This time last week I was headed back from the Mom 2.0 Summit, a truly remarkable conference that brought together moms and marketers for professional discussions, and also explored the personal track. Over at Pop Discourse I wrote a couple of posts that I thought might be of interest to you. The first post covers my thoughts about why this conference was so meaningful and impacting, and the second includes a round up of blogs I recommend reading. If you’re looking for fresh reading, definitely check out the latter post. Enjoy!

Image credit: Mom 2.0 Summit

Many thanks to my Mom 2.0 Summit sponsor Care.com!

Posted by Christine Koh on 28 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Mama in the Workplace; Web (Admin)
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I truly was overwhelmed by the generous response when I sent out queries regarding the Boston Mamas Have a Heart for Haiti campaign, and was doubly overwhelmed when the donations started coming in last week. To close the campaign I wanted to feature the top fundraiser, Jessica McDaniel of Boston Baby Photos -- Jessica contributed nearly $350 to the $1,850 total! Read on to learn more about Jessica’s work, as well as how she wants to continue to contribute to the Haiti effort this week.

Jessica is in her eighth year as a baby, family, and maternity photographer; her work focuses on natural, playful, in-home black and white photography. (However, if you’re a fan of color, no worries -- she shoots in color and processes to black and white so clients may choose from either option.) You can check out package pricing and more images at her website, but here are a few samples of her work.

I love natural photos where the subjects are simply captured in their element. Look how naturally happy everyone looks when they aren’t asked to look at the camera and say “cheese”:

I feel as if I immediately know the personalities of these three siblings from this shot:

And this beautiful maternity photo makes my heart ache a wee bit. Mercy.

Jessica also wants to extend her donation to the campaign. If you book a shoot and indicate that you heard about her through Boston Mamas, she will donate 10% of the session fee to Haiti via UNICEF. Simply contact Jessica by Sunday, March 7 to buy a gift certificate for a future session and be sure to mention Boston Mamas.

Thank you so much Jessica for your generous donation to the Boston Mamas Have a Heart for Haiti campaign!

Posted by Christine Koh on 27 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Web (Admin)
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Among the many things I love about running Boston Mamas independently is: a) how nimble I can be when inspired by a plan, and b) having created community based resources such as the Boston Mamas mamapreneur network. Last month, I brought these two elements together to launch the Boston Mamas Have a Heart for Haiti campaign, and I'm thrilled to report that we rocked it for Haiti and raised $1,850! This donation has been directed to UNICEF, which is absorbing administrative costs so that 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to relief efforts for children in Haiti. I am so grateful to all who shopped and helped spread the word, as well as to the amazing vendors who were so generous in their participation (I’ll be sharing the top fundraiser in a separate post). I hope you’ll keep all of these women business owners in mind for future shopping.

Check out the full vendor spread for details; meanwhile huge thanks to participants:

Baby Bella Bows
Beth Miga Photography
Boston Baby Photos
Cheeky Monkey
Cool Dog Productions
Goodies Homemade
Harvard Sweet Boutique
Infinity Portrait Design
Kelly MacDonald Photography
Mason & Madison
Mila Lilu
Newborn Nurses
Pooch Barkery
Posh Peacock
Stix
StrollerFit powered by mommymuscle
Sublime Photo Art
The Tots
Thirty One Gifts
Two Girly Girls
Yoga with Sara
Zinnia Designs

And also huge thanks to Kristen Chase, who is based in Atlanta but donated 15% of book sales from The Mominatrix Boston event to this campaign.

Image credit: original artwork by Posh Peacock

Posted by Christine Koh on 27 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Web (Admin)
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I love that every culture embraces some variation of food wrapped around food (e.g., dumplings, empanadas, etc.) and I recently was inspired to translate the idea to baked treats. While at Blissdom a few weeks ago, I received a bag of Hershey's Bliss milk chocolates. I was going to pass them on to a friend (admittedly, normally I only go for organic chocolate), but after reading the ingredient list (minimal), decided to keep them. My preference for organics was overshadowed by an overwhelming desire to wrap peanut butter cookie dough around these chocolates with Laurel.

Laurel and I spent a lovely afternoon together working on the cookies. Usually Laurel likes the dump and mix process of making dough, but she really wanted to unwrap the chocolates. (She actually unwrapped them with her eyes closed because she said it was too hard not to pop them in her mouth if she looked at them.) And then her favorite part of the process was squishing the cookie dough around the chocolates. I fixed up her shapes a bit to make them more uniform in size so I wouldn't have to worry about variable baking times, but otherwise, she rocked the process.

