A Lesson from Mr. Hatch
Today, Paige (also of Mudroom Boston) shares a beloved book, good for Valentine's Day or any day:
"Mr. Hatch was tall and thin and he did not smile." And so begins the story of Mr. Hatch, a lonesome man who leads a gray and dreary life. He leaves his house at precisely 6:30am for his job at the shoelace factory every day, sits alone and eats his cheese and mustard sandwich for lunch every day, and stops at the grocery store for a fresh turkey wing for dinner every day. And then one day, a day unlike every other day, the postman changes Mr. Hatch's world when he delivers a giant heart-shaped box of chocolates, complete with a special Valentine's note. "Somebody loves you," the note says. But who?
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Today, 
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Whether you're disappointed that folk singer/songwriter 
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. This product is designed for kids 6 months - 4 years; read on for reviews from three of my mamas (with kids in the 14 month - 3.5 year range), and to learn how to win a Braincandy DVD:
With shows perfectly sandwiched around midday nap, you can catch Gwen & The Gang at 
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. Book collaborator Xinran Xue will be in Cambridge today through Friday for 
offers an elegantly illustrated introduction to Zen themes via the stories that new friend Stillwater the panda shares with three siblings. The reflective beauty of the stories will suit both kids and adults, and I love thinking of our wonderful friends (who hand delivered this book despite being on a crazed East Coast tour from the UK) every time Laurel climbs onto my lap for a read.
, from Boston-area publisher 
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. The finale included a fabulous allergy-friendly piggy cake: