It’s the age-old question for moms across the world–and one that never seems to produce a satisfactory response unless it’s “pizza,” “Chinese” or some form of take-out. Some nights, it takes all the strength you can muster just to open up a can of soup or microwave a frozen dinner. But when a sandwich just won’t cut the mustard in your house (as is the case in mine!), it’s time to scour the cupboard and rummage up whatever staple can be made into a meal. That’s when childhood comfort foods like Chef Boyardee come in handy. Believe it or not, a can of this stuff is a starter ingredient for an entirely new bunch of dinnertime recipes like Taco-roni, Ravioli Lasagna (shown here) and Cheeseburger-roni. [&hellip
Monthly Archive:: July 2011
Last week, I took my 2 girls out for a bite at a kid-friendly restaurant near our home. My husband had evening plans and we were in the midst of a heat wave, so it seemed like a fine idea. I forgot how much 2 little girls can talk (both at the same time, mind you), but with a glass of Chardonnay, a bread basket full of warm pretzel sticks and coloring books for the little ladies, I was well-armed. While nibbling on our appetizer, I couldn’t help but notice a toddler at a nearby table who was having a ball. Much to his mother’s horror, he dipped every fry several times in ketchup before aiming them towards his mouth. Naturally, he missed his target [&hellip
How good are you at Scrabble? Can you polish off the Sunday Times crossword puzzle in an afternoon? If so, maybe KaBAM wouldn’t faze you. But if you relish a good challenge and want to test your spelling smarts with your kids, I invite you to get a copy of this word-building game and see just how vast your vocabulary is. My daughter and I have been playing KaBAM for the last few weeks and I must admit to being stumped on more than occasion. The concept is simple, but trying to win is anything but. Players draw cards, each containing one or more letters, and then must add a minimum of one letter to create a new word. Once you know a word, shout [&hellip
My 7-year-old kissed a frog the other day, but alas the little critter did not turn into a prince. My daughter was learning about different types of amphibians during camp and suddenly decided she wanted to kiss this “very cute frog.” I can see what possessed her; I wound up “meeting” this very frog during Parents’ Day and I must admit, he was awfully cute. When one of her counselors recounted the frog/prince story to her, she frowned and said “Yuck!” This is no damsel in distress, I tell you. For those who long for their own happy ending, check out the latest incarnation of SqwishLand, the collectible characters that take a giant leap from vending machines and into toy stores. The new DIY SqwishLand [&hellip
To my 7-year-old, the name Mario is so much better than even the best Italian uncle (sorry, Bob). Rather, it’s a name that’s synonymous with her all-time favorite activity: playing Mario Kart Wii. Because my husband and I are forever trying to entice her with other playtime activities, imgaine our delight when K’NEX came out with its first-ever Mario Kart line of construction toys. We recently got our hands on the Mario vs. Goombas Building Set, and let’s just the afternoon fast became a spread-out-all-over on-the-floor experience. Right out of the box, she excitedly began snapping track pieces together. (Truthfully, I don’t know who was more psyched by this toy: her or her dad, another bona fide Mario Kart player). True to K’NEX’s name, the [&hellip
The first time I was pregnant, you couldn’t catch me within 20 feet of a camera. I refused to be photographed and so have no visual record of my expanding belly. By the time I had my second daughter, I was either as little less vain or not as militant about having my picture taken. For those expectant moms who relish documenting their growing tummy, and for people like me who in retrospect should have taken things a bit less seriously, come the oh-so-adorable Sticky Bellies. This line of removable stickers is just the thing for chronicling an ever-changing pregnant body. They affix easily to clothing, so you can stick one on your shirt, grab your camera and snap away. The Oh Sew Ready assortment [&hellip
In my family, if you were said to have ‘thick skin,’ it meant you didn’t let things get to you. I’d like to think that over the years, I’ve developed quite a few layers that have enabled me to withstand criticism…at least for the most part. Growing a protective shell doesn’t happen overnight unless, of course, you’re a turtle. And when you’re a new parent shopping for baby gear that will stand up to wear and tear, this animal’s tough exterior comes to mind. How fitting that Kolcraft’s TurtleTot Activity Center is centered around this very creature. The newest stationary activity center to come to town, it features Toby TurtleTot who sits amidst a group of playful pals–a worm, butterfly, bee and rattle–inviting your little [&hellip
If back-to-school shopping is practically here, can Halloween be that far behind? I’m not one for rushing the seasons, but my girls have already starting talking about what they might want to dress up as on October 31st. (So far, we have one ghost, but that’s likely to change at least a half-dozen times). Since I’m paying closer attention to how many sweets we consume during the summer months alone (ice pops, lollipops, cookies), the candy-filled month of October frightens me more than a black cat crossing my path. While the kids will surely be getting plenty of treats, it’s nice to look out for the sugar-free variety, too. If you suspect you may be hosting a Halloween gathering at your home this year in [&hellip
In my active fantasy life, I am heading to the Hamptons for a long weekend at the beach. I am thinking about what veggies I’ll be picking up at the farmer’s market to grill later on and whether it will be hot enough to justify wearing white until Monday. Contrary to what you might think, I’m not 100-percent selfish in my daily reveries…or at least, not this one. I realize I don’t own a beachhouse in the toniest part of Long Island, nor do I have any plans anytime soon to sacrifice my kids’ college funds for some local real estate. But, if I ever do get invited out east, I have a great hostess gift in mind to show my friend that I am [&hellip
I nearly knocked over a display of back-to-school stuff at the grocery store the other day. I couldn’t believe that pails and shovels were quickly being usurped by notebooks, crayons and pencils…oh my! With Labor Day nearly six weeks away, September is actually sooner than you might think (sorry to be a spoilsport!). Because we’ve always got an eye turned to the latest kid product trends, we took a look at what’s big in writing for the coming season. Does your kid have dry erase markers on her school supply list again, the same ones she’s forever needing to replace because someone forgets to put the caps back on and they dry out? Well, the smart folks at Crayola have come up with a solution [&hellip
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