I made things up as we went along. I modified the Peanut Butter Cookie dough recipe from Baking Illustrated and we wrapped the entire bag of Bliss chocolates (36) and still had a lot of dough left. Following inspiration from these awesome cookies with kisses, we wrapped another 40 Hershey kisses (which we happened to have stowed in the freezer) to finish off the dough. Alternatively, you could make plain peanut butter cookies with the leftover dough, or toss in chocolate chips. Really, it’s impossible to go wrong.

Peanut Butter Bliss Cookies

Already longing for your next vacation? Today, Sarah shares a tropical vacation that’s proven fun, eco-friendly, and affordable for her family of four:

I’m not really a cold-weather person. In my humble opinion, once the holidays have come and gone, it could go right ahead and get on to spring. However, seeing as New England clearly isn’t in on my plan, I have only one recourse: a tropical vacation. And amazingly, I found the perfect solution that allows my family of four to spend a week in the Caribbean without completely breaking the bank.

I first heard of St. John’s Maho Bay Campground in high school, when I spent 10 days there on a biology field trip. Located on the protected north side of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the ecologically-focused Maho Bay Camps are comprised of 114 tent-cottages connected by wooden walkways on a hillside overlooking beautiful Little Maho Bay.

Each 16’x16’ canvas-walled cabin sleeps up to four people (twin beds, a daybed, and a folding cot) and includes a camp stove and large ice chest, pots, pans, and dishes, and sheets and towels. Because the cabins aren’t soundproof and can be close together, I was worried that my boys would make too much noise, but the campground is not only kid-friendly but pretty highly kid-populated. People come with babies, toddlers, all the way to teens. And even with all those kids, it’s still not a noisy place; something about the wind in the trees, or the birds singing, but I didn’t notice anyone having trouble taking a nap due to noisy neighbors. The campground has a quiet policy from 10pm to 7am, and campers are very considerate of others; mostly, everyone is so busy during the day that they’re more than ready to sleep by 10.

The experience at Maho is a lot like summer camp: a very casual atmosphere, cafeteria-style dining in the beautiful pavilion overlooking the bay, some unbelievable sunsets, shared bathhouses (not as strange as you might think – like college, only cleaner), and camaraderie with other campers. Many families return year after year, and get to know staff members and each other well. And each day there are organized activities: for example, yoga classes on top of the hill, batik classes in the textiles hut, guided snorkel tours of famous reefs, sailing tours, Saturday night taxi/bus to Coral Bay for socializing and dancing, and nightly glassblowing demonstrations in the glassblowing studio.

Maho takes its ecological footprint very seriously: they recycle all the glass used at the resort at the glassblowing studio, where resident glassblowers and visiting artists from around the country come to create artwork. By far the most popular activity with my boys, we went to the studio every night after dinner for the mesmerizing demonstration. And any of the pieces (e.g., wineglasses, vases, ornaments, beads) created while you watch will be available at the resort’s gallery once it’s finished firing, along with beautiful textiles from the batik artists on-site.

Also of ecologically minded note: by raising the cabins and walkways off the ground, the resort reduces its impact on the delicate flora (and fauna!) of the island: no erosion, damage to delicate native plants, etc. Maho also uses mainly rainwater for its bathing and flushing duties; they encourage short showers by putting a pull-handle on every showerhead and not heating the water. Admittedly for me, this is a low point of the trip (I’m a shower hog), but a minor trade-off for the warm weather, abundant sunshine, and spectacular beach.

The kitchen uses local produce and seafood as much as possible and composts food waste. You can eat at the restaurant or cook meals in your tent; the store at the resort sells all sorts of groceries in addition to ice cream, postcards, rum and beer, sunscreen, etc., but be forewarned: because nearly everything is shipped to the island on a boat, heavy stuff COSTS. We bring our own trail mix (for snacks) and peanut butter from home and make lunches with store-bought bread.

Little Maho Bay is 118 steps down from the main walkway. (One other quirk of the resort: much stepping. Your glutes, however, will be three inches higher at the end of your stay than they were at the beginning!) It’s peaceful, private to the resort, shallow, calm, and warm – read: safe for little ones. And with reefs on either side, including Sargasso grass and feeding Ridley sea turtles at next-door Francis Bay, there’s something for even the most adventurous members of your family to do, right on the beach. You can also rent a sea kayak, sunfish, windsurfer or snorkel equipment, or, more my speed, a beach chair. Because the resort is so popular with families, my boys almost always found other kids to play with on the beach, and if they were alone, made sand castles or bobbed around on the abundant floats and inflatables that kick around on the beach.

