried cherries. Ginger and orange highlight the flavors of this dish, and make it a special side dish for any meal.
2. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally until cranberries release their juices, about 15 minutes.
3. If the sauce becomes too thick, add water until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
Yield: 3 cups
Tip: You can substitute dried cranberries or raisins for the dried cherries in this recipe.
CALL THE KIDS:
Nutrition (per serving): 471.0 calories; 3% calories from fat; 2.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 7.1mg sodium; 102.5mg potassium; 113.2g carbohydrates; 8.6g fiber; 3.8g sugar; 104.6g net carbs; 0.2g protein.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Apples
In this sweet potato recipe, caramelized apples replace the traditional marshmallows, adding a delicious twist on an old favorite. One of our 5 year old students declared that this dish was the best thing she had ever eaten…after warning us that she didn’t like sweet potatoes!
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring half-and-half, butter, and brown sugar to a simmer, stirring to combine; remove from heat. Add to drained sweet potatoes, and mash just until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple wedges and brown sugar; cook about 10 minutes, turning apples occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides.
4. Place on top of sweet potatoes and bake 30 minutes, until heated through. (Note: If refrigerating before baking, cook an additional 15 minutes, or until heated through.)
Servings: 8
CALL THE KIDS:
Nutrition (per serving): 379.3 calories; 44% calories from fat; 19.1g total fat; 67.2mg cholesterol; 249.4mg sodium; 130.3mg potassium; 43.9g carbohydrates; 4.3g fiber; 28.9g sugar; 39.5g net carbs; 10.0g protein."
UPDATE (11/22/07): Two additional pieces of information that will be useful. First, oven temperature is 375 degrees. Second, this recipe will fit a 9-inch deep pie plate or similar size.
CLICK HERE for the printable PDF of this feature.
It’s amazing how far pretty fabrics can carry you, and PUJ slings make toting baby a breeze while dressing up your spit-up-absorbent-mom-outfit. Reader Amanda wrote in about PUJ, saying, “[The sling] has a great look and is surprisingly comfortable. It takes practice to get it on fast but I really like it because it is like having a third arm. My baby is close to me and I still have two hands free.”
We tested PUJ slings and love the compact simplicity. Foldable to the size of a clutch wallet, these slings come in a variety of pretty fabric pairings and work for the (stable-necked) 3 month+ crowd. Just slip the sling over your and baby’s head (and one of your arms), secure under baby’s bottom, and twist the fabric over the anchor shoulder for a cuddly fit.
Want to win a PUJ Heather sling? Here’s how:
And for those who wish to shop now, our new friends at PUJ are offering free shipping when you use the code BOSTONMAMAS (expires 12/4/07).
For busy families – especially those with school age kids who need to be out the door in a timely manner – weekdays often feel chaotic and uninspired food-wise. I have yet to meet parents who haven’t hit a food rut at some point or another so I’m pleased to report that today and over the next few weeks, we’re partnering up with nutrition expert Elizabeth Ward (author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids
"Breakfast serves up an opportunity to get a jumpstart on the day’s nutrition. To make the most of breakfast, choose healthy options that help you increase servings of fruits and vegetables. For example, just a glass of 100 percent orange juice provides almost 25 percent of the daily USDA recommended serving of fruits and vegetables and is more nutrient dense than many common fruit juices.* Below are kid-friendly breakfast ideas that offer a variety of nutrients:
*Source: Rampersaud, GC. “A Comparison of Nutrient Density Scores for 100% Juices” Journal of Food Science 2007; 00: S1-S6.
Photo credit: American Egg Board
We’ve called Laurel “busy legs” from the very start, but certain activities will – literally – stop her in her tracks; among them, puzzles. We’ve identified some truly terrific puzzle purveyors (stay tuned for further posts on this topic), and Mudpuppy puzzles are among our favorites. Read on to learn about our favorite picks from their collection, as well as how to win a fabulous Mudpuppy puzzle!
