Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow (+ A Giveaway!)
I dig ChopChop Magazine (yay for cooking with kids!) and New Balance (I just ran in a pair this morning!), so when I heard the two were pairing up for a Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow campaign, I was like, yes, cool -- I am all over getting my kids out and running around and eating a well-balanced plate (especially important to me since Laurel is a vegetarian and Violet has dairy and gluten allergies). I have three things I wanted to share today in relation to this campaign:
Continue reading "Run the Rainbow, Eat the Rainbow (+ A Giveaway!)" »
I'm so proud to work with the American Cancer Society and it was super fun to put together 
For both Laurel and Violet, I was really into baby food making. I enjoyed the prep process (and 
If you've been trying to find less-bad-for-you candy to fill your Halloween bowl (or less-bad-for-you treats for your own stash), here's a new brand that Jon, Laurel, and I dig. I first tried 
Today, 
Today, 
I love cooking, but like many parents, on weekdays I need dinners to come together fast (often one handed while I haul around Violet, whose latest great delight is honking my nose repeatedly). We've been in a bit of a food rut, so when my friend 
There have been a lot of yummy endeavors underway in my kitchen this summer, thanks to my 
One thing that has become very clear in the 3-4 months that I have been wrestling with Violet's eczema and potential food allergies is that I 
Things have been a little hectic here so I haven't had a chance to share my 
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One of the most stressful parts about Violet's recent state of plague was that for the better part of a week she refused bottles and pretty much all solid food, save occasional bites of cheese and blueberries. The logical part of my brain knew that she would eventually drink and eat again, but I was still concerned about dehydration and getting her some calories, particularly because she was so limp and sad and not herself during this time.
Hi everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! I just wanted to check in to let you know that I'm going to be largely absent this week (though I do hope to reveal some exciting news soon!). I want to spend time with Jon and the girls on the front end of this week, particularly because I will be heading to 
When Laurel was a baby, one of my rookie nursing mom mistakes was attending a wedding in a regular dress -- meaning, one with an inflexible neckline and a side zipper that basically made it impossible to nurse without undressing. So when I started looking for nursing-friendly dresses to wear to a couple of weddings this year, after being completely underwhelmed by the nursing cocktail dress market, I was thrilled to land on the perfect style -- a dress that looks fabulous, nursing or not.
I'm part of the 
I've been an avid label reader for well over a decade so it's been disturbing to learn about the US's lack of regulation when it comes to ingredient disclosure. I shared about this in 2008 regarding 
In my ongoing quest to find protein-rich 
In May, I wrote about Laurel encouraging us to start up 
When Violet recently turned 6 months we embarked on the solid food journey. And it's been 10 days notable for cute firsts (first cereal! first yams! first pears!), not the least of which was testing the 
Last week I had the pleasure of hearing 
Whether or not extreme couponing is your thing, grocery budgeting is top of mind for most families. As part of Momversation and Ragú®'s Mom's the Word on Dinner Program, I recently chatted with 
I know many, many moms who have experienced breastfeeding woes, so I feel gratitude every day that nursing has worked out so easily and so well for me and my girls. In honor of tomorrow's kick off of 
Through the 
Today's 
The school year is finally over and one of my favorite things about the transition to summer involves food -- no more school lunches to pack and far less rushing around in relation to meals in general. But that doesn't mean meals -- particular dinnertime -- are easy...there's still the planning and the making and the inspiring kids to come to the table and eat something other than popsicles. As part of the 
My friend Cynthia is, like me, 
Hello everyone -- I hope you have fantastically relaxing plans for the Memorial Day long weekend! We're going to be staying local and keeping it low key since June will be a bit crazy, but at the very least, yummy food and fun and games with Laurel and Violet are on the docket. (Admittedly, hopefully we'll also chip away a bit at some household to do's.) Meanwhile, I thought I'd share 12 bits of web awesomeness to entertain you over the long weekend. Enjoy! 