And here’s the kicker: a tent-cabin costs, per night, $135 during the peak winter season, and $15 for each additional guest. That means that TEN nights in Maho Bay over school break is less than $1700. It is, as the website says, one of the least expensive ways to see the Caribbean. Flights from Boston to St. Thomas are easy, with one stop in Philadelphia, and the ferry from St. Thomas to St. John takes about forty-five minutes. And herein lies the only other bummer about Maho: it takes, really, a day of traveling to get there. Which I thought was going to be horrible with my little boys the first year we went, but the excitement of plane, taxi, ferry, taxi, and all the people, sights, etc., kept them going without complaint the whole way. The second year was easier – they were so excited to be going back they couldn’t wait to arrive.

If you’re not quite so rustic a vacationer, Maho has other accommodations: Harmony Studios, located high on the hill, offer large studios with kitchenettes and private baths, as well as spectacular views. (Comfier, sure, but it’s a loooong hike down to the beach…) Their sister resort, Estate Concordia, is on the windward east side of the island, and offers state-of-the-art loft cabins with solar hot water and private baths, kitchenettes, and a restaurant and activities pavilion. This resort is not as convivial or as kid-friendly, but would make a spectacular writing retreat or a quiet couples vacation spot; the panoramas of Tortola and the BVIs are astounding. The eco-consciousness, however, is just as strong as the original resort.

Some of my happiest moments in the past three years have been sitting at a table in the pavilion, rum punch in hand, watching the sun set with my two little boys and one big boy, after a tiring but exciting day of hiking the sugar-plantation ruins nearby or snorkeling with angelfish at a nearby reef. It’s not swanky, but neither are little kids – my boys are as excited about our next visit as I am. What more do you need than a spectacular beach, perfect weather, a soft place to sleep, your family, and plenty of rum punch? I can't wait to head back this April.

Additional notes:

1. Obviously most people opt to head south during February break, but going in April is saving us big on airfare.

2. Tragically, Maho Bay Camps currently is scheduled to close July 31, 2011. The land is currently on the market and the Trust For Public Land has launched an effort to purchase the Maho Bay Camps land for permanent protection as a natural preserve. If the land acquisition is successful, TPL will enable the eco-resort to continue as it has for so many years. Those interested in supporting the Maho Bay Camps land acquisition efforts by the Trust for Public Land should email john.garrison@tpl.org for information.

Image credits: 1 (Maho Bay); 2 – 4 (personal photos from Sarah)

Posted by Christine Koh on 25 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Eco Living; Travel
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When I travel, I try valiantly to stay hydrated and consume lots of fruits and vegetables, but despite my best efforts, invariably I crave a huge salad on return. And on Sunday after Jon and Laurel picked me up at the airport, we decided to celebrate the conclusion of a rather insane month of travel by going out to lunch. And you guessed it, I wanted a huge salad.

Save The Cottage, which generally feels too far away for us to go on a whim, I tend to feel a little nonplussed about the sit down restaurant salad scene. We decided to loop through Cambridge in hopes of finding inspiration. Unfortunately, our first attempt -- the Black Sheep Restaurant at the Kendall Hotel -- which has a decent roster of salads -- was closed. We mulled a few other options spanning Harvard and Central, but we didn’t feel inspired enough to get back in the car. We decided to try Legal Sea Foods across the street to see if they had anything vaguely kid friendly and were thrilled to find that they are, in fact, a kid friendly restaurant, complete with a dedicated kids menu (including a dozen options...not too shabby!), activity sheets, crayons, take-home plastic straw cups, and wait staff that were super friendly towards Laurel. Unless your child likes eating lobster, the kids choices are totally affordable, ranging from $4.50 - $7.95, which includes main course, fruit, veggies, and a starch.

And as for me, I wanted a salad with plenty of roughage, but since we were at Legal’s I also wanted seafood. They assembled a fantastic Caesar salad with generous amounts of lobster, grilled scallops, and grilled shrimp on top ($22) and said I was welcome to ask for it anytime even though it wasn’t on the menu. Utter. Happiness.

Though behaviorally dining with Laurel is practically like dining with a grownup (for the most part she’s content sitting and chatting with us or working on an activity book), she still has a kid’s taste buds. So it’s always a boon to find a calmly appointed restaurant that truly welcomes kids in menu and attitude, while still offering real food for grownups. We are totally going back. Maybe even this weekend with our out of town guests.

Do you have a favorite spot for fabulous salads? I'd love to hear about them via the comments below!

Legal Sea Foods, Kendall Square, 5 Cambridge Center, Cambridge; 617-864-3400 (plus a slew of other locations along the Eastern seaboard)

Posted by Christine Koh on 24 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3) | Filed in Food & Drink; Local; Travel
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Whether you traveled or stayed put during February vacation (or are chasing little ones sans "vacation"), no doubt last week left you in need of a bit of restoration. And how's this for awesome: as part of my Giveaway Goodness series, La Residencia Spa in Newton would like to slather one lucky reader’s face in gold! Sweet! La Residencia's 24K gold facial is a luxurious hour and a half long treatment that engages traditional plant-based techniques (e.g., marine scrub, herbal treatments, seaweed mask) then capitalizes on the properties of gold (via mask and massage) to smooth wrinkles, cool the skin, reduce inflammation, and render glowing skin. How can you not feel like a million bucks by the end?