Mudpuppy puzzles are beautifully illustrated, sturdily constructed, and designed to suit all levels of kiddie play (i.e., 2 to 100 pieces). As space-conscious parents, we especially love the multifunctionality of their two-sided flat puzzles and six-sided block cube puzzles. Both are 9-piece puzzles but actually offer 18 and 54 pieces, respectively, due to the multisided construction.
In the last couple of months Laurel has charged on to bigger puzzles, and we have had a chance to test Mudpuppy’s 36-piece mini cube puzzles (specifically, dinosaurs) and their 100-piece collectible tin puzzles (specifically, world). Obviously, for a three year old, the 36-piece puzzle has been a better fit, but both have been huge hits, garnering daily play. And while the 100-piece puzzle is too advanced for Laurel to completely assemble on her own, she loves fitting the continents together, directing traffic on who gets to finish the ocean pieces, and chatting about where various friends and family live around the world. And I’ll admit it, now that we're moving into more complex puzzles, I'm hooked (read: "No Mommy, I want to make Africa!") and eager for Mudpuppy to create more beautiful puzzles in 250+ piece sizes.
Want to win a cool dinosaur or world puzzle? FIVE WINNERS will get to choose one of these puzzles. Here’s how to enter to win:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Classy Mommy has raves for the groovy blue crib collection from Babylicious. Clever Parents reviews a kit for tending to that next scraped knee or bug bite. One Chic Mama reviews a site where you can keep informed on toy recommendations, ratings, and recalls. Healthy Bump and MomFinds offer guides to getting fabulous gifts from the comfort of your keyboard. And Moms’ Buzz is offering up a case of Starbucks coffee for the winning.
Raise your hand if you’ve ever dressed your kid in a fabulous holiday outfit that got covered in spills or spit up before you even got to grandma’s house.
As cute as fancy clothing is, for holiday travel, basic layers (and backups) are key. And in this vein, I was surprised to learn that there's more to Hanes than undies. In addition to parent resources, mom features (this month Travel Channel co-host Tracy Gallagher shares holiday travel survival tips), and kid activities, they’ve got a full line of comfy, inexpensive mix and match basics, including some impressively stylish tops. We especially dig the layered look tee collection for girls (shown, Hoot Parade) and the graphic octopus tee for boys.
And Hanes wants to hook one lucky winner up with comfy clothes! Here’s how to win a Hanes.com $50 gift certificate:
Modern parenting can create challenges in the most unusual places. Today Tracy writes on an issue she found surprisingly contentious amongst her parent friends; that of how much the tooth fairy is expected to cough up, and what to do with the teeth after the fact. Read on for her solutions, and feel free to post a comment if you have ideas or alternatives to share.
“The day before his first day of first grade, Gabriel lost his first tooth. He had been waiting all summer for this loose tooth to go, and I had been, too. Not the first or last of his peers to lose teeth, Gabriel’s anticipation was of the “What will the tooth fairy bring me?” variety. Mine was of the “What the heck does the tooth fairy bring these days?” kind.
Seriously. What does the tooth fairy bring? When I was a kid I think I started out with some silver coinage and a pack of sugar free gum, and by the time molars were dropping, I received money of the paper kind ($1 or $2 bucks tops), with the requisite pack of gum. These days, kids are raking it in. A quick canvas of our groups of friends showed anything from a token amount of change and a toy/gum/book, etc. to $5 for these teeny little biters. With reports that Angelina Jolie pays her son, Maddox, $50 (that is not a typo, folks) per tooth to spend on anything he wants, trying to find reasonable middle ground is daunting. The last thing you want on your list of things to have Mom guilt about is how you only pay this, while your kid’s BFF gets that. And that. And some of those.
