Boston Mamas

March Maple Madness

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:34:06 -0500

I love when the March maple madness events kick in; they're a great way to show kids that syrup comes from somewhere other than a grocery store aisle. This weekend you can enjoy: the Somerville Maple Syrup Project (Sat.), South Shore Natural Science Center Maple Festival (Sun.), Blue Hills Maple Sugar Days (Sat. & Sun.), Drumlin Farm Sap-to-Syrup Farmer’s Breakfast (Sat. & Sun.), and Ipswich Sugaring Off Tours (this & next weekend).

Have I missed other awesome local maple syrup events? Feel free to comment in below to share them with the community.

Switch, Wear, Repeat

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:50:38 -0500

Today, Jennifer shares a fabulous find for ladies who love switching up their accessories. Read on to learn more about the Switch Gear Kit, a cool and artsy interchangeable earring kit designed by local metalsmith Lisa Monahan, as well as to learn how to be one of two winners to receive a Switch Gear Kit (entry closes March 15).

Letting Go in the Kitchen

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:29:09 -0500

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 What’s Cooking with YOUR Kids series, where I share how letting Laurel take charge in the kitchen resulted in a fine meal (and some time for me on the couch!). Enjoy!

All Sewn Up

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:34:08 -0500

It's well south of the city and definitely more of a grown up event, but if you're in the area and appreciate crafty things, consider AHA!’s All Sewn Up event tomorrow night. In celebration of the area's textile history and artists, downtown New Bedford will be hopping with shopping, gallery showings, art demonstrations, readings, and classical music.

Cambridge's Community Hub

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:37:01 -0500

Today, Kate shares details on Cambridge's new community hub:

The City of Cambridge is blessed with a beautiful new public library. After years of public debate followed by years of construction, the library building in which I spent many happy childhood hours has been largely subsumed into a welcoming, sunlight-filled addition.

Eric Carle Favorites

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:50:26 -0500

Who doesn’t love Eric Carle? His stories have inspired countless hours of reading, song (yes, Laurel prefers that I sing some of the books), and art projects, and I always see Carle’s books gracing the shelves of Laurel’s friends. And on March 20 The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other Eric Carle Favorites will show at the Colonial Theatre for three performances, bringing Carle's stories to life via a nature inspired journey following the title story, Little Cloud, and The Mixed-Up Chameleon.

Want to win a 4-pack of tickets to The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other Eric Carle Favorites? Here's how:

Easy Currant Scones

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:42:50 -0500

One of my favorite ways to make a lazy weekend morning feel special is with scones. And these currant scones by Martha Stewart are simple in composition (without any forethought I had all the ingredients on hand) and are easy enough to whip up while everyone is still lolling around in jammies. I made these scones last weekend for company and they were a huge hit; light (um, seeming), flaky, and delicious. And everyone was happy to simply nibble these special treats alongside fresh fruit. Easy peasy.

Pretty Paper Blooms

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:50:11 -0500

This spring-like weather is utterly delicious, and if your kids want to create colorful flowers to match (while nature catches up), consider this Alex Toys Giant Paper Flowers Kit. My in-laws got this kit for Laurel and she loves the resulting pretty paper blooms. The kit includes an impressive quantity of colorful, decorative-edged tissue paper sheets + pipe cleaners (enough to make 30 flowers). Simply stack and accordion fold the paper, twist fasten with pipe cleaners, and fluff the flowers. It's a lovely, creative, and affordable away to have flowers all year long.

Earth Rocks!

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:42:41 -0500

Indeed it does. And tomorrow (March 6) the Harvard Museum of Natural History is celebrating with a day-long family festival designed to help kids and grownups learn about rocks, fossils, meteorites, and more in hands-on fashion. Kids are welcome to bring in a rock for scientists to identify (I recommend bringing the most bizarre rock possible to see if you can stump the experts). Earth Rocks! is free with museum admission ($9 adults: $7 seniors; $6 age 3-18) and free parking is available.

Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge; 617-495-3045

Boston Baby

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 10:16:09 -0500

Are you looking for a compact, portable reference to help navigate the kid-friendly ins and outs of our fair city? Today I share my thoughts on Kim Foley MacKinnon’s new book, Boston Baby: A Field Guide for Urban Parents. Read on for my review, as well as to learn about an opportunity to meet Kim and eat well tomorrow at Aura Restaurant, and be one of three winners to receive a copy of Boston Baby:

Yummy Citrus-Ginger Tea

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:28:18 -0500

I stopped drinking coffee several months ago and since have been consuming a lot of herbal tea. And our friend Taina recently introduced us to a fantastic tea blend (inspired by her mama friend Jess) that I’ve been enjoying daily (I am, in fact, enjoying a cup right this minute). One batch is great to share with friends after dinner, or to enjoy through the day, whether it sits stove top at home or in a travel thermos at work. And it seems to me that the citrus-ginger blend could help stave off, or at least soothe, winter colds.

Bountiful Barley Salad

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:46:20 -0500

Today, Jules shares a crowd pleasing barley salad recipe:

I first cooked this barley salad for a New Year’s gathering of six friends, including three very large, very hungry meat-eating men. It was not the main dish, but it really could have been. This dish was a huge hit; a hearty meal that is simple to prepare and loaded with whole grain goodness. Enjoy!

Seeing the Everyday

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:41:07 -0500

Despite leading an uber digital life, I remain loyal to the tactile joys of books and print magazines. And given my passion for simplicity and minimalist living, I adore locally produced Seeing the Everyday. Including beautiful photography and thoughtful, well written reflections about the small yet meaningful moments in life, the personal stories and academic articles of this ad-free magazine make clear how deeply our actions as parents impact our children. Some of the stories have made me laugh and some have moved me to tears. And throughout, it's truly amazing that once I start flipping through this periodical’s pages, I can’t help but slow down, breathe, reflect, and feel grateful.

Now, want to be one of two winners to receive a subscription to Seeing the Everyday? Here’s how:

Mom 2.0 Reflections

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:23:49 -0500

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!

Thank You, Boston Baby Photos!

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:25:28 -0500

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.