To enter to win La Residencia's 24K gold facial, check out and follow the rules below by midnight, Sunday, Feb. 28.

Rules:

One thing I adore about my in-laws is that they dream up all sorts of interesting activities -- both crafty and every day -- to engage Laurel in during visits. Recently, in addition to introducing Laurel to a variety of awesome every day experiences, such as holding baby chicks, collecting eggs, and feeding horses (my heart breaks a little that I wasn't there to witness all of this), my father-in-law taught Laurel some classic magic.

My father-in-law apparently still has a big box of magic tricks and games from when Jon was little, and Laurel was absolutely ecstatic to show me the classic magic cup with balls trick when I returned from Houston yesterday. (The packaging was different, but the contents look exactly like this cups and balls set.) While Laurel demonstrated the trick, not only did I love her gleeful expression as she waved her hands around to cast the magic, but I couldn’t help but appreciate the simplicity of the tools, and the fact that learning the trick offered a unique bonding experience for her and her grandfather as well as a fun exercise in learning multistep commands (sorry, I’m a psychologist…these things are always on my mind).

And admittedly, I sat there with my jaw hanging open a bit. I never learned magic tricks as a kid and have no idea how the cup and balls trick actually works. And I told Laurel not to tell me so it will, in fact, remain magical to me.

If your child loves performing magic tricks and you know of great introductory books and props, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below. While searching around for the cups and balls set, I was interested to see this 20 tricks collection at Amazon and am noting it as a potential future gift for Laurel. Meanwhile, if I learn of other fantastic finds via my father-in-law’s magic trick treasure chest I’ll be sure to share them here.

Posted by Christine Koh on 22 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Art Supplies & Toys
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I adore hors d’oeuvres -- the variety they offer (I love sampling a little bit of everything at a meal), the artfulness, the utter cuteness of food in miniature. And to make any occasion feel special without a huge amount of work, try these elegant little mini crab cakes from Bon Appétit. They are super easy to knock together, delicious, and feel oh so fancy. I made them for a dinner party last week and they were a big hit.

Image credit: Lisa Hubbard for Bon Appétit

Posted by Christine Koh on 21 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Home; Recipes
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Love a good parade? Tomorrow you can enjoy the Year of the Tiger festivities at the Chinatown Chinese New Year Lion Dance Festival. The party kicks off at 10am in Phillips Square and is open to the public. I also asked Evadne for ideas for tasty spots to warm up and snack during the festivities. She recommends: New Jumbo Seafood, Gourmet Dumpling House, and Eldo Cake House (for baked treats).

And for additional Chinese New Year happenings, the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem will celebrate the lunar new year with dance, crafts, and demos on Sunday February 27 from 10 AM-5 PM. Admission is $15 for adults and free for children under age 18.

Posted by Christine Koh on 20 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3) | Filed in Fun Outdoors; Holidays; Local; Winter
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I'm a huge fan of baking with kids; the process is engaging, yields yummy rewards, and provides a natural way to teach math while spending quality time together. Below is a roundup of some baking projects that are fun to make and eat. Also, though baking requires more precision in measurement than cooking, I encourage you to let go of perfection in the kitchen and focus on the fun. Keep an eye out and encourage your kids to transfer ingredients smoothly, but otherwise a little spilled flour here or there isn't the end of the world.

If you’ve followed my February vacation week itinerary so far (and taken in a show, visited museums, enjoyed the great outdoors, and visited your local library), you’re probably ready to take it down a notch and relax at home. Enjoy some extra time in your jammies and get crafty with your kids. The art supply & toy and arts & crafts archives are full of ideas, but here are some great projects that require only basic supplies:

I'm a huge fan of public libraries and they are well aware that school is out this week. Check your local library for special February vacation programming, or simply go read some books with your child on site to enjoy a change of scenery (and perhaps check out a movie for family movie night). Also notable on the library front this week: the Mary Baker Eddy Library is celebrating The Art of Reading by offering free admission for kids (5-17 years); the program includes Mapparium tours, story times, and drawing sessions.