I must admit that I probably obsessed about this topic a little too much; hubby chalked it up to me being neurotic. But, I found it really hard to walk the line of giving something reasonably exciting for such an occasion, and making it ridiculously hard to live up to when teeth are coming out faster than I can get to the ATM. In the end, I settled on some version of what my parents did: sugar-free gum and a $1 coin; perfectly sized to fit in a tooth pouch. I figure with inflation, by the time the last molar comes out I’ll probably have to shell out fivers.
Other good tooth fairy gift ideas are actual tooth care products. Travel sized toothpastes are great, as are those little flossing forks, or an inexpensive tooth brush, depending on how close together the teeth are falling out (two new toothbrushes in a two-week span, for example, might be a bit boring). It’s a good idea to keep in mind that the items have to be small and light enough for someone of fairy-like stature to fly around with and actually deliver. For me, that means that beloved items such as Transformers, Polly Pockets, and hockey sticks are out.
And while I was happy for finally having resolved that end of the tooth fairy issues, after Gabriel and I carefully put his tooth in his little tooth pouch and stuck it under his pillow, and I later replaced the tooth with said coin and gum, I was left with the new question: “Now what do I do with the tooth?” At the moment, it is in a small jeweler’s bag in my underwear drawer. But should I keep it? For what? Will he care later? Is it gross to keep essentially dead teeth?
Another quick canvas of the group of moms led to some interesting and, well, disturbing stories. One of my friends found an envelope in her mother’s linen chest full to bursting with teeth. Every tooth that had fallen out in their house from all four kids had been kept in one envelope for years. Ick. Then there was the mom who had kept each child’s teeth in a separate pill bottle. When she showed them on their 18th birthdays, they were highly unimpressed, while she was all teary and nostalgic.
Again, I’ve decided to stick to the middle ground here. I will keep the first tooth. When my kids lose their last tooth, I will take out the first one and show it to them. They can decide if I should keep it longer, or if we can throw it out once we’ve seen how small their teeth were when they started losing them.”
I'm not sure whether it was a coincidence that my two closest college girlfriends both were former competitive figure skaters, but I've always had a place in my heart for the ice, regardless of the fact that I have long been limited to scooter-pushing my way around the boards.
And whether you spin or scoot, starting tomorrow you can strut your stuff at the Frog Pond Skating Rink on the Boston Common. The season starts tomorrow and ends March 17. Click here for hours and rates; tel: 617-635-2120.
Got Cold? Today Sharon reports on the natural remedy Simply Gargle (and read on for a chance to win some for yourself!):
“While Fall brings with it freshly picked apples, hot cocoa, and beautiful foliage, it also ushers in inevitable coughs, sneezes, and all kinds of mucous-y wonder. And while I used to reach for the heavy-duty cold remedies, I’ve found that often times the simplest remedies can yield the greatest relief. A couple of months ago I wrote about the Neti Pot, a fantastic nasal irrigation system that relieves many nasal ailments. In the same vein, I recently tried Simply Gargle, which happily stunted the onset of what I thought was going to be a full-blown cold.
Aptly named, Simply Gargle is a basic saltwater gargle infused with vitamin C and herbal extracts commonly used for preventing colds and promoting good health. Packaged in convenient single use tubes, Simply Gargle is a great product to carry around just in case you start getting that tingly feeling in your throat. When you are sick or on your way to getting sick, or if your nasal or throat passages feel raw, mucous membranes become irritated and fill with fluid and bacteria. As with the Neti Pot, Simply Gargle works upon salt’s natural ability to draw out this fluid from membranes. These simple remedies can provide a noninvasive and effective way to relieve sore throats and runny noses and ward off the wintertime ickies in a natural way.”
