As I mentioned last week, I'm super excited to see Smucker's Stars on Ice this Friday in Boston (there's still time to get tickets if you want to see the show!). And thanks to the folks at Stars on Ice, I had the lovely opportunity to chat with US champion, two-time Olympian (and Olympic silver medalist), and world medalist Sasha Cohen, who is one of the headliners of the tour. Read on for my interview with Sasha, where we talk about everything from family, to staying grounded as an elite child athlete, to encouraging kids to try or stick with hobbies, to competitions vs. shows, to the awesomeness that is Boston.As I mentioned last week, I'm super excited to see Smucker's Stars on Ice this Friday in Boston (there's still time to get tickets if you want to see the show!). And thanks to the folks at Stars on Ice, I had the lovely opportunity to chat with US champion, two-time Olympian (and Olympic silver medalist), and world medalist Sasha Cohen, who is one of the headliners of the tour. Read on for my interview with Sasha, where we talk about everything from family, to staying grounded as an elite child athlete, to encouraging kids to try or stick with hobbies, to competitions vs. shows, to the awesomeness that is Boston.
Today, Kate shares a craftastic fantasy that now is a reality:
Allow me a moment to admit to a fantasy. In my fantasy, I own a small and pretty shop that allows me to combine my love of baking, sewing, knitting, and beautiful things in a single place that is warm and welcoming and also somehow turns a profit and allows me to live stress-free and in creative happiness. For me, this is but a fantasy, but the creators of Gather Here -- a new 'stitch lounge' located on Broadway in Cambridge -- have managed to turn it into a reality.
I had a bit of a rough week last week and the baby shower my friend Heidi hosted for me this past weekend was a wonderful antidote, making me feel enormously grateful for the happy energy and wonderful people I have in my life. And I wanted to share the theme -- a secondhand baby shower (because I'm an eco-geek and because I have many friends who are done having babies and were eager to pass things along) -- plus some great leads from Heidi's planning. Here's how it all came down the pike:
Today, Jennifer shares a great little art escape for kids (and grownups too!):
Like every mom I know, I'm running low on options for indoor fun. With five school snow days on the roster already, I'm fighting the urge to pack up the family and head south for a very long time! But alas, this is New England, and even when we're being lulled into submission with unusually warm temperatures (like this week), it's important to have creative ideas at the ready.
Today, Evadne shares a favorite online reading tool for kids:
I first came across One More Story during a play date at a friend's house. Our same-aged children (4 and 2 years at the time) were having a blast together and making quite a ruckus, and then a few moments later, the playroom became noticeably quiet. Naturally, I decided it would be wise to peek in, and instead of trouble brewing, I found the children gathered around the computer listening to a story. The pages of the storybook were on the monitor and the words became highlighted as they were being read, karaoke-style. There was even original sound & music accompanying the storytelling. I was intrigued.
While I adore the community feel and eco-friendliness of public libraries, and the shiny newness and convenience of large bookstores, my current happy medium is the independent used bookstore. And The Book Rack is one of those little gems I've walked by a million times but never paid much attention to until recently. I was surprised to learn that The Book Rack has roots dating back to the 1960s and is a network of independently owned bookstores, with about 100 stores across the country, including five locations in Massachusetts.
Today, Heather recommends a welcome household bug:
My four kids are have gone buggy over Hexbugs -- little robotic creatures that behave like real bugs...but without the germs! Emma received a Hexbug Original as a gift and because her younger triplet siblings would not relent when it came to playing with it, the "colony" has now grown and my house is officially infested with nanos and ants.
This week on Life.Style, I engaged in a second conversation on work, life, and parenting; definitely check out the episode if you didn't see it live on Thursday. I chatted with Morra Aarons-Mele of Women & Work and Women Online about everything from why the US lags behind other countries on parental leave policy, recommendations for women trying to strategize maternity leave, the modern family juggling act and division of labor, flex options from the employee and employer perspectives, as well as dads, same sex couples, and single parenting. Phew! Check out the episode for full commentary and inspiration, and for easy reference, below are the conversation point links that were shared during the interviews.
Since her birthday in September, Laurel has had her heart set on acquiring a Doinkit Dartboard, and she was fortunate to receive one for Christmas from one of her aunties. And the dartboard has been a big hit, not just for Laurel, but, well, for the grownups too. The lightweight board's magnetic darts make dart tossing safe and kid-friendly, and the magnetic attraction is wonderfully forgiving for those with less than stellar aim.