Image credit: Mary Baker Eddy Library

Posted by Christine Koh on 17 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Local
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As a Boston lifer, I do periodically grumble about the weather but ultimately I’ve come to embrace it (even becoming one of those crazy winter runners), and think it’s important to bundle the kids up and get out of the house. Subsequently, I love that the Massachusetts Audubon Society is offering February vacation week programming across the state that includes both indoor and outdoor activities. Another great outdoor option (particularly during this Olympic season) is ice skating. The Rink at the Charles Hotel has extended their hours for vacation week, and you also can enjoy the Frog Pond and Kendall Square outdoor rinks.

Also handy for aspiring skaters: check out these back posts on Boston area ice skating rinks and multiseason adjustable ice skates. I purchased these skates for Laurel a couple of months ago and they’re fantastic.

And then of course there's always the tried and true snow fort building and shoveling to get the winter heart rate up.

Image credit: Mass Audubon society

Posted by Christine Koh on 16 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Fun Outdoors; Local; Sports & Fitness
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Now that you’ve booked a fantastic local show, consider spending a day at one of the Boston area’s marvelous museums. The following museums are offering special February vacation week programming (and plenty to check out beyond that): in Boston, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, USS Constitution Museum, Old State House Museum, Institute of Contemporary Art, and Boston Children’s Museum. And beyond Boston: the Peabody Essex Museum, Discovery Museums in Acton, and Children’s Museum in Easton.

Feel free to comment in below if you know of other local museums offering special February vacation week programming. And for museums not offering free admission this week, check your local library for discount passes.

Image credit: Isabella Stewart Garner Museum

Posted by Christine Koh on 15 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Local
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After enjoying the regularity of year-round day care, having a school-aged kid requires a new level of planning, what with week (and summer) long vacations. This week I’ll share my favorite ideas for keeping the kids busy during February vacation, starting with time sensitive leads. To kick things off (and in the spirit of my Lion King post last week), I highly recommend supporting Boston’s amazing arts scene. And to make your planning easier, check out ArtsBoston's dedicated section for kid-friendly events, such as Disney on Ice (which we’re attending tomorrow) and HONK! (which Laurel’s class saw last week for a school field trip). Also be sure to cross check BosTix to see if you can get half price tickets for your show of choice.

Posted by Christine Koh on 14 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Local
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Today, parent educator Hetti Wohlgemuth of Alphabet Soup 4 Parents shares simple love lessons for Valentine’s Day:

Whether you are cynical or sentimental about Valentine’s Day, a day that inspires reflection about relationships seems worthwhile to me. Subsequently, here I share four simple love lessons to embrace on Valentine’s Day and every day.

Loving yourself is a very good place to start on Valentine’s Day and every day. And I don’t mean loving yourself in a narcissistic way -- I mean loving yourself by honoring and respecting yourself simply because you are a unique, lovely, and purposeful human being. Affirming that you love yourself -- aloud or not -- is a healthy, good, and powerful thing.

Love your children like no one else can or ever will. And here I don’t mean loving them and never letting them go -- I mean loving them unconditionally so that they can learn to let go and become wonderfully responsible, caring, and independent human beings.

Romanticize your marriage or partnership. Yes, it’s just as easy not to. It’s easy to put the kids first and shelve romance until, say, the kids go to college. But don’t wait -- a couple that is strong and stable will parent better. Do whatever you need to do to get out on your own as a couple from time to time and your whole family will thrive.

Love your friends and tell them that you do. Research says that women live longer even if they have only one good friend, which completely makes sense to me given how good and nurturing it feels to talk to and be acknowledged by a friend who understands you.

These are simple tips, but they are the backbone of life. Enjoy celebrating love on Valentine’s Day and beyond!

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted by Christine Koh on 13 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (3) | Filed in Family Issues; Holidays; Valentine's Day
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This time last week I was at Blissdom, where I had the honor of moderating a panel on work/life balance. Panelists Deb Rox, Megan Jordan, Carmen Stacier, and I wanted to foster a candid conversation, free of “achieve balance by getting up earlier and getting more organized!” type advice, and I think we conveyed a realism that was very different from typical balance panels. Here are the key takeaways, some of which have served me extremely well this week while I’ve been playing catch up with work:

Do a few things well. Instead of driving yourself crazy trying to do everything (and potentially letting quality suffer across the board), focus on doing a few things well.

Focus on the present. It can be challenging to not feel work and household minutia looming over you at all times. But when you are home with your kids, be present. Those days where you spend the entire day saying, "Just a second, let me finish one last e-mail" to your kids are a disservice to everyone.

Make realistic goals. Don't set expectations so high that they are hard to achieve and set you up for frustration. Set small, realistic goals. (Admittedly, I even sometimes add tasks that I’ve already completed to my checklist simply for the satisfaction of checking them off.)

Don't make comparisons. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on yourself and whatever it is you are creating. Instead of fretting over not making it on to best-of blogger lists (or other similar accolades), focus on making your kids' list.