Want to win a sampler of Simply Gargle products? FIVE WINNERS will receive the three formulas: Sore Throat & Cough, Cold & Flu, and Allergy & Hayfever. All you need to do is:
Two days removed, I can hardly believe that this weekend symbolized my first solo 30-hour stretch since becoming a mom more than three years ago (Jon took Laurel on a trip to visit his parents). And despite fanciful visions of sitting around indulging in movies, bon bons, and spa treatments, I went into characteristic superfreak mode, working on design and writing projects, tweaking the layout and static content of this site, catching up on my ridiculous email backlog, assembling Laurel’s big girl quilt (more on that in a forthcoming post), and tidying up the house.
Despite this flurry of activity though, I did partake in several small “indulgences” that typically seem impossible to squeeze in, yet in reality take so little time. Things like taking a few extra minutes to properly moisturize from head to toe (I usually only bother with the face), enjoying breakfast or coffee with mindful appreciation (vs. the wolf and swig), opting to run errands by walking instead of driving, and calling and catching up with a girlfriend. I was struck by how little time these acts took, and how much they lifted my spirits. I’m on day #3 of adding little mindful doses to my day and I encourage you all to do the same. Please, please don’t let three years go by before you realize that you do, in fact, deserve an extra 5 minutes to yourself in the bathroom in the morning.
Image credit: Fabiano illustrated postcard Pour être belle (To Be Beautiful)
As joyous an occasion as baby showers are, the novelty of opening layette basics and other necessities wears off quickly. For a gift that undoubtedly will boost any baby shower with a heartfelt round of “aww’s!” check out the fashionable and functional layette bouquets by BabyBlooms. These gorgeous, artfully assembled pink, blue, and neutral toned bundles include flower buds rolled from an assortment of baby socks, hats, bibs, and onesies, interspersed with silk flowers and foliage. We especially love that the garments in their Natural Cream Bouquet are made from 100% organic cotton.
Want to win a BabyBlooms Natural Cream Bouquet? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “BabyBlooms” in the subject) and name another type of gift product available at BabyBlooms. Worldwide entrants welcome!
I don’t think Laurel has ever even seen a picture of a pumpkin pie, but yesterday she asked me to make one. Clearly, Thanksgiving is coming. And to get your tot festive for this or other occasions, check out One Lil’ Cupcake’s collection of handcrafted felt hairclips, including this crazy cute turkey clip. In addition to seasonal clips, the collection includes a variety of flowers, hearts, animals, desserts, fruits, and shapes. Each creation is based on a 1.25 inch snap clip and all designs can be adapted for big girls.
Want to win your choice of 3 hairclips? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Cupcake” in the subject) and name your favorite One Lil’ Cupcake seasonal design. US/Canada entrants welcome.
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Stuff to win: Coochicoos is giving away a cool new City Chic bag from Skip Hop. Classy Mommy got her cyber baby shower started by raising money for Project Peanut Butter Charity; now readers can win one of over 60 prizes donated for the party.
Stuff to buy: Clever Parents features a vidcast on favorite newborn baby gear. MomFinds offers recommendations for keeping baby bundled with adorable sweaters, mittens, hats, coats, and more. One Chic Mama reviews the Clek booster seat. Healthy Bump is proud to announce their new UK online store.
And Moms’ Buzz brings turkey carving 101 from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
If you’re like me, a lover of beauty products who has found frustration in highly touted, highly priced beauty goods that do squat, then you’ll likely find relief in Nadine Haobsh’s Beauty Confidential
Haobsh has a good back-story. While a young NYC beauty editor on the rise, she started blogging anonymously as Jolie in NYC; dishing about beauty industry catfights, celebrity gossip, and the freebie-laden world in which she lived. She gained a cult following, was outed by the New York Post, and promptly found herself out of work.
But not for long, because the media frenzy that ensued over her story, coupled with Haobsh’s continued cheeky, honest approach to beauty propelled her to other ventures. Through the beauty Q&A component of her blog, she quickly realized that women were fed up with being misled by the beauty industry, which led to Beauty Confidential
As a mama typically short on time, my favorite chapter is the introductory Getting Started chapter, which lists and describes Haobsh’s beauty editor must have’s, products to splurge on, and those to get for cheap (the contents of which prompted me to load up a shopping cart at Drugstore.com), as well as the beauty how-to for the lazy girl section (how to get ready in 2, 5, 7, 10 minutes).
