Though Laurel and Violet differ in many ways, one characteristic they most definitely share is their love of books. While I was collecting their beloved but outgrown board books to hand down to my sister, I made a list of the picture books that have received request upon request by both girls. These picks will be wonderful for your library; they shine in wording, messaging, and illustration. Enjoy! And feel free to add your favorites in the comments below!
Today, Judy shares 7 great suburban spots for date night (hey, did you know it’s Date Your Mate Month?):
When I was pregnant, I fully expected that after the baby arrived my husband and I would still enjoy date nights at fancy restaurants in the city. In reality, three years into parenting, it’s proven a real challenge for us to get out, particularly since we both work full-time, want to spend our non-work hours with our little man, and feel uncomfortable overtaxing my parents (our only babysitters at present).
A few Fridays ago I discovered a delightful Friday Find: the Bella Sante HydraFacial MD®. I’ll admit, when Bella Sante first reached out to me about trying the service, I had visions of Kim Cattrall in the Sex and the City chemical peel episode. But au contraire; this “liquid dermabrasion-like” facial involves massage, exfoliation, extraction, hydration mostly via a tool that felt similar to my Clarisonic.
Happy May everyone! Among many random holidays (seriously, there are a lot this month!), it’s National Salad Month. And I'm totally on board with NSM for many reasons (hello seasonal produce! yay, roughage!). I thought I would use this holiday to round up 18 awesome salads from the archives. And now I'm hungry and want to make them all right now (I enjoyed #18 yesterday). Enjoy!
Today, Rene shares 11 essentials that help keep her kids happy and entertained while traveling:
Traveling with kids can be challenging, but if you're prepared with plenty of activities (and snacks!) you can keep your little travel companions happy, which will keep you happy. Here are my favorite sanity-saving essentials (aside from the usual diapering items) that will make the trek easier for everyone.
Today's Lessons Learned essay (see submission guidelines here) comes via my sister Sharon. Thank you, Sharon, for sharing your heart with us today:
I don't know if my lesson will ever fully be learned but it will always be practiced. Eight months ago, I gave birth to my son. He defied all expectations and denied me of the Hallmark-type experiences that I had dreamed of.
So, as crafty as I am, one area that has intimidated me is DIY decor and furniture. But my friend Paige (who has issued her interior design brilliance on our home...let me know if you want her contact info, she is AMAZING) gave me the push I needed. After prowling around Pinterest, I decided to try this chair reupholstery tutorial by Live Love DIY and I am simply over the moon about the results!
So, I've never been as excited about staring down a jug of dirty water as I was this morning! To help spread the word about the P&G Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program -- an effort that has turned billions (yes, billions) of liters of dirty water into safe drinking water for kids around the world -- I shot the below demo video about their water purification technique, which is something I could actually do at home with said jug of dirty water! Check it out and learn more about how YOU can help (in, like, 2 seconds!):
I'm thrilled to share another Local Gems post today (be sure to check out the Back Bay, Medford, Beacon Hill, and Lexington features)! Today's Watertown recommendations come from my friend Sharon, mom of two adorable boys (one who knows how to rock a runway) and writer of the parenting/food blog umommy + co-founder of KidNosh, an online restaurant review site for parents. Thanks for sharing these gems, Sharon!
As someone who identifies as a Boston lifer, April 15, 2013 changed how I feel about and experience this city; I'm sure that's the case for many. In the immediate days following the Boston Marathon bombings, I experienced many moments of clarity and dissonance. And every day since, I have experienced small touch points (e.g., errands on Boylston, communication with family in Watertown, runner friends training for April 21, my own modest runs) that make me think about the tragedy and its intense, penetrating ripple effect.
When it comes to holidays, I'm all about pretty and simple. I do admire the aesthetics of fancy egg decorating projects, but they're just not practical when you're trying to execute (and also have fun with!) craft projects with kids. As I was prowling for ideas to work on with the girls this coming weekend, I decided to share 10 easy Easter egg ideas where the steps are few and the results are beautiful. The hard part will be narrowing down which options to try!
It has felt amazing to get back out running these last couple of weeks; it’s pretty much the only time when I'm alone with my thoughts! A couple of years ago, after reading reviews and trying them on in-store, I bought my first pair of Mizuno Wave Prophecy runners and they are awesome. I have cranky feet (bunions, etc.) and these shoes are wonderfully lightweight and supportive (and colorful!). I bought my second pair last fall and am eyeing these colorful new models when it's time to replace my current pair!
I’m penning this Lessons Learned essay, inspired by National Siblings Day (today):
When I was deep in the trenches with regular visits to my therapist, one of the most helpful things we worked on involved the Enneagram. My therapist taught me about this personality system and it helped me understand my personality traits (I’m a #1 in the system) and also how those traits impact my reactions to other people’s behavior.
I'm a big fan of my red lipstick, but for everyday I need less high maintenance color. Enter Jordana's twist & shine moisturizing balm stains (which I discovered thanks to a conversation on Twitter). These balm stain sticks moisturize, add a good pop of color, and are retractable and paraben-free. They're also a mega bargain at ~$2.99 (compare to Clinique's $17 chubby stick). It takes me mere seconds to line my lips with MAC spice lip pencil then layer on my Honey Love or Cranberry Crush. Yay for easy routines!
A couple of days before I headed off to Disney with my mom and the girls, I had the delightful opportunity to host a spa party with the wonderful folks at Dr. Smith's. Sometimes I can't believe that my work involves awesome things like helping moms prioritize self-care! The gathering was so fantastic; I wanted to share a recap and also a fun giveaway for you all.
I love having two sisters to share baby hand me downs with (I was fortunate to receive amazing hand me downs at my secondhand baby shower!), and as I've been collecting Vi's outgrown board books to pass along, I thought I'd share a roundup of 20 great board books for babies and toddlers in honor of Children's Book Day (today). These picks are perfect for gifting or expanding your own library!
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I’ve been planning on announcing a new editorial series that puts your awesomeness in the spotlight. The new series is called Lessons Learned and in it, I want to feature your stories about lessons learned from everyday experiences, whether it’s something unexpected or challenging you have learned at work or home.