Well, my friends, here we are at another snow day. I don't know about you, but the first couple of snow days I was all happy that I could be that mom -- the one who could just shut everything else off, hang out with Laurel in my jammies, and goof off all day. But the last few snow days I've definitely been feeling the strain -- not just of dealing with the snow, but also with the whole default snow/sick day parent thing (ironically, I will be discussing this very topic tomorrow on Life.Style), what else to possibly entertain Laurel with, and my backlog of client work, projects, and e-mails. So last night, before going to bed, I jotted down a list of snow day ideas and wanted to share them with you. Some of them are "get stuff done together" ideas and others are activities I can set Laurel up with to allow myself some time to put out work fires. If you have other great ideas, feel free to share in the comments!
Today, from Jules, an easy, creamy (and better for you) mac and cheese recipe that very well may be my next casserole patrol contribution:
I'm really into Greek yogurt. Why was I so resistant to it before? It's low in (or devoid of) fat, free of sugar, super high in calcium, and really versatile. My kids and I love the creaminess of it and when I drizzle it with honey or maple syrup and add nuts, granola, or fruit, it becomes a serious treat for breakfast. Greek yogurt also is a great recipe ingredient, even on the savory spectrum.
I love wearing dresses, but clearly, going bare legged isn't the greatest option if getting from point A to B involves going outside in frigid winter weather. So I was thrilled to find -- in advance of heading to Alt Summit -- Sara Blakely's ASSETS maternity tights. Though slimming features weren't my concern, I was drawn to these tights given Blakely's Spanx reputation, and clearly, Blakely knows how to deliver the goods. The tights are affordable, supportive, true to size, and feature a remarkably comfortable pregnancy panel (I also bought a pair of cheapo back up tights and they were nowhere near as well made). At Alt, while I did go bare legged in a dress one evening (when getting from points A to B/C/D were all within the hotel), I wore the ASSETS tights another night out with a purple dress with cool metal accents and gray peep toe booties. I felt fantastic. And fantastically comfortable. Even after indulging in too many finger foods.
Today, Kate shares a nostalgic oldie but goodie:
My father took me to England when I was eight years old. I remember parts of the trip quite vividly, particularly my first taste of lemon squash (sour!) and my discovery of Roger Hargreaves' wonderful series of Mr. Men and Little Miss books.
I have some friends from the Midwest who joke regularly about the awful (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) casseroles they grew up on, but there is something so wonderfully easy and practical about the concept of one-dish meals that cover the protein, veggie, and starch angles. This week I was on "casserole patrol" duty to help a friend in need and was utterly thrilled with this Shepherd's Pie recipe from Martha Stewart. Easy to knock together (I made it while entertaining Laurel and a friend) and amenable to adjustments, here are a couple of notes about the recipe:
Now that we've officially switched from count up to count down mode with this pregnancy (7 weeks to go!), many people have asked what we're naming our second daughter. And as with many responses to questions (e.g., Have you figured out child care? Where will the baby sleep? What do you need for baby stuff?) associated with my remarkably laid back approach to this pregnancy, the answer has been, "Hmm...I have no idea." But a few things recently suggested that it's time to get a move on thinking about this name business -- and I'm hoping you can help me out here:
Hello everyone! I just wanted to let you know that this is a short week here at Boston Mamas, between the school holiday and travel to Salt Lake City. I am so thrilled to be heading to Altitude Design Summit tomorrow -- Alt is a design/lifestyle conference that I admittedly was a tad intimidated to attend last year, so this year I decided that I needed to get over that fear and go. And I'm truly honored to be among this incredible lineup of speakers (which includes lovely friends/talented creatives such as Liz Gumbinner, Amy Turn Sharp, Allison Czarnecki, Laura Mayes, and Laurie Smithwick). While at the conference, I'll be soaking up all things creative, and will also speak alongside Chelsea Fuss, Christine Castro Hughes, and Lisa Warninger about taking the leap into full-time creative work.
Today, Kate shares a compact, frequently used favorite solution for achieving fresh baked bread at home:
Years ago, my mother bought me my first bread machine. We were shopping together and it was an impulse purchase; one that I treasured simply because my mother -- who was suffering from serious health problems at the time -- had given it to me. After a period of using it, however, I made the dispiriting discovery that bread coming out of the machine all tasted kind of the same, all appeared in an unnatural cube shape, and all featured a peculiar hole at the bottom left over from the kneading blade. And so, I left the bread machine behind while packing for one move or another, thus ending my career as a bread machine user.