But I’m an editor and a graphic artist so I of course have some critiques. First, while Haobsh includes a product guide at the end of each chapter and a product index at the end of the book, this book really needs a topic index. If I’m wondering what to buy to cover up the dark circles under my eyes, I want to check the index to find out what page that topic is covered on, not comb through the content of the potentially inclusive chapters (eyes, face). Second, the book is described as including lavish illustrations, and well, it just doesn’t. The illustrations are grayscale and small; and the artwork that is meant to be directive (e.g., hair styling techniques) not just decorative needs to be bigger. Finally, I just don’t get the type styling for the headers, page numbers, and other highlighted information. The style is consistent with the grayscale illustrations (i.e., suggesting that this is the intended style), but the resolution – which looks like it just emerged from a dot matrix printer – is oddly out of line with the quality of the content. (Note: the quality of the body text, however, is fine!)
Ultimately, I think Beauty Confidential
I almost thought the toy recalls couldn’t get worse; now there’s the Aqua Dots recall. Aqua Dots allow kids to create multicolor, multidimensional designs with small beads that fuse together when sprayed with water. The CPSC reports: “The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to each other when water is added contains a chemical that can turn toxic when many are ingested. Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures.” The CPSC has received two reports of children who fell into a coma following ingestion. Aqua Dots are known as Bindeez in Australia, where it’s been reported that the chemical in the beads metabolizes into gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB; also known as Liquid Ecstasy) when swallowed.
PLEASE share this information with all the parents you know!
Our partners at the Regent Theatre in Arlington have been bustling with activity since launching their Family Fun Saturdays series last month, and they’ve got another energetic show lined up for this Saturday. At 10:30am, you can catch the award-winning husband, wife, and daughter music group Laughing Pizza as they make their Boston-area debut at the Regent.
Want to win 4 tickets to Laughing Pizza? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Regent” in the subject) and name one of the many upcoming shows you can catch at the Regent.
Need a stroller for multiples? Heather has done your research for you!
"Shopping for a stroller when I was pregnant with my first child was fun. There were so many options in a variety of colors and styles. Purchasing a stroller for our triplets was a completely different experience. The very first challenge we faced was that triplet strollers are not sold in most stores. They must be ordered online; touching, feeling, and testing were not an option. I soon found that there is no such thing as a 'chic' triple stroller and focused on finding one that was safe, easy to push, comfortable, easily collapsible, and fit in the back of our minivan and through standard doors. After much research, I acquiesced that no such triple stroller exists and now find myself the proud owner of 3 triple strollers.
The first stroller we purchased was the Triple Decker by Double Decker Stroller. This tandem stroller compares to the 'Snap N Go' for three (twin model also available). It is lightweight, compatible with many infant carrier models, and super easy to collapse and travel with. Unfortunately, at 8 months my babies have just about outgrown their infant carriers so this stroller will no longer work for us. Toddler seats are available for this model, but we opted not to purchase them as they don't recline and there is no sun canopy. But I give the Triple Decker my highest recommendation as a first triple stroller.
The second stroller we purchased is the Runabout by Berg Design. This is a wonderful tandem style stroller and is available with 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 seats. It is safe, sturdy, and fairly easy to push. I find it a bit heavy to push on long walks but love it for short walks or for indoor use. I have found that if you push down the handle bar, remove the back seat, and are very strong you can put it in the back of a minivan. A car hitch is also available. I also highly recommend this stroller.
The most recent, and hopefully the last triple stroller purchase we will have to make, is a triple jogger by Mountain Buggy
There are other triple stroller options available for families with different requirements. Check out Peg Perego, Baby Trend, The Trio, Baby Jogger Q, and Inglesina.
Lastly, you will quickly learn that strollers for multiples are very pricey. If you are unable to purchase new, I have found that there are great secondhand ones available on eBay, Craigslist, Children's Orchard, and Kid to Kid for a fraction of the cost."
If you – like pretty much every parent I know – need help losing your lunch rut, check out the Laptop Lunch System, which offers the physical structure and information to encourage balanced, eco-minded eating. Including a lead-free case, bento box tray, water bottle, utensils, and nutrition/recipe guide, the 4 colorful bento boxes (+ sauce/dip container) remind you to include a mix of food groups, offer flexibility (remove boxes to make room for a larger item), and are dishwasher safe, making reusability and waste reduction a breeze. Offered in four styles (shown, Whimsical), this system works for adults and kids alike (for kids, you need not fill every container depending on your kid’s eating patterns).
Want to win the Laptop Lunch System (Whimsical)? Here's how:
Given the real estate market, I have yet to figure out who is filling all of the luxe condo complexes that have sprouted up along Mass. Ave. in North Cambridge over the last year, but the Good Food Café is good news for these residents (and locals in striking distance).
Good Food is tough to spot initially, with a small storefront amidst the block of miscellaneous businesses (tattoo parlor, Korean market, etc.) across from the N. Cambridge bus depot. But when you walk in, the café opens into a surprisingly large and cheery space, featuring polished floors, high ceilings, artwork on the walls, and a bright, modern design aesthetic. Great for laptop toting adults (they have free WiFi), it's also the best family-friendly café I have been to in some time, given that the open space makes it easy to negotiate strollers, the bathroom is clean, kids will love the brightly colored decor (Laurel especially digs the couch corner with it’s rainbow dot rug), and the owner, Jim, is incredibly kind (both to grownups and little people). When we were last there, he didn’t even bat an eyelash at a series of requests from the indecisive preschooler corner (yellow instead of blue plate, peanut butter instead of egg sandwich, mustard instead of balsamic vinegar, and so forth…).
Oddly enough, I've never ordered coffee or baked goods, but I’ve tried a number of Good Food’s grilled sandwiches and salads. All have been excellent (favorites include the chicken breast & avocado with pesto, tomato, and Swiss panini and the Cobb salad), and I consumed an alarming number of their fabulous pina colada smoothies this summer. They also offer daily soup specials.
Whether it’s the big space or its hidden gem status, Good Food always seems surprisingly empty when we visit. So enjoy it now, while it’s easy to get a table.
Good Food Café, 2378 Mass. Ave., Cambridge; Tel: 617-876-2450
Okay, I’ll admit it. When Laurel was a baby, all those hours of nursing while perusing celeb fashion mags inspired my obsession with handbags. Luxe and low budget bag features are forthcoming; meanwhile, for lovers of fashion, history, and fabulous photo spreads, there’s The Handbag: An Illustrated History
Want to win a copy of The Handbag? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Handbag” in the subject) and name one of author Caroline Cox’s two previous books. US entrants welcome.
Today, Sharon reports on safe driving techniques that families (especially those with new drivers) could benefit from:
“In late September I traveled via Boston Mamas to the GM Proving Grounds in Michigan to test out the GM 2008 lineup. This was a new trail blazed for this road warrior (who fancies sneakers over wheels), but I discovered parallels between the two transport modes; that a little knowledge goes a long way in taking advantage of safety features.
From the running perspective, I have spent years tweaking my form, researching and trying different shoes, and enduring countless hours of blisters. The process has made clear to me that in finding a shoe to fit this foot, behind one company’s designs are many people working hard thinking about every angle of the product. Analogously, safety in a car can vastly be improved and affected by a little imparted wisdom as well as the car itself. During my stay in Detroit I got to see the inner workings of how safety is implemented at GM.