As a foodie and person who is hugely grateful that our family manages to convene for dinner almost every night, it's been fun to be part of the 
Let's face it: pumping probably doesn't top any mom's Fun Stuff To Do Today list. And pumping used to be doubly un-fun when Laurel was a baby because our efforts with the bottle were so unsuccessful (our fault -- we started introducing the bottle way too late) and I had to sit there and watch the minutes tick by (no doubt thinking about how the milk would probably go to waste) while I held the gear in place. Well, no more. Thanks to the 
Though Laurel has been more experimental with vegetables since we embarked on our CSA journey last year, green vegetables (save cucumbers) remain a sticking point. Until recently, when my sister Jenn brought over a spinach pie and Laurel shocked me by both offering to try it (usually I have to ask) and loving it. So of course I was eager to find an easy recipe to take advantage of this new love. And I found it in 
One of the experiences that helped me break out of my blogging "cave" was my first in real life blog event -- the 
Whether it's craft projects or food, I have always loved making things from scratch. And one thing I suspect the voracious Violet will appreciate in the coming year is homemade baby food. I was a pureeing fiend when Laurel was a baby, but this go around I'm even more excited about experimenting with baby food because I'll be able to draw inspiration from both the locally grown bounty of our CSA, and the remarkably good looking recipes in 
It's been fun to see the family and food dialogue that has transpired as part of Momversation and Ragú®'s Mom's the Word on Dinner Program. Today, my second video with the project just launched -- in it, Whitney Moss, Kim Tracy Prince, and I discuss 
Today, 
I was truly honored when Momversation invited me to become part of this 
What a fantastic episode of Life.Style this week! I chatted about 
Last week while I was in hibernation, my latest Stonyfield Farm column went live and I wanted to share it with you all. Particularly given that I'm not a milk drinker (and whether by example or preference, neither is Laurel), I'm always looking for ways to infuse calcium into my family's diet. So, hop on over and check out my 
A couple of months ago, after (probably too) many weeks of winging it with my regular clothes, I finally came to terms with the fact that I needed maternity tops. It also quickly became painfully (literally) clear that I needed new bras too. Read on for my thoughts on three of Bravado's maternity/nursing bra offerings, as well as to learn how to win a Bravado nursing bra or tank!
One exception to my 
I've long been a fan of 
Today, 
If you didn't have a chance to watch 
Wow, I truly cannot get over the awesomeness of 
Do you -- like me -- enjoy taking pictures but want to take your photography to the next level of awesome? Then tune in to 
Hi folks, if you missed 
I'm super excited about tomorrow's episode of 
My dad used to tell me that I should be a lawyer, diplomat, or talk show host since, well, I love to talk with people. And as it turns out, tomorrow I'll take a step closer to the talk show host thing. I'm thrilled to announce that starting tomorrow, I'll host a weekly live talk video show (like talk radio, but streaming live on the web...apparently you can also tune in via iPhone or iPad) called 
A few weeks ago I admittedly got pretty riled up when I heard about the Corn Refiners Association's (CRA) 
Following a busy summer and lovely Labor Day weekend celebrating Laurel's birthday, it's been fun to get caught up on blog reading. Here are some links that caught my eye this week, and that I curated over at 
Now, the second of two 
Oh, bottles. How I wish I had introduced you earlier to Laurel (we didn't get around to it until she was three months old, by which point she was set in her nursing ways and refused other feeding options). And thus, to new mom friends, I recommend that bottles are introduced once baby has the hang of breastfeeding, in order to allow mom the occasional walk or haircut without panicking about baby's hunger level. Not surprisingly, I always recommend BPA-free plastic or glass bottles (
I have always advocated for the airline mantra, "Put on your own oxygen mask first before helping others" when it comes to parenting, and expecting and newly delivered moms are especially in need of some time to put themselves first. Whether you want to get some self care goodies for yourself or a mom friend, check out 
The other week we received some zucchini from our 
Today, 
Today, 
Today, a peanut butter primer from 
Laurel and I spend a lot of time in the kitchen together and I continually remind myself to let go of perfection and control so she can really experience the cooking and baking processes. And it’s paid off. Check out my guest post for Michelle Stern’s 
I’m all about useful, meaningful, and green goods, and one of my favorite finds for the school-aged set (and their parents) comes from 
Today, 
April Paffrath is one of the most devoted foodies I know. No taste is too simple, no ingredient too humble. And when you read her writing, you can tell how much she relishes preparing, tasting, and writing about food. April is a regular contributor here on Boston Mamas, but today I'm thrilled to introduce her via her voice on 
Like most parents, I periodically lament over packing lunch and snack, especially when we’re low on fresh produce. Having a stash of 
As a foodie, eco-geek, and mom of a kid apparently 
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When first tasked to buy baby gear, it can be challenging to navigate the options; in particular the tradeoff between investing in more expensive long term solutions vs. inexpensive short term solutions. I tend to gravitate towards the former, and am particularly drawn to items (e.g., our 
Laurel has been enamored with mermaids ever since spending time at "mermaid cove" with her friend Lucy during our summer vacation in Maine. Barbara Beery’s 
Yesterday I was honored to speak about 
Today, 
This past weekend our friend Rhoda introduced us to a dessert that impressively satisfied everyone’s sweet tooth while accommodating her lactose intolerance. Admittedly, though I 
I’m always striving for simplicity in life and this approach definitely translates to how I operate in the kitchen. For my second 
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One of my favorite time and energy savers these days is store-bought rotisserie chicken. I don’t need to remember to prep and bake it (perfect, since there’s no way I’m turning the oven on today…), my kitchen is saved from pan dripping smoke, and the chicken is ridiculously versatile. Today, I’m sharing our latest favorite usage of rotisserie chicken: fast and fantastically yummy chicken pesto salad.
