Today, Jules shares a reason why you'll want to fire up your oven, even during the summer:
Over the past year I've really gotten into Greek yogurt. A few months ago I shared a recipe for easy, creamy macaroni and cheese, in which I incorporated Greek yogurt as a healthy means to create a yummy, creamy texture. I hope you enjoy this sweet counterpart to that savory recipe.Today, Jules shares a reason why you'll want to fire up your oven, even during the summer:
Over the past year I've really gotten into Greek yogurt. A few months ago I shared a recipe for easy, creamy macaroni and cheese, in which I incorporated Greek yogurt as a healthy means to create a yummy, creamy texture. I hope you enjoy this sweet counterpart to that savory recipe.
I'm not sure if all families experience this, but in the past I have found family vacation planning a little challenging even with just two grownups and one (very vocal) child verbalizing preferences. Which is probably why we haven't done much in the way of just-us (vs. trips to see friends or family) family vacations. However, Red Jacket Resorts recently invited me to check out their properties and after mulling over the options, I decided that the universe was sending me a message to give family vacation planning another try -- that it may in fact be possible to find a destination that would satisfy all of our interests. Here's what I found at Red Jacket:
Since the sad passing of friend and Boston Mamas contributing writer Sarah Feather last month, I've been mulling how best to honor her spirit. Ultimately, I decided to use my graphic design skills to celebrate Sarah's impeccable style while raising funds for ovarian cancer research -- the result being these chic, cheerful, and eco-friendly Hello, Gorgeous greeting cards. You can read the full story behind the development of the cards here. I hope you'll consider purchasing some cards, both to support ovarian cancer research and stay in touch with loved ones.
My friends Anne and Michael live in London, and during a recent visit stateside, they introduced me to the term "butler's salad," which apparently refers to a salad comprised of pantry (or refrigerator) odds and ends. I couldn't get enough of Anne's butler's salad, and ever since that visit I've been inspired to eat a lot more greens (and make use of random leftovers from the fridge). However, given the frequency with which I'm now consuming salad and the fact that I'm often assembling while carrying baby Violet, I've also found it super helpful to do some prep work in advance. Here are my 4 steps to building an awesome butler's salad:
Since Violet's arrival, I've been wondering whether we need to upgrade from our little four door sedan to something like a small-footprint wagon or SUV to accommodate our expanded family (not to mention an extra booster for Laurel's playdate buddies). We haven't taken any steps on car shopping so far, instead opting for super minimal packing when it's time for car travel. During our getaway this past weekend, I jotted down some minimalist travel tips that I thought would be useful as you pack for summer travel. I hope these are helpful, and if you have other favorite minimalist travel tips, please feel free to share them in the comments below!
Today, Heather recommends a toy that her brood never tires of:
Magna-tiles may very well be the best toy purchase I have ever made. My 7-year-old and 4-year-old triplets never get bored with them, and, well, neither do I. We purchased the 100 piece translucent set that includes square and triangular tiles in a variety of sizes. The tiles attract on all sides and in all combinations, helping children move easily from two-dimensional to three-dimensional creations.
Today, Lindsey shares a book that her kids clamor for repeatedly:
One of my very favorite books to read with my children is Space Boy. I knew I loved this book, but I learned that they loved it also when my son chose it, without hesitation, as the book he wanted me to read in his Beginners classroom when I was the parent reader. My daughter, now eight, has loved this book also and still does.
I love supporting the businesses of friends and family, so last year, when I learned that my high school pal Ashley was an Arbonne consultant, I started purchasing my FC5 skin care products from her. And when Ashley found out I was pregnant, she sent me Arbonne's Baby Care Set. Not only was I touched by this kind gift, but since Violet's birth, I've been happy to discover that I dig these products for Violet (save the body oil, which I haven't yet had occasion to use) just as much as I do the FC5 collection for myself.
A couple of months ago I discovered how remarkably easy it is to make éclairs. Today, Kate shares the how-to on the éclair's petit cousin, the profiterole:
Profiteroles are one of those show-off, special-occasion dishes that restaurants include on their menus as a way to both wow diners and remind them that restaurant cooking is different -- better, fancier, more complex -- than at-home cooking. I've always loved profiteroles, loved the production of having them served to me, loved the waterfall of chocolate sauce, and loved the perfect combo of cold ice cream and hot pastry shell (word to chefs everywhere: never, ever serve profiteroles with cold pastry shells).
