Home is where you spend most of your hours, but for many people, making your home feel cozy and lovely can seem frivolous or overwhelming. In Episode 34, I interview interior designer and stylist Paige Lewin; we cover why it’s imperative that your home – temporary or permanent -- needs to be a place of respite and energy, why prioritizing your nest isn’t frivolous, what to do when your partner’s style differs from yours, and a slew of actionable tactics to get over the overwhelm factor and refresh your nest.
So the topic of extracurriculars has been on my mind, especially with spring activities starting to ramp up. And it reminded me that I wanted to share a simple tactic to deal with extracurricular choices. This took me a while to learn and the payoff has been extraordinary so I wanted to serve it up directly to you so you can go forth and benefit! Click the player below to learn how to let go of extracurricular craziness while teaching your kids a life skill.
Given my work on Responsibility.org’s #TalkEarly program (which is all about creating a lifetime of conversations with kids) I think even more than usual about personal responsibility -- not just through the lens of alcohol awareness and education, but in all aspects of life. April is Alcohol Awareness Month and this April also marks Responsibility.org’s 25th anniversary and the launch of their Responsibility Starts With Me campaign.
So this is kind of fun...this week's video is my first (unexpected!) off-site video. I recorded it after feeling the glorious (much needed) effects of a little lifestyle solution I happened to bring with me on a trip to New York. I sound a little froggy, but hey, REAL LIFE! Also, the YogaAddict socks/gloves I use aren't available right now on Amazon but this Gaiam set is comparable in styling, reasonably priced (less than $20), and the reviews look favorable. Enjoy!
This week while I was in New York for an intense two-day client huddle, my phone and Facebook started blowing up. It wasn't until I finished up the first day of meetings and was back at my hotel room that I was able to fully absorb what was going on. I learned that I was nominated for the 2016 Iris Awards -- not just once, but twice, in the categories of Best Parenting Vlog (for my new lifestyle solutions series) and Best Parenting Podcast (for Edit Your Life).
Given that I’m a freelancer, one thing I’ve been trying to get better at is doing quarterly check-ins on my finances. And it occurred to me that it would be good to do something similar with my 2016 intentions given that it’s so easy to make resolutions or set intentions and then forget about them! To get up to speed with mine, you can read my original intentions post; below is a check-in, which, as you can see, I've had mixed results! If you feel compelled to share what you’re working on I would love to hear it!
I know it may sound sort of ridiculous (impossible?) that a simple bento box can effectively make me less grumpy and resentful about lunch making, but it's totally true -- 6 months in and I'm still less grumpy and resentful! Click play below to hear about how EasyLunchboxes have helped me streamline the lunch making process. And if you need further help reducing the lunch making grumps, tune into this podcast episode on school lunch solutions!
Violet loves Gecko from PJ Masks (it's part of her superhero play) and for her birthday I decided to try making a cut out character cake for the first time. It proved to be super fun cake therapy for me and she LOVED it. Some people were asking if I was going to put together a tutorial so here goes! And here are links to the whipped cream frosting, small star tip, and black sparkle gel I referenced; the other supplies (e.g., food coloring) are standard.
So I don't know if it's due to genetics or my running habits, but my feet are the worst. And as much as I love pedicures I don't have the time or money to get them done as often as my feet require, er, sanding down. Tune into this video to learn why I'm obsessed with the Amope pedi perfect extra coarse foot file. I'll use it year round (because my feet get even worse in the winter!) but it's perfect tool to prep you for spring/summer flip flop/sandal weather!
Though I tend to be pragmatic and matter of fact about milestones, I've been finding myself pretty emotional about Violet turning five. Compared to our experience with Laurel (and yes, I realize first-borns are a totally different ball of wax), it's been a completely different ride parenting Violet. And while there have been plenty of bumpy patches, she has taught me so much. Today I wanted to write Violet a letter. Happy birthday, sweet girl. Keep shining on in your fiery way.
Yesterday, thanks to the fine folks at Babble, I was honored to be part of a White House conversation regarding the health of U.S. children. As many of you know, I'm passionate about the various dimensions of healthy living -- nutrition, fitness, mental health -- and it was amazing to hear from some seriously rock star women (from USDA, HHS, and more) about all that has been accomplished through Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! program.
Are you overwhelmed, uninspired, or frustrated by your closet? Does the advice to clean out your closet by emptying the whole thing and starting over seem untenable? Are you not feeling ready to limit yourself to a small capsule wardrobe? Yeah, ME TOO! But the good news is that there’s another middle ground way to approach closet overhaul. This simple hack helped me edit and organize my closet in a totally not overwhelming way.
My relationship with Asha Dornfest began online 10 years ago when I discovered Parent Hacks not long after starting Boston Mamas. I was an immediate fan of Asha's work and I reached out to tell her so. I was shocked when she wrote me back, and following that first e-mail developed an incredible friendship that migrated from online to in person and later blossomed into one of the most incredible working relationships of my life, through our co-authoring of Minimalist Parenting and co-hosting of the Edit Your Life Show.
Ever since mowing through The Hunger Games Trilogy, Laurel has been in a book rut. She loves reading but hitting the YA section at the library has so far proven challenging since so many YA books are romantically oriented. To be clear, I have no problem with romance, but Laurel -- at this moment anyway -- is so. not. into. that. I recently queried my friends about tween book recommendations of the non-romantic persuasian and wow, did they deliver!