Play by your own rules. It's very easy to get swept up in the frantic pace of work (particularly for those of us in social media, where a lot of emphasis is placed on being online constantly), but shifting your perspective so that you aren’t living in fear of missing out on opportunities is very powerful. Be willing to lose so you can play by your own rules.

Opportunity can be dangerous. There's a tendency to jump and say yes in the face of opportunity, even if it's not necessarily the right fit. Analyze each opportunity and decide whether it's something you really want to do vs. something you feel you should do. Remember that there will always be another opportunity; follow your instincts and remember that all opportunities are not necessarily good opportunities.

Change your response. There's a tendency to say yes to everything (sometimes before even knowing what it is) due to worry that people otherwise won’t like you. Change your response strategy from “Yes” to "Can I get back to you?" This response allows you the space to evaluate the opportunity.

Don't be motivated by the gold star. Take on projects or tasks because you feel passionate about and energized by them, not because you are motivated by the gold star on the forehead.

Ask for help. Asking for help is not a weakness. Remember that asking for help does not reflect that you are incapable of doing something; you’re simply opting not to do something in the moment.

Let go. For the control freaks out there, there's a tendency to shoulder all burdens, but it's important to let go and remember that there is more than one way to do things. Bring your family into helping with chores, etc. and embrace that they may get to the finish line in a totally different way than you do, and that that is perfectly fine.

Focus. In our current tech driven world, attention is spread thin on a minute to minute basis. Carve out time in your day where you shut off everything -- Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, etc. -- so you can devote total focus to the task at hand. You’ll be amazed by how much you can accomplish when your attention is undivided.

Do you have other tips for achieving balance? I would love to read about them if you'd like to comment in below. And if you're interested in reading about some of my personal highlights from the conference, you can check them out over at Pop Discourse.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted by Christine Koh on 12 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (12) | Filed in Family Issues; Mama in the Workplace
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Though we’re very crafty at home, I love when Laurel comes home with new ideas from her art classes at school. And last week I was blown away by the awesomeness of this rosebud Valentine project. These Valentines are a tad time consuming if you make the hearts as big as Laurel did (about ¾ of a sheet of paper) so she’s just making a few for some special sweethearts. Alternatively, you could make them smaller (perhaps cutting 8.5 x 11” sheets of paper into four equal pieces and cutting hearts from those rectangles). The effect will still be spectacularly heartfelt. Here’s the how-to:

You will need: cover stock paper, glue, a pencil with a nice flat eraser end, scissors, a roll (or more, depending on how many you want to make) of crepe paper party streamers, and scrap paper to lay down on your work surface.

1. Cut out heart shapes from the cover stock paper. I just did this freehand, don't worry about perfection! Have your child cut a pile of squares (again, don't worry about perfection) from the crepe paper. (Don't you love that Laurel is wearing a crown while she works?)

2. Working on top of scrap paper, apply glue to a section of the heart. One by one, place the eraser end of a pencil in the center of a square of crepe paper and press the sides of the paper up around the pencil to create a rosebud.

3. Press the bottom of the rosebud (eraser end of pencil) onto the gluey section of your heart. Repeat, keeping the rosebuds nice and tight, until the heart is completely filled. (Note: in the picture you'll see that there's a line drawn down the center of the heart. I'm not sure why Laurel did that...it's not necessary to complete the project.)

4. Allow rosebud heart to dry completely. Write a message on the back. Present the awesomeness to a loved one.

All image credits: Christine Koh

Posted by Christine Koh on 11 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (6) | Filed in Arts & Crafts; Holidays; Home; Valentine's Day
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As you may have gathered from yesterday’s Valentine’s Day post, I think it’s important to spread the love within your family and also to those in need. And the cool folks over at Hill House are inviting families to do just that at their free, open to the public Valentine’s Day party tomorrow (3-6pm). In addition to Valentine’s crafts and activities, families are invited to write letters and donate items for a care package drive to support military troops via New England Caring for our Military.

For the care package drive, Hill House welcomes the following donated items: white socks, lip balm, chewing gum, hard candy, toothpaste, toothbrushes, new or gently used paperback books and magazines.

Hill House, 127 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston; 617-227-5838

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Posted by Christine Koh on 10 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Holidays; Local; Valentine's Day
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Given my disinterest in making beds in the morning, it’s not surprising that I love staying in hotels. And I'm thrilled to partner with the elegant Hotel Commonwealth on their Hotel for Kids program, which kicks off with a storytelling/pajama party to benefit ReadBoston on February 19 and runs until March 31. Read on to learn more about the Hotel for Kids, as well as how to win a Hotel for Kids overnight package for February 19 + admission to the storytelling/pajama party!