The GM Proving Grounds are mammoth; 137 miles of testing track on a 4000-acre facility. Our first stop was a 67-acre expanse of asphalt where we took a "Driver's Skill Enhancement Course." This course comprised four stages:
1. Evasive maneuvers: We took an Impala down a straightaway at speeds ranging from 30-60 mph. At a fork, we were told at a split second's notice to go left or right. This exercise demonstrated GM's rethinking of the old 10 and 2 hand positioning on a car's steering wheel with that of their 9 and 3 hand positioning. The amount that you need to crank your wheel is very little in a defensive driving maneuver, whereas the 10 and 2 positioning is unstable because of the natural force of gravity that can cause you to over-adjust in a defensive maneuver. The 9 and 3 positioning offers balance between both hands, giving you better control of smaller movements that can get you out of harms way without losing control of the steering wheel.
2. Controlled braking: This exercise was similar to #1, but we learned to shift from gas to brake by pivoting on the ball of the foot, with the heel remaining stationary on the floorboard. This technique was suggested to smooth out jerkiness after using evasive maneuvers.
3. Skid control: This was by far the most harrowing experience of all! We set off at speeds of 10-20 mph, and then when activated, the rear wheels (which were replaced by a bracket of two roll-y wheels), were unlocked to simulate the lack of control in a skid. Contrary to instinct, GM's method was to not implement the brake but rather to steer towards a fixed point in front of you and the car would correct. I quickly learned this to be good advice, as my braking in the skid resulted in spinning around in circles backwards at vomit inducing speeds!
4. Backing and serpentine maneuvers: This exercise did not speak to me as much as the others and basically involved snaking backwards in and out of a straight line of cones.
The last and perhaps craziest part of the course involved testing two different cars – one with and one without Electronic Stability Control. ESC basically auto corrects over and under-steering using an electronic sensor that stabilizes the car in a split second. This mechanism cannot override a crash but it is an effective tool to have when faced with skidding and swerving, and has been cited by The National Highway and Traffic Administration as having reduced crashes by 35%. The difference that ESC makes in a car while screaming down the straightaway into a swerve at 80 mph was clear!
I found the Q&A session with GM executive the most compelling, in terms of feeling an interaction between the brains behind GM and the consumer. The morning's activities, which left me in awe of how a little instruction and practical, hands on demonstration can teach more than any driver's ed course ever could in a life or death situation, led me to ask whether GM would consider offering their Driving Enhancement Course to new drivers across the country. The response directed me to GM's existing safety guidelines for infants through tweens. Not quite satisfied, I re-asked the question with a slightly different spin, highlighting the benefit of all of the research and work that GM has put into the safety features of its cars with ESC, StabiliTrak, and Onstar, and the value of hands on training. The reply focused on GM's involvement with law enforcement to set curfews for new teenage drivers.
Despite these existing measures, all that I had experienced and learned that day really made me feel that the one thing that could set GM apart is working towards safety education (in the hands on nature that we had received it), one wheel at a time. They've made great strides (particularly with their green approach to implementing E85 fuel and hydrogen fuel cells, as well as having LEED Certification, which denotes a high standard of sustainability), but the vision seems not yet ready to embrace the main target group that will be driving their sustainable cars.
The final event included test-driving the 2008 models of the Saab (by far my favorite in every way!), Saturn, Cadillac, Pontiac, and Hummer. We also got to chat with one of the designers of the new concept car, The Volt. Chatting with this designer, and some of the other GM associates strengthened my belief that teens could benefit enormously from the skills we derived during the daylong course. Let's hope this concept comes to fruition sooner rather than later.”
Editor's Note: BostonMamas.com is grateful to GM for the opportunity to engage in both the viewing of the 2008 models and the safety/test drive course. GM provided Boston Mamas Contributor Sharon with transportation and accommodations to attend the event.
Photo Credit: GM StabiliTrak diagram.