Today, 
If you love the ease of boxed cake mixes and desire all natural ingredients, fear not - you can have your cake and eat it too. Today, 
I know that I’m extremely lucky that Laurel generally is a happy and agreeable kid who isn't prone to meltdowns. But last week, after a fabulous day spent in the Public Garden, followed by lunch at the Au Bon Pain on Boylston Street, the rest of the day was tainted by the crisis that broke out over a giant Easter basket full of candy - strategically positioned at the Au Bon Pain checkout.
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It’s been a busy (and rather spicy) week in the mom blogosphere. Here’s what caught my eye around the web – including marketing ideas for mom bloggers and PR folks, the power of online solidarity for fitness, and the latest in mom guilt and nursing wars - per Love These Links!, where I share clever, resourceful, thought provoking, and/or hilarious links that I think would be of interest to the fabulous readers who peruse Boston Mamas. Enjoy!
After months (okay, years) of trying to play it cool over Laurel’s veggie intake (i.e., putting them on her plate but not forcing her to eat them), she finally is rewarding our patience – now consuming veggies she previously refused to touch and at least trying everything. So no wonder I want to celebrate, and a super cute way to do so is via the produce-inspired 
Today, 
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
For parents who don’t have the time to cook and puree baby food from scratch, organic jarred food is a blessing. And our next installment of Giveaway Goodness is well suited to the need to offer baby a varied palette. Now through the end of March, Earth’s Best is hosting a 
I love how resourceful moms are. This tip comes courtesy of my girlfriend Heidi:
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The busiest travel holiday of the year is fast approaching, and today 
Given that Laurel - much like mom - gets insanely grumpy when she’s hungry, I always try to tote a snack when we’re on the go. So I was thrilled to learn about 
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And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Today, 
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Today, 
There’s no denying the abundance that is summer’s fresh fruit, but if you’re looking to tote a healthy, drip-free fruit snack, FruitaBü is a fine option for kids and grownups alike. Today, 
Today, 
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
During a 
Like most kids I know, Laurel will – with trial-to-trial consistency scientists could only dream of – systematically select crunchy carb over veggie snacks. And while I (optimistically) continue to present the veggies, I also keep an eye peeled for snack options with nutritional content above that of cheese crackers. Enter, 
Are you ready to venture beyond typical toddler fare? Today, 
Today, 
Most kids seem to say ‘yay’ to sugar and mess and ‘nay’ to veggies, but here’s a nifty way to cut down on the former and increase the latter, at least in the drink department. 
Happily, gone are the days where kids and adults with allergies are left out at treat time. Today, 
Last week I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Melissa Kotlen Nagin, a certified lactation consultant and About.com’s 
Today, 
Congrats to our very fabulous food and fitness writer 
Today, 
Today, 
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Today, 
Today, 
I remember being devastated in 1st grade when I learned that one of my best friends was allergic to chocolate and peanut butter. After missing out on all those classroom birthday cupcakes (always with an accepting smile), I can only hope that wherever he is, he knows about 
Today, 
Laurel has long been a breastfeeding advocate (she avidly nursed for a year, and loves asking questions about nursing or seeing other babies feed), so it’s no wonder she's a fan of Michael Elsohn Ross’s new 
Weekend Reading: 
I’m thrilled to welcome new guest contributor 
Today, 
Following installments 
Never has the importance of glassware been made more apparent than when I sniffed the inside of one of Laurel’s older (but clean) milk cups and the plastic stank. The glass revolution has gained another advocate, and especially so now that I know about 
Following installments 
It’s amazing how the right little details can make all the difference. Despite our regular use of cloth napkins, Laurel oddly showed a tendency towards our party stash of paper napkins…until 
Today, 
) to present some of her tips and menu ideas to help parents squeeze in breakfast. Here’s the first tip of the series: 
, which I’m reviewing today per 
by Boston native Andi Silverman. Friendly and non-judgmental, this compact (easily stowed in the diaper bag) book covers the mechanics (e.g., feeding and burping positions, troubleshooting, nursing on the go and at work), common questions, and tips for nurturing your body, brain, and relationships. 
and 
handles), 
, and 
that are designed to prevent the growth of bacteria; the straw cup (shown) keeps drinks cool for up to 12 hours (from 
(classic style shown in blue; 
for an alternative model). Julie writes, “…we couldn’t have gotten through the initial (or even later) stages of feeding without our rubber bib from Baby Bjorn. It’s easy to clean and even comes with a lip to catch dropped food.”
makes a good argument for an alternative beverage holder for your babe. Cutely patterned and constructed of lightweight, seamless aluminum, these bottles are tested for 0.0% leaching, so you don’t need to worry about chemicals from plastic getting into your child's digestive system. The bottle features a non-corrosive lining, solvent-free paint on the exterior, and a leak-proof screw top that kids can open themselves.