The Hotel for Kids package is pretty sweet; it was designed to serve as a truly family-friendly staycation option. The special opening night rate on February 19 is $219 and otherwise starts at $289/night (you also can extend your stay at a reduced rate per night). This rate includes deluxe family accommodations (up to two adults + two children; additional children can be accommodated for $49/child) in a Commonwealth Suite (500+ square feet, including a separate area with pull-out sofa bed that can be closed off with drapes).

In addition to the lodging, the pricing includes these cool perks:

As a designer and people person, I do love Valentine's Day for its focus on relationships and heartfelt, crafty tokens. I recently guest posted at Care.com’s blog about my favorite family-friendly ways to celebrate Valentine's Day. I hope you enjoy the post! And for additional awesome ideas for Valentine’s Day, check out the following fabulous links:

As a former performer, I've always been an avid supporter of the arts, but now I see the power and magic of live shows through a new lens via Laurel’s wide, elated eyes. And if you’re staying put during next week's February vacation, consider treating your kids (and yourself!) to The Lion King, which kicks off at the Boston Opera House on February 16 and runs until March 21. As has happened with every live show we’ve seen with Laurel to date, no doubt the multisensory thrill of the performance will stick long and fast in memory.

Now, want to win a 4-pack of tickets to The Lion King*? Simply email contests@bostonmamas.com with “Lion King” in the subject by midnight Thursday, February 11, 2010.

*One winner (randomly selected using Random.org) will win a 4-pack of tickets for the Wednesday, February 17 show at 7pm. Many thanks to Broadway Across America for kindly offering this set of tickets for you awesome readers.

Posted by Christine Koh on 8 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Fun Indoors; Local
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Today, Kate reflects on the beauty of ballet across generations:

Does the beauty of ballet call to every little girl at some point in her life? Probably not -- there must be at least a few who are immune to the magic of toe shoes, the awe of the light-as-air lift, the seeming impossibility of a dancer on pointe -- but the appeal seems to be almost universal. I remember my mother describing how as a child she would watch and re-watch The Red Shoes, an overwrought 1948 melodrama about love and devotion gone wrong among dancers, and though the film itself didn't do much for me, I fully appreciated the pull of the ballet scenes. I'm not sure whether it's the costumes, the immense strength and discipline hidden under layers of pink tulle, or the fairy tales recreated on the stage, but ballet got to me too, and now it's gotten to my preschool-aged daughter.

As a girl, I requested and received ballet lessons, but it quickly became apparent that I had neither the talent nor the drive to succeed at them. I found the endless repetition of exercises and positions boring, and I would get antsy as the minutes at the barre passed slowly. I was flexible and skinny, but otherwise didn't have much going for me. So I became an occasional spectator, going to the ballet once every few years, wowing at the prowess on stage, ooh'ing over the autographed toe shoes for sale in the lobby. I've even made it to the Bolshoi in St. Petersburg to see Giselle, an experience I hope to remember for the rest of my life.

When my 4-year-old daughter first announced that she wanted to take lessons, I have to confess to being somewhat skeptical. My daughter is everything I wasn't as a girl -- physically and emotionally robust, active, risk-taking -- and I wasn't sure that she would have the patience for ballet. Plus, as an adult, I have a more nuanced understanding of the training that goes into ballet (even for young girls), having known friends who suffered through eating disorders and injuries in their quests to become serious dancers. But my daughter pressed and we agreed, signing her up for beginning-level classes at José Mateo Ballet Theater in Cambridge, and we're so far very happy with the experience. The classes are appropriately geared for the age and attention-span, the teachers are gentle, and the community seems like a nice one.

The recent experience of returning to a ballet school inspired me to pick up Toni Bentley's ballet memoir Winter Season: A Dancer's Journal, written in 1980 about her life as a member of the New York City Ballet. Bentley was 23 at the time and had been dancing for twenty years, was devoted to the NYCB and the aging George Balanchine, but was stagnating in her career. She journaled to provide an outlet for her frustrations and anxieties, and to give voice to her luminous love of dancing. The book is an odd one the way published diaries often are, but well worth reading by any woman who retains inside her the girl who could be transfixed by the almost heavenly sight of a ballerina on pointe.

Image credit: José Mateo Ballet Theater

Posted by Christine Koh on 4 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (2) | Filed in Beauty, Fitness & Wellness; Books & Entertainment; For Grownups; Local
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I love mailing goodies to people who aren’t expecting them (which I did on Monday as a thank you for a favor), and this Bon Appétit recipe for mocha brownies is one of my tried and true favorites, whether for general snacking, parties, or to send in the mail (they've made it to California perfectly intact). The brownies are rich and super moist and the recipe is forgiving to alterations (see below), which is handy when you’re cooking on the fly (i.e., missing an ingredient) or with a little one who might spill a little flour here and there. And best of all? While most brownie recipes call for 8” or 9” square pans, this recipe fills a 9” x 13” pan, meaning that one batch will yield plenty to gift, plus some extra for home.