Cooking projects with kids offer a perfect way to enjoy time together, engage in hands on learning fun, and feed the house. And if you’re looking to encourage your child’s kitchen chops, check out the Playful Chef Kids Cooking Kit at The Chocolate Cake Club. Packaged in a plastic backpack that makes for easy home storage or fun cooking visits with the grandparents, the kit includes a bevy of child sized cooking tools, a multi pocket apron, and recipe cards and instructions for the grownups. The color-coded measuring spoons and cups are particularly handy to help kids learn about sizes, and we love that the apron’s drawstring design makes it easy to adjust the neck loop length as your child grows.
Want to win a Playful Chef Kids Cooking Kit? Here’s how to enter:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Clever Parents offers a rundown of favorite newborn gear. One Chic Mama finds the Peace Strollerbag and the Love Clutch from Dante Beatrix great ways to spread happy sentiments while carrying all your stuff in style. Healthy Bump thinks the Ring Sling by Ellaroo is stylish and extremely comfortable, elegant yet simple to use. Enter to win a Birth’a Bag at Classy Mommy, and a DadGear Backpack at MomFinds. And The Stylish Child features Dancing with the Stars co-host Samantha Harris's nursery fit for a princess.
Today our Parent Bloggers Network pals are running a blog blast in conjunction with Harper Collins’s release of Nadine Haobsh’s Beauty Confidential
It wasn’t easy growing up in a predominantly Caucasian community where the few Asians in town (myself included) all could be found at orchestra practice. Insecure and eager to dissociate myself from my high achieving, obedient minority cohort, I intentionally underperformed in the classroom, flirted with police run-ins with friends, and committed beauty blunders to the nth degree in a poorly conceived (and, well, impossible to execute) attempt to cover up the fact that I was Asian.
Among the worst offenses in my blunderous operation:
As irony had it, I started dating a dude I met at summer music camp during this time. Rigorous rehearsal time prevented primping at camp, and when camp was over and rehearsals resumed in Boston, my beau was befuddled by my cover up tactics, asking where the natural girl he fell for at camp went. I persisted though, and the relationship ended shortly thereafter. At the time, I was mystified as to why we broke up, but years removed, I realized that his response was natural. As natural, in fact, as the palette of products I now use to enhance – not mask – my features.
November's fabulous featured contest is in partnership with Skimbaco. One lucky winner will receive a Marimekko Unikko OR Bo Boo duvet + pillow case set from Skimbaco (winner chooses style)! Click here to enter to win. This contest closes at midnight, EST November 30, 2007 and is open to entrants worldwide. Good luck!
Congratulations to Amanda from Gainesville, FL, the winner of our October featured contest. Amanda won the vibrant 8" x 10" giclee reproduction "Blue House" from The Pepper Kids. Thanks to everyone who entered the contest, and to our friends at The Pepper Kids for their generous partnership. Be sure to check out their online boutique if you haven't yet had a chance to do so.
Mamahood has exacerbated my negligence about tidying up clothes at the end of each season; when I broke out my fall sweaters, they were laundered but teeming will pills. After some hunting around, I was thrilled to find the Evercare D-Fuzz-It Sweater & Fabric Comb. Inexpensive, compact, and effective (it’s worked beautifully and easily on cashmere and wool), this little comb also saves you the worry of buzzing a hole through your favorite sweater with an electric de-piller.
Laurel became rather fascinated by the process and took charge of disposing of the fuzz balls. Maybe there’s hope for my laundry yet.
Here’s a great way to burn off the Halloween candy buzz. This Sunday (11/4), rock out with Gwendolyn + The Good Time Gang to classics and new cuts from Get Up & Dance!
Want to win a copy of Get Up & Dance! ? Email us by midnight EST tonight (with “Gwen” in the subject) and name a recent stop on the current tour. We'll draw 10 winners (worldwide entrants welcome)!
FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
Order Minimalist Parenting via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell's, or your favorite local bookstore! And be sure to watch the trailer!