In the last couple of years I have taken towards reflecting here on Jon and my anniversary -- about lessons I've learned and intentions to carry forward. Since I've spent a lot of time expressing gratitude for the little things in life (over at my personal blog), this year I wanted to focus on 11 little things -- tweaks we have made and things I have discovered -- that have served to strengthen Jon and my marriage and also our functionality as parents. I hope you find some of these things helpful as you navigate your relationships.
Over the holiday weekend we had friends over for our first grilling and chilling of the season and as I was flipping through American Bistro for inspiration, I decided to try Diane Rossen Worthington's herbed garlic cheese bread. Even though I didn't have all the ingredients (Whole Foods was out of thyme and oregano) and messed up the assembly a bit (chalk it up to long weekend brain haze), the bread was spectacular -- a hit with kids and grownups alike. Below is the annotated recipe -- enjoy!
My friend Cynthia is, like me, minimalist when it comes to baby stuff, so I took the following gear recommendation to heart: "I had a thought during my 3 am feeding that you might be interested in...I've found the itzbeen to be the most helpful item of baby gear so far this go-round. A single-mom friend turned me on to it, because she knew she would be insanely sleep-deprived and not able to be charting even the most basic info. It really helps me keep track of feeding often by day and it's encouraging to know she's going 2-3 hours at a time at night. It also helps me remember which boob I'm on." Go forth and collect data mamas.
Today, Carole Arsenault of Boston Baby Nurses shares tips to help dads bond:
The 21st century has ushered in countless dads who, from day one, jump right into their roles as fathers. But even though the societal role has evolved beautifully, that doesn't mean all the day-to-day details come naturally. Of course this can be the case with moms too, but women tend to have had at least some experience with babies, whether it's having played with dolls as a child, babysitting as a teen, or having friends and colleagues with babies. It can be a challenge for new fathers to sort out what to do in those first few newborn weeks and months, especially if mom is breastfeeding. But there are plenty of ways for dad to get involved beyond running errands, picking up slack on chores and handing over the baby for feeding. Here are just a few:
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 Simple Wishes bustier (which I picked up at Isis Parenting on the recommendation of my friends Cindy and Liz), pumping has turned from single focused chore to multitasking opportunity.
I recently saw Jennifer of Savoring the Thyme post about her family's Meatless May and it reminded me of something I wanted to share. A couple of months ago, Laurel became very concerned about animals -- or rather, human consumption of them. She asked whether we could help the environment and the animals and start eating vegetarian one week per month. We tried it and found it surprisingly easy, and that the experiment rendered other benefits.
I know I'm not the only one eager for the sun to break through, and tomorrow -- for EarthFest -- would make for especially welcome timing. In its 18th year, this free Hatch Shell event will feature national and local music acts (starting at noon) as well as eco-friendly products and environmental non-profits. EarthFest also will feature an interactive family area -- Kid's Planet -- starting at 10am. In addition to kid friendly activities and displays, the family friendly musical lineup will include RhymeZwell, Vanessa Trien & the Jumping Monkeys, Little Groove, and one of my personal favorites: Dan Zanes & Friends.
My mother-in-law never runs dry of fun ideas for things to do with Laurel, and during a recent visit, she came up with a brilliant way to get my little homebody outside. She proposed a "penny walk" (apparently something she had learned at camp as a child), where you take a penny and at every corner, flip the coin to decide whether to go straight or take a turn (if at an intersection you could opt for left or right). Laurel was so excited about this idea and before they departed, she decided to also turn the walk into a nature scavenger hunt and constructed the below tally chart (click image below to enlarge). It's a lovely activity when it's nice out, but also would be fun in the rain this week -- no doubt accompanied by a little puddle jumping.
Ever since Laurel became upwardly mobile, I couldn't help but notice the proliferation of Crocs on kids, but Laurel never showed much interest (save the collecting potential of jibbitz) due to her desire for all things girly. And apparently it's amazing what a flower cut out and the right colors can do. I recently received a pair of Crocs Chameleons Shirley Girls to test out with Laurel and she pretty much wore them for three days straight out of the box. Comfortable (Laurel immediately tore down the sidewalk as soon as she put them on) and girly, the additional hit feature of these shoes is that they change color in the sun. Initially white, within seconds of sun exposure on Friday, Laurel's shoes turned violet (which she of course loves, given our little Violet). And even during the weekend's overcast weather, we found that the shoes still turned color, just not as deep.