My recommendations/notes:

They say that boredom leads to trouble, so here’s a great way to engage teens to be active community members while staying out of said trouble. This coming Sunday (February 7, 12 – 4pm) Teen Life Boston is hosting a community service fair to introduce middle and high school students, parents, and educators to a fantastic roster of national and local non-profit organizations that are seeking teen volunteers. The event is free and pre-registration is recommended.

Posted by Christine Koh on 2 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (0) | Filed in Local; Outreach; Tweens & Teens
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Between recently watching the PBS Raising Girls program and reading about Phoebe Prince last week, my mind has been on cyberbullying. I’m subsequently grateful to PPLM Parent Education Program Manager Amy Cody, who today shares helpful information, tips, and resources for parents regarding cyberbullying:

From Amy Cody via The PPLM Parent Buzz:

In recent years, technology has given children and youth a new means of bullying each other. Cyberbullying, or online social cruelty or electronic bullying, can happen through use of emails, instant messaging, text or digital imaging messages sent on cell phones, web pages, chat rooms, or blogs. Cyberbullying can involve sending mean, vulgar, or threatening messages, or posting sensitive, private information about another person. It is a fast and easy way of distributing information and can be done anonymously.

Parents often lament that they can't keep up with the technology their children are using. However, parents are also the number one line of defense against cyberbullying and the number one resource for a child who has been bullied. A strong parent-child relationship is the best way to identify and help a child who has been cyberbullied, or to prevent a child from engaging in cyberbullying behavior.

Changes in your child's behavior are a clue that he or she may be the victim of a cyberbully. Most children are reluctant to tell their parents about cyberbullying. The most frequently given advice is for parents to take note if their child:

A couple of weeks ago I announced my plan to launch the Boston Mamas Have a Heart for Haiti campaign. I’m thrilled to share this group of talented and generous Boston Mamas mamapreneur network members who are donating a percentage of sales collected from February 1 - 15 to the campaign. Proceeds will be directed to UNICEF, which is absorbing administrative costs so that 100% of every dollar donated goes directly to relief efforts for children in Haiti. So please shop these vendors and shop them generously! Your dollars will do double duty by supporting local women business owners and relief efforts in Haiti.

If you are a local mamapreneur and want to participate, it’s not too late! Simply join the network and I'll follow up with details.

Check out the full vendor spread for details; meanwhile huge thanks to participants:

Baby Bella Bows
Beth Miga Photography
Boston Baby Photos
Cheeky Monkey
Cool Dog Productions
Goodies Homemade
Harvard Sweet Boutique
Infinity Portrait Design
Kelly MacDonald Photography
Mason & Madison
Mila Lilu
Newborn Nurses
Pooch Barkery
Posh Peacock
Stix
StrollerFit powered by mommymuscle
Sublime Photo Art
The Tots
Thirty One Gifts
Two Girly Girls
Yoga with Sara
Zinnia Designs

Plus, Kristen Chase is donating 15% of book sales from The Mominatrix Boston event to this campaign.

Image credit: original artwork by Posh Peacock

Posted by Christine Koh on 1 Feb 2010 | Permalink | Comments (1) | Filed in Local; Retail; Web (Admin)
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Today, Jennifer shares an accessories find that is sure to lift your outfit and spirits during the dead of winter. Read on to learn more about the fun and fashionable offerings by locally based EllaBelle Creations, as well as how to win a leather or suede embellished belt from EllaBelle Creations (entry closes February 7):

From Jennifer:

Every year, after holiday festivities wind down and the gray cold of the season settles in, I always get a MAJOR case of the winter blues. And so does my closet. The thrill of snuggly sweaters, creative layering, and boots starts to subside and I start to look for ways to infuse a little fun into my winter wardrobe.

I recently found such fun through Boston-area accessories maven Pamela Thomas, founder of EllaBelle Creations. Pamela offers great handcrafted accessories including belts, headbands, and pendants. I'm particularly fond of her new (and dare I say wicked cool) leather and suede belts that are adorned with funky buckles made of fabric, gemstones, and animal prints. I recently snagged the adorable brown suede belt embellished with a little topaz bling (pictured). The belt lifted both my outfit and my spirits!

EllaBelle is available through local craft fair events, but you can also host a trunk show or shop online.

Now, want to win a leather or suede embellished belt from EllaBelle Creations? Here’s how: