• Monthly Archive:: May 2012

    Because my 8-year-old can read me like a book, I try to surprise her every now and then. Bath before dinner, OJ in a fluted glass (yeah, that one’s reserved for special occasions)…my changes in routine may be subtle, but they throw her for a loop every now and then. And since packing lunches have definitely hit a case of the doldrums by this late in the school year, I thought I might fool her with a small lunchbox treat that was bound to make her think she had mistakenly opened a classmate’s bag. Yesterday, I packed her sandwich in a Wexy Munch & Lunch Bag. Unlike ordinary zipper-locked baggies, these disposable bags are BPA-free, biodegradable and made from 100-percent recyclable materials. How’s that for [&hellip

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    Like you, we’re wondering if Mother Nature has the same calendar we do. In March, it felt like May and in May, we’ve seen the April showers that never quite made it on time. If you’re as tired as we are of making a mad dash to the bus stop with a fully clad younger sibling in tow, you’ll love the line of Rainwear Hoodebaby as much as we do. This easy-on, easy-off rainy day-inspired hoodie is the perfection solution to getting out the door in time, minus the battle scars (you know the ones we mean…”I want to wear my fireman hat and my fireman jacket…”). There are no buttons, zippers or snaps to wrestle with. Made from BPA- and lead-free laminated cotton and [&hellip

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    What do you do when your hair is ultra fine and no barrettes or clips will stay place? If you were like me as a teenager, you got down on your hands and knees and prayed to God for curly locks. But if the powers that be were too busy attending to more pressing matters–heaven forbid, literally!–you learned to get creative and find alternative ways to make your hair look half-way decent. Now if you’re an athlete, you’ve got more reasons than plain old beauty to keep your hair in place. If you’re tired of resorting to those sweatbands that make you look like an 80s throwback (think Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s Get Physical”), well, let’s just say your prayers have answered. Glitter Girlz Headbandz [&hellip

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    Trying to prep a sitter before heading out of the house is a job in and of itself. Once you write up a list of hour-by-hour “instructions” and show her where all the essentials are, you’ll be ready for a night out on the town, alright! We love a baby product that multitasks as much as we do–and one that make life a little less harried for fill-in help, too. Enter Danzo diaper bags, a line of designer diaper bags that prove their worth just by their built-in organization system. Tons of see-through pockets make it easy to find those wipes right when you need them. And for the more challenged caregiver, 25 interchangeable labels spell out the lay of the land, from “a” (“antibacterial”) [&hellip

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    My 7-year-old’s latest trick? Turning her dinner into her own culinary creations. Chicken and baked potatoes turns into “chicken boat wonders.” Bread folded over and dipped in salad dressing becomes “juicy bread.”  As much as it irks me that my daughter just can’t eat a meal without turning it into a project, I’m can’t say I blame her. I remember “sculpting” scoops of chocolate ice cream into igloos, while talking to myself in a Julia Child voice  when I was her age (don’t ask). And after being home sick from school recently, she became enchanted with the Food Network and now tunes into episodes of “Chopped” whenever she remembers (I kid you not). So with her birthday fast approaching, I thought a kid-friendly cookbook would [&hellip

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    Baby-soft skin…it’s something I was fortunate to have through much of my childhood. When I was little, my dad used to reach over and playfully rub my cheeks. By the time I became a teenager, this small gesture became mildly embarrassing. But now that I’m a mom, I find myself doing the same thing to my daughters. Their unblemished, tender faces are a thing of beauty, something that makes wish that I could freeze this moment and keep them little forever. Well, since time won’t be standing still for this daydreaming mom, at least I can keep my girls’ skin in top condition. BabySpa‘s new collection of natural skincare is specially formulated to work for different ages and stages, since your kid’s skin changes as [&hellip

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    What’s more darling than an outfitted infant? It’s been years since our girls were babies, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t appreciate an adorable ensemble when we see one. One particular collection that’s caught our eye is Qt-Qt by Kissy Kissy. Made from high-quality Peruvian cotton, this line feels especially soft on tender, newborn skin. But it’s the fine attention to detail and oh-so-sweet prints that we love most. Whimsical designs like the retro robots featured here are a far cry from run-of-the-mill cars and trucks motif that keep popping up at the playground. Coordinating sets make this line a no brainer for special occasions, to everyday wear. From bibs, to booties, Qt-Qt will keep your little one in style through the baby (and [&hellip

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    Tis the season of BBQs, picnics and all those other outdoor family festivities whose only requirements are a hearty appetite and a willingness to party. And what’s a good time without some tunes to go along with the food, folks and fun? In our house, the month of May features birthdays for both my girls and that means plenty of crowd-pleasing music from preschoolers to older kids. Because my girls are always willing and able to give a listen to a new sound, we were eager to test-drive the new release from Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band. Easy on the ears, yet hitting all the right notes,  “A Potluck” is a musical feast for the senses. The rhythmic, multi-layered sound of this band [&hellip

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    Jessica Simpson is expecting again…but this time, it’s a new fashion collection she’s happily anticipating. And frankly, we weren’t at all surprised to hear about the launch of her maternity apparel collection. After the birth of Simpson’s first child earlier this month, not to mention a staggering amount of press devoted to the very-pregnant celebrity, a stylish line of clothing that accentuates an expectant woman’s changing shape seemed only natural. Given her prior successful stints in apparel, accessories and cosmetics, Simpson clearly knows a thing or two about what women like when it comes to fashion. (Either that, or she has a knack for picking talented, perceptive designers.) And since she just walked the walk of a pregnant woman herself, we give her the thumbs [&hellip

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    All it took was one beautiful, unseasonably warm weekend to make me realize that summer is not far off. A short visit to our local beach reminded me that I’ll soon be loading up my beach bag with sand toys, sunscreen and towels. While I don’t mind toting stuff that’s worth their weight, I am often dissatisfied with our choice in beach towels. Because they never seem to be the right size to dry off adequately or to completely stretch out on the sand, I wind up chiding myself for forgetting to replace them after the previous summer. Well, just in time for the upcoming season of surf, sand and all things water, Zoocchini has introduced hooded towels that are so generously sized, you might [